The trial for Timothy Hudson, 16, who is accused of murdering his cheerleader stepsister Anna Kepner on a family cruise, has been postponed for a second time. The trial is now scheduled for November 2, after a Florida judge granted a delay request from Hudson's lawyers.
Hudson was initially slated to go to trial on June 1, but that date was later moved to September 8. His defense attorney, Hector Dopico, requested the postponement to allow for further investigation into issues that could impact the case's resolution. Dopico cited the "seriousness of the offenses alleged" and Hudson's "status as a juvenile" as factors influencing the request. Prosecutors did not oppose the delay.
Hudson is being tried as an adult for murder and aggravated sexual abuse charges. If convicted, he faces a potential life sentence. He has until October 23 to enter a guilty plea.
Dopico also noted the need for more time due to the "unique – and very unfortunate – family dynamic that has resulted from the allegations here."
The trial's delay means it will commence nearly a year after Kepner was allegedly killed. Prosecutors suspect the crime occurred on November 6, when Kepner, 18, was alone with Hudson in a cruise ship cabin. Kepner's Apple Watch, which monitors heart rate, stopped working during a three-and-a-half-hour window that evening. Her body was discovered the following day.
Authorities allege that Hudson mechanically asphyxiated Kepner in a bar hold and then hid her body under the bed in the cabin she shared with Hudson and her 13-year-old brother. Medical examiners found bruises on Kepner's neck, ear, and around her ear.
Hudson is accused of leaving and re-entering the cabin multiple times that evening before Kepner's body was found approximately 12 hours after his final return. A grand jury indictment states that Hudson "did knowingly and unlawfully perpetrate” the “wilful, deliberate, malicious and premeditated killing of [Kepner] with malice afterthought."
Hepner, an accomplished student with aspirations of joining the military, was set to graduate from Titusville's Temple Christian School in May, six months after her death. Her father accepted her diploma at the commencement ceremony.