Teen accused of stepsisters cruise ship murder buys time to consider plea but wont get sweet deal: expert
The federal high-seas murder case against a teenager accused of sexually assaulting and strangling his own stepsister aboard a cruise ship has reached a pivotal juncture.Court filings reveal the defense has requested more time to consider reaching a plea deal.Timothy Hudson, who was 16 at the time, is accused of the sexual assault and strangling death of Anna Kepner, 18, aboard the Carnival Horizon on Nov.
7, 2025.He is being charged as an adult in the federal case in Florida.The plea deadline was originally Friday, Oct.
23 but that has now been extended to January to give the defense team more time.A judge granted this extension earlier this month.Timothy Hudson enters Miami Federal Court with a public defender on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.
He was charged in connection with the death of his stepsister, Anna Kepner, on a Carnival Cruise in November 2025.(Matthew Symons for Fox News Digital)TEEN ACCUSED OF KILLING STEPSISTER ON CARNIVAL CRUISE SHIP ORDERED DETAINED BEFORE MURDER TRIALRead the motion here:A federal grand jury indicted Hudson in April, to which he initially entered a not guilty plea.
He is currently being held in a federal pre-trial detention center after a judge made an order in June remanding him to federal custody.TEEN STEPBROTHER ACCUSED OF KILLING ANNA KEPNER ON CARNIVAL CRUISE REMAINS FREE BEFORE TRIALHe was previously in the custody of his family, with an ankle monitor.With the new changes and extended plea deal deadline, it's possible that Hudson's defense team is trying to iron out a plea deal for the teenager.ANNA KEPNER’S STEPBROTHER CHARGED AS ADULT WITH MURDER, SEXUAL ABUSE IN FLORIDA TEEN’S CRUISE SHIP DEATHAnna Kepner’s 16-year-old stepbrother outside of a federal court building in Miami, Florida, Feb.6, 2026.
The teen is accompanied by his attorney.(Fox News)"For a case like this, you’re talking about whether or not the defendant gets life or not," Anthony Strazza said.FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON XStrazza, a criminal d...