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Last year, an 18-year-old named Anna Kepner was discovered lifeless by a housekeeper beneath the bed in her cabin on a cruise ship.
MIAMI — A 16-year-old male, charged with the suspected murder and aggravated sexual assault of his 18-year-old stepsister, Anna Kepner, entered a plea of not guilty on Tuesday. The incident took place on a cruise ship last year.
Timothy Hudson, the accused, has been formally indicted and has opted to waive his presence at the arraignment set for Wednesday, according to his defense lawyer, Eric Cohen. Hudson, who is 16, also endorsed the one-page legal document.
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A grand jury concluded that Hudson was on board the Carnival Cruise Line’s Horizon vessel with his stepsister, Anna Kepner, in November 2025. Prosecutors claim that during their time on the ship, Hudson sexually assaulted and deliberately murdered her.
Initially facing charges as a minor in February, the case was kept confidential until a federal judge’s decision led to Hudson being tried as an adult. A conviction on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual assault could result in a life sentence for him.
Ahead of submitting a plea Tuesday, the public defender representing Hudson filed a motion asking the court to deny the prosecutor’s request to revoke his pretrial release now that he’s been indicted as an adult.
Hudson has been free in the care of an uncle since his arrest in February, though prosecutors now want a judge to lock him up while the case unfolds. That issue is unsettled.
The 18-year-old high school cheerleader from Titusville, Florida, was found dead while aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship. Law enforcement sources told multiple media outlets Kepner’s body was found by a housekeeper under the bed in her stateroom on the ship, which returned to Port Miami on Nov. 8, 2025.
ABC News reported that Kepner died by asphyxiation resulting from a bar hold, a term for holding an arm across the neck. The media outlet also reported investigators found two bruises on the side of her neck.
READ MORE: Cause of death revealed for Anna Kepner, the teen who was found dead on cruise ship
Her family previously told ABC News they wanted Kepner to be remembered for her generosity and spirit.
Records and hearings in the case were closed to the public for weeks because Hudson was initially charged as a minor. But U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom granted the government’s request to have him prosecuted as an adult. The case was unsealed on April 10.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.