Anna Kepner, an 18-year-old high school senior, was found dead aboard Carnival Cruise Line's Horizon on Nov. 6, 2025. Federal investigators say crucial evidence in the case was destroyed or discarded, and that Anna's 16-year-old stepbrother, Timothy Hudson, is charged with murder and aggravated sexual abuse.
FBI Investigation and Recovered Phone
FBI Agent Andrew del Valle testified in federal court that family members told investigators Anna rarely went anywhere without her cell phone. When agents boarded the Horizon in Miami on Nov. 8 to begin their probe, the phone was initially missing.
Del Valle said ship personnel later told agents the device had been recovered from a trash can and placed in the ship's lost-and-found. The phone appeared intentionally damaged: the screen was broken and the device looked as if it had been smashed. Despite that, FBI technicians were able to extract data and trace the phone's movement from Anna's cabin to the trash can on the opposite side of the vessel.
Surveillance, Router Logs and Timeline
Once the phone's approximate location in the hours following Anna's death was established, agents reviewed the ship's surveillance footage and network logs. Del Valle testified that Anna's phone connected to four different routers within a 20-minute span on the morning of Nov. 7, 2025. The footage placed Timothy in those same areas during that period.
The video reportedly shows Timothy near the trash can where the phone was recovered — spending about 22 seconds there — before returning to his cabin. At that point, Timothy's own phone connected to a different router while Anna's phone no longer registered on the network.
Missing Apple Watch and Other Evidence
Anna's Apple Watch has not been recovered. Del Valle testified that the watch stopped reporting vital-sign data sometime between 7:50 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on the night of Nov. 6.
Timothy HudsonCredit: AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell
Charges and Legal Status
Timothy Hudson, who was 16 at the time of the incident, was taken into custody in early February and initially arraigned as a minor on counts of murder and aggravated sexual abuse. A grand jury later returned a superseding indictment charging him as an adult on the same counts. If convicted on both charges, he faces the possibility of two life sentences.
The superseding indictment alleges Timothy "did knowingly and unlawfully perpetrate" the "willful, deliberate, malicious and premeditated killing of [Anna] with malice afterthought" and that the killing occurred during the "perpetration" of an "aggravated sexual abuse."
Following his arraignment, Timothy has been placed in the care of a maternal uncle. At a May 27 detention hearing, a judge denied prosecutors' request to remand him into custody, so he remains with his uncle while the case proceeds.
Ongoing Case
The investigation remains active and federal prosecutors continue to develop their case. No conviction has been reached; the charges and evidence described here reflect allegations and testimony reported in court.
