Court docs, CCTV footage reveal Anna Kepner murder suspects’ behavior the night she died and after her body was found: ‘He looks straight ahead’

A federal court transcript and newly unsealed records revealed disturbing new details about the actions of murder suspect Timothy Hudson before and after 18-year-old Anna Kepner died aboard a Carnival cruise ship in November 2025. The records, cited in recent reporting by Fox 35 Orlando and other outlets, include surveillance footage timelines, witness statements, and prosecutors’ descriptions of Hudson’s behavior after Kepner’s body was discovered hidden beneath a bed inside the family’s cabin.

Kepner, a Florida teenager and high school cheerleader, died aboard the Carnival Horizon while the ship traveled toward Miami. Authorities later ruled her death a homicide caused by mechanical asphyxiation. Prosecutors charged her 16-year-old stepbrother, Timothy Hudson, with first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse. He now faces prosecution as an adult in federal court because the alleged crime occurred in international waters.

According to the newly unsealed court transcript, closed-circuit television footage tracked Hudson’s movements throughout the night Kepner died and the next morning after crew members found her body. Prosecutors said Hudson entered the family cabin at about 7:35 p.m. on Nov. 6, 2025. Kepner entered the room minutes later at 7:38 p.m.

Hudson allegedly spent hours in the room

After entering around 7:30 p.m., the records state that Hudson remained in the room for hours before leaving shortly after 10 p.m. Prosecutors alleged he repeatedly entered and exited the cabin later that night while Kepner’s younger biological half-brother attempted to access the room. Court records said Hudson blocked the younger sibling from entering around midnight and claimed he was changing clothes.

Investigators also described Hudson’s behavior after the killing. According to prosecutors, surveillance footage showed Hudson walking around the ship. Authorities later alleged he discarded Kepner’s smashed cellphone in the trash on the vessel. The unsealed transcript also described Hudson’s reaction after housekeeping staff discovered Kepner’s body inside the cabin around 11:24 a.m. the following morning.

Fox 35 Orlando, citing the federal transcript, reported that Hudson walked past the room while crew members and investigators responded to the scene. Prosecutors said he did not stop or attempt to engage with anyone. One investigator reportedly described the footage by saying, “He looks straight ahead.”

Additional details from the hearing revealed prosecutors’ theory about Kepner’s final moments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandra Lopez told the court that Hudson allegedly held Kepner in a chokehold “for minutes” while she struggled to breathe. Lopez described the alleged killing as “a barbaric, intentional, thoughtful act,” per further reporting from Fox 35 Orlando.

DNA evidence also allegedly tied Hudson to the crime scene, according to prosecutors. Court documents said investigators found Kepner’s body wrapped in a blanket and concealed beneath the bed with life vests placed nearby.

The case has drawn national attention because of the family relationship between the suspect and victim, along with questions surrounding Hudson’s release conditions. Hudson has pleaded not guilty. His federal trial is currently scheduled for September 2026 in Miami.