Teen Charged as Adult in Stepsister's Murder Surrenders After Judge Revokes Release
Sixteen-year-old Timothy Hudson surrendered to U.S. Marshals after a federal judge ordered his pre-trial detention as an adult in the murder and sexual assault of his 18-year-old stepsister on a cruise ship.
A U.S. magistrate judge in Miami ordered the revocation of pre-trial release for 16-year-old Timothy Hudson, who is now being held in an approved juvenile facility after being charged as an adult with first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse. The sealed order, issued Wednesday and made public on Monday, required Hudson to surrender to U.S. Marshals at the federal courthouse in Tampa.
Hudson had previously been allowed to live with an uncle under electronic monitoring, a decision made in February. After the case was transferred to adult court in April, prosecutors argued that no conditions of release could ensure community safety, prompting the judge to treat his detention as if he were an adult.
"The Government has established, by clear and convincing evidence, that no condition or combination of conditions of release will reasonably assure the safety of the community going forward," Judge Edwin Torres wrote.
Hudson has pleaded not guilty. The case is in federal court because the victim, 18-year-old Anna Kepner, died in international waters aboard the Carnival Horizon in November. Her body was found concealed under a bed in a shared cabin. An autopsy determined death by mechanical asphyxia after she was allegedly pinned down, raped, and strangled.
Prosecutors highlighted the seriousness of the offenses and the risk of flight, noting that an adult conviction could carry a life sentence, whereas a juvenile conviction would result in release at age 21. The defense noted that Hudson had complied with release conditions for months.
Kepner’s father, Christopher Kepner, said the family is placing trust in the justice system to pursue the case with care and integrity.