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Federal investigators have acquired a DNA sample from an unidentified juvenile male who is alleged to have engaged in sexual activities with 18-year-old Anna Kepner aboard a Carnival cruise ship shortly before her tragic death.
This new piece of evidence could significantly impact the case as federal prosecutors proceed with charges against Kepner’s stepbrother, Timothy Hudson. Hudson is accused of sexually assaulting and murdering Kepner, and his case is gathering attention due to these recent developments.
The details of this case are outlined in a newly unsealed 145-page transcript from a detention hearing. Initially identified in juvenile court records only by the initials T.H., Hudson is charged with murdering Kepner in their shared cabin on the Carnival Horizon. The incident occurred in November 2025 while the ship was traveling from Cozumel, Mexico, back to Miami. If found guilty, Hudson faces the possibility of a life sentence.
Prosecutors have described the chilling circumstances surrounding Anna Kepner’s death, stating that she was strangled in what they call “a barbaric, intentional, thoughtful act.” Hudson is currently facing charges of first-degree murder and sexual assault, as the case continues to unfold.
The transcript further reveals that Kepner had sexual relations on the cruise with another minor, identified only as “minor witness two” in court documents. This individual is confirmed not to be Hudson, who was 16 years old at the time of the incident.
The disclosure came as prosecutors laid out DNA evidence collected after Kepner’s body was found in cabin 8343, which she shared with Hudson and her 13-year-old brother.
Prosecutors said a rape kit collected during Kepner’s autopsy produced male DNA from two vaginal swabs, including one that tested positive for sperm.
Based on those preliminary results, the FBI obtained a search warrant for Hudson’s DNA. Investigators also collected DNA from the out-of-state minor who allegedly had sex with Kepner during the cruise.
Anna Kepner was identified by her family as the passenger who died onboard the Carnival Horizon. (Facebook)
Prosecutors said the FBI lab compared DNA standards from Hudson and “minor witness two” to the male DNA profile found in the vaginal swabs. According to the government, the other minor was excluded as a contributor.
Prosecutors said the DNA instead strongly supported Hudson as the male contributor.
The government said that one swab was 120 sextillion times more likely to include DNA from Kepner and Hudson than from Kepner and an unknown, unrelated person.
A second swab, which was negative for sperm but positive for male DNA, was described as 1.2 septillion times more likely to include Hudson than an unknown, unrelated person.
Anna Kepner was found dead on a Carnival Cruise Line ship. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group)
The defense, however, signaled that the other sexual encounter and the timeline could become part of its strategy.
During the hearing, Hudson’s attorney argued prosecutors were making assumptions about the evidence, including whether the sexual contact, alleged sexual assault and homicide were all part of the same event.
The defense pressed an FBI agent on whether the medical examiner could determine how long after intercourse Kepner died, or whether the person involved in the intercourse was the same person who killed her. The agent responded that he didn’t “think they made that determination.”
Timothy Hudson appears in a court sketch during a hearing in Miami federal court on May 27. He is accused of murdering his stepsister, Anna Kepner, and sexually assaulting her. (Lothar Speer)
Prosecutors argued the evidence pointed to Hudson, citing the DNA, CCTV footage, phone-location data and the cabin timeline.
They said Kepner was last seen entering the cabin at 7:38 p.m. on Nov. 6, 2025 and was not seen leaving again.
Prosecutors also said Hudson was in the cabin with her for a key stretch of time and that her phone later appeared to travel along the same route as Hudson before it was found destroyed in a trash bin.
The judge found probable cause but said he would not characterize the government’s case as strong, calling it “a much closer call” and noting that “various defenses” could be raised.
Hudson’s case is expected to go to trial in September. News Media has reached out to Hudson’s attorneys for comment.
