Federal Judge Sets June 1 Trial for Teen in Cruise Murder Case

A federal judge in Miami has scheduled the trial of a 16-year-old boy charged with first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the death of his 18-year-old stepsister aboard a Carnival Cruise ship last November.

U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom issued the order on Monday, setting Timothy Hudson's trial to begin June 1. Hudson, who was initially charged as a juvenile before his case was transferred to adult court, entered a written not guilty plea last week. Minors are rarely prosecuted in federal court.

The incident occurred on the Carnival Horizon during a family cruise. Anna Kepner's body was discovered on November 6 concealed under a bed in a cabin she shared with Hudson and another teenager, according to a criminal complaint filed by authorities. The medical examiner determined the cause of death as mechanical asphyxia, resulting from an object or physical force that prevented her from breathing.

Kepner, a high school cheerleader at Temple Christian School in Titusville, Florida, was traveling with family members when the ship was en route back to Florida. The discovery prompted an investigation by federal authorities, leading to Hudson's arrest.