A federal judge has ruled that the 16-year-old accused of killing and sexually assaulting his stepsister, Anna Kepner, during a family cruise must remain in custody before and throughout his upcoming trial.
The decision comes after Timothy Hudson, who was initially charged as a juvenile and released pending trial, was later indicted as an adult on more serious charges. Following the upgraded charges, the court determined that detention was necessary to protect public safety.
Charges Escalated From Juvenile to Adult Court
Hudson was first charged in February as a juvenile. However, in April, prosecutors formally charged him as an adult with first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse in connection with Kepner’s death.
As a result, U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres concluded that Hudson was no longer subject to the legal standards governing juvenile detention.
In a June 10 court order, Torres stated that prosecutors had demonstrated through clear and convincing evidence that no release conditions could adequately protect the community.
“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,” the judge wrote.
Transfer to Federal Custody Ordered
Under the ruling, Hudson was ordered to surrender to the U.S. Marshals Service and be transferred into federal custody.
Court documents indicate he was scheduled to be moved first to the Citrus County Jail before eventually being transferred to the Miami-Dade County Metro West Detention Center no later than July 10.
A source familiar with the matter confirmed that Hudson was in federal custody as of Monday evening. Prior to the ruling, he had been living under the supervision of an uncle as part of his court-approved release conditions.
Hudson has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Prosecutors Detail Cruise Ship Allegations
According to federal prosecutors, Hudson and his 18-year-old stepsister, Anna Kepner, were traveling aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Horizon in November 2025 along with several relatives when the alleged crime occurred.
Investigators say Kepner was later found dead, and a medical examiner concluded that she had been sexually assaulted and died from asphyxiation.
Court records indicate that Hudson and Kepner were alone in the cabin they shared between 7:51 p.m. and 11:21 p.m. on the evening of her death.
Prosecutors allege that Kepner’s Apple Watch, which monitored her heart rate, stopped recording activity during that time period. Investigators believe this window corresponds with when the alleged assault and killing took place.
Judge Cites Serious Nature of Allegations
In explaining the detention order, Judge Torres emphasized the gravity of the charges.
He wrote that allegations involving the deliberate killing and sexual assault of a young woman within the confined environment of a cruise ship presented a significant danger to the public.
According to the ruling, the court found that no combination of restrictions—including curfews, electronic monitoring, or third-party supervision—would sufficiently address those concerns.
The judge stated that a defendant accused of intentionally taking a life while committing sexual abuse posed a risk that could not be adequately controlled through less restrictive measures.
Presumption of Innocence Remains
Despite ordering detention, Torres stressed that the ruling should not be viewed as a determination of guilt.
“This is not to convict the defendant in advance,” the judge noted. “The presumption of innocence remains fully intact.”
The court emphasized that the decision was based solely on considerations regarding public safety and detention standards before trial.
Clean Record Not Enough to Avoid Detention
Torres acknowledged that Hudson has no prior criminal history and had complied with all conditions of his release up to that point.
However, the judge found that those factors alone did not outweigh the concerns raised by the severity of the allegations.
The ruling noted that a previously clean record is only meaningful if it reliably predicts future behavior. The judge suggested that the nature of the alleged offenses weakened the reassurance typically associated with an absence of prior criminal conduct.
The court also found that Hudson’s compliance during a limited period of supervised release did not provide enough certainty about how he would behave during the lengthy legal process ahead.
Concerns Raised About Household Environment
Another factor cited by the court involved the presence of other minors living in the same residence where Hudson had been staying.
Judge Torres expressed concern about maintaining contact between Hudson and vulnerable household members, indicating that detention offered the safest solution under the circumstances.
According to the order, removing Hudson from that environment was more appropriate than imposing additional release conditions.
Trial Scheduled for September
Hudson is currently scheduled to stand trial in September.
The case continues to attract significant public attention due to the serious nature of the allegations and the circumstances surrounding Kepner’s death aboard a family cruise ship.
Representatives for Hudson’s defense team and an attorney representing his father have been contacted for comment, according to reports.