Investigation into Anna Kepner’s Death

Federal investigators have focused on Anna Kepner’s stepbrother, Timothy Hudson, as a primary suspect in the murder of the Florida teenager. Anna, just 18, was found dead in her cabin on the Carnival Horizon on November 7, 2025, where she had been vacationing with Hudson, who was 16 at the time, and a 13-year-old relative.

Authorities announced that Hudson is expected to be indicted on charges of sexual assault and murder. According to prosecutors, CCTV footage suggested Kepner didn’t leave her cabin after returning there the previous night.

Upon searching the cabin, investigators didn’t find Kepner’s cell phone. Family members informed the FBI that the teen “never had” it, as per recently disclosed federal documents. Moreover, cruise officials claimed that they had not seen the phone in the room.

Interestingly, a phone was later located among the ship’s lost property in a dumpster at the rear of the ship, which authorities say showed signs of significant damage, including a cracked screen.

Investigators analyzed surveillance footage and the ship’s Wi-Fi records to trace how the phone transitioned from the cabin to the trash. These records noted that Kepner’s phone began connecting to the network routes consistent with Hudson’s movements on the morning of her death.

For instance, at 9:26 a.m., Hudson departed cabin 8343. A call to Kepner’s phone occurred around 9:29 a.m. in the vicinity of the Lido Marketplace. By 9:34 a.m., he was seen smoking on Deck 11, and by 9:39 a.m., the phone connected near Deck 12 as he walked along a jogging path. He returned to the cabin around 9:48 a.m., reportedly holding something in his hand.

At 9:52 a.m., surveillance indicated Hudson was near a trash can, where the phone was later found. Although the trash can wasn’t directly visible in the footage, prosecutors say he lingered there for around 22 seconds before heading back to the cabin.

Cell data later confirmed that Hudson was close to the dumpster around 9:55 a.m., even though he had already returned to the room. Prosecutors argue he disposed of Kepner’s phone from their cabin, although defense attorney Eric Cohen questioned the evidence’s robustness and suggested other possibilities for the phone’s fate.

While evidence like cell phone activity and the flight timeline contributed to the case, U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres commented that the evidence was “pretty compromised.” If convicted, Hudson could face a life sentence. A trial is set for September, and inquiries have been made to Hudson’s attorney for further comments.