TITUSVILLE, Fla. — Lawyers for Timothy Hudson, the Titusville teenager accused of killing his stepsister aboard a Carnival cruise ship, say they are considering a plea deal, according to a new court filing obtained by Channel 9.
Defense attorneys told the court there is “one pending issue” that must be addressed before they decide whether to move forward with a plea. The filing does not identify that issue.
The judge also granted a defense request to delay the trial until January. Channel 9 previously reported that Hudson’s trial had been postponed to November.
Hudson has pleaded not guilty
Hudson faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, his stepsister.
Kepner was found dead aboard the Carnival Horizon during a family cruise in November 2025.
Hudson was initially charged as a juvenile before prosecutors moved to pursue the case against him as an adult. His attorney entered a not-guilty plea in April.
The latest filing describes attorneys’ consideration of a possible plea. It does not announce a completed plea agreement.
Case has included dispute over pretrial detention
Channel 9 has followed the federal proceedings, including a legal dispute over whether Hudson could remain with a relative while awaiting trial.
In June, a federal judge ordered Hudson into custody after he had been living under strict release conditions. He was instructed to report to the federal courthouse in Tampa.
The case is being prosecuted in federal court. The criminal allegations have not been proven at trial.
Remembering Anna Kepner
Kepner attended Temple Christian School in Titusville.
In May, her father accepted her diploma when she was honored posthumously at the school’s graduation ceremony.
Channel 9 will continue following the case and report additional developments.
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