Crime
Anna Kepner Stepbrother Timothy Hudson Allegedly Obsessed With Her Before Cruise Death
New allegations have surfaced in the ongoing investigation into the death of 18-year-old Florida cheerleader Anna Kepner, who was found deceased aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship earlier this month.
In a recent interview, Anna’s former boyfriend, Joshua Tew, shared disturbing claims involving Anna’s 16-year-old stepbrother, Timothy Hudson, who has been identified in court records as a suspect in her death.
According to Tew, who spoke publicly for the first time since Anna’s passing, Hudson exhibited what he described as an inappropriate fixation on Anna.
Tew claimed that during one FaceTime conversation while he and Anna were still dating, he witnessed Hudson enter her bedroom and allegedly climb onto her while she was asleep.
Tew told interviewers that Anna appeared uncomfortable and frightened by Hudson’s behavior and had previously expressed concerns about him, including allegations that he routinely carried a knife.
Tew stated that Hudson’s behavior escalated over time and that Anna struggled to navigate the situation within the family dynamic.
Anna’s funeral was held Thursday in Orlando. However, according to multiple sources, family tensions were apparent. Because the investigation may involve Anna’s stepbrother, some extended family members were reportedly informed they were not allowed to attend.
Anna’s biological mother, Heather Wright, who lives in Oklahoma, spoke publicly during the service. Wright previously stated she learned of her daughter’s death not through authorities but via an online news search after being unable to reach family members.
Anna was traveling with her father, stepmother, and siblings, including her 14-year-old brother and Hudson, during a six-day Caribbean cruise.
On the evening of November 6, Anna reportedly left dinner early, stating she felt unwell, and returned alone to her cabin.
Her two brothers later returned to the room. According to reports, the 14-year-old brother briefly left again to take photos around the ship.
When he returned, Anna was not visible in the cabin, and he assumed she was spending time elsewhere with family. He then went to sleep, unaware of what had transpired.
Surveillance footage later confirmed Anna returned to the cabin but was never recorded leaving.
The following morning, when Anna could not be located, her family alerted ship personnel.
A short time later, a medical emergency announcement was made, and a cabin-staff member discovered Anna’s body under one of the cabin beds, wrapped in a blanket and partially covered with life vests.
The bed where she was found was adjacent to the bunk used by her brothers.
Speculation intensified after a widely circulated online post from a man identifying himself as Anna’s uncle alleged that Hudson was responsible for her death and that he had attempted to conceal her body.
While the FBI has not confirmed these allegations, recently filed court records by Anna’s stepmother, Shauntel Hudson, indicate that “a criminal case may be initiated against one of the minor children” in connection with Anna’s death.
Hudson is currently residing with relatives while investigators continue their inquiry.
The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet released Anna’s official cause or manner of death.
The FBI continues to lead the investigation due to the death occurring in international waters aboard a U.S.-operated vessel.
As the case develops, Anna’s family—and the community that knew her through school, athletics, and church—are left grieving while awaiting answers.
Crime
Attorneys Argue Jacob Bard Actions in Deadly Kentucky State University Shooting Were Legally Justified
Attorneys representing Jacob Bard, the man accused in a deadly shooting at Kentucky State University, contend that his actions were legally justified and undertaken in defense of his family amid what they describe as a violent and uncontrolled situation on campus.
In a press release issued Monday afternoon, Bard’s legal team from the Indiana-based law firm Danks & Danks asserted that Bard “was completely justified under the law in his use of deadly force.”
Bard is accused of fatally shooting one Kentucky State University student and wounding another during an incident at a campus dormitory.
According to the attorneys’ statement, Bard traveled to Kentucky State University after his younger son reported being attacked on multiple occasions.
The release alleges that on Monday, December 8, a group of approximately 20 to 30 individuals gathered outside the son’s dormitory, some allegedly armed, and began beating on the door. Campus police were reportedly called to respond to the disturbance.
The following morning, Bard and his wife met with Kentucky State University police. While the attorneys stated that officers appeared sincere in their efforts, they claimed it was evident to the family that campus police were “ill-prepared to deal with the out-of-control and violent environment.”
The legal team further alleges that both the university and its police department failed to adequately address what they described as multiple armed and violent felonies against Bard’s sons, ages 18 and 19, as well as other students in the days preceding the shooting.
Those alleged incidents included burglaries and armed assaults.
Later that morning, the family attended a meeting at Young Hall with campus police and a university dean.
According to the release, the meeting left the family convinced that the university would not be able to maintain a safe environment, prompting them to begin removing the son’s belongings from the dormitory.
When the family returned to the residence hall, the attorneys claim that individuals previously involved in the alleged assaults were present, despite assurances they would not be allowed inside.
The statement further alleges that those individuals photographed the family and made verbal threats.
The attorneys contend that, even with two armed Kentucky State University police officers present, a group of 20 to 30 individuals gathered in the dormitory lobby and “violently and viciously attacked” Bard’s son and family members.
According to the release, Bard’s son was slammed into the concrete floor and beaten by multiple people, and the officer on scene allegedly lost control of the situation.
“In the chaos,” the attorneys wrote, Bard attempted to pull attackers off his son but was struck himself. Believing his son to be in imminent danger of death or serious physical injury, Bard then drew his firearm and shot two individuals whom the attorneys say were actively assaulting his son.
The legal team also stated that no charges have been filed against others allegedly involved in the confrontation and claimed the Bard family has continued to receive death threats.
The release further alleges that the mother of the deceased student has publicly called for retaliation against Bard’s son and sought assistance from criminal groups—claims that have not been independently verified by authorities.
The case against Bard was presented to a grand jury on December 16.
During a previous court hearing, a detective testified that at least one video reviewed by investigators did not show the shooting victims assaulting Bard’s son.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not issued a final determination regarding the circumstances surrounding the shooting.