Investigators Tested the DNA in Her Cabin Against Two Different People

18-year-old Anna Kepner was on a family cruise in the Caribbean aboard the Carnival Horizon in November 2025 when she was later found dead under circumstances that triggered a federal investigation. Prosecutors allege the person responsible is her 16-year-old stepbrother, Timothy Hudson, who has pleaded not guilty. The case remains pre-trial, and all claims are allegations that have not been proven in court. According to newly unsealed court records, Anna was sharing Cabin 8343 with her stepbrother and younger half-brother during the trip. Prosecutors say surveillance footage shows Anna entering the cabin and never being seen alive again, while a detailed timeline tracks activity in and around the room over several hours. Investigators also point to Snapchat activity, ship security footage, WiFi and device tracking data, and a damaged cell phone later recovered from a trash can on the ship as key pieces of evidence in the case. Prosecutors allege Anna died from mechanical asphyxiation inside the cabin and was later found hidden under a bed. They also say DNA evidence plays a central role in their case, while the defense disputes those conclusions and argues the evidence does not definitively prove responsibility. Timothy Hudson has been released under strict electronic monitoring while awaiting trial, which is currently scheduled for September 2026.

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