The baby-faced teen stepbrother accused of raping and murdering Anna Kepner on a family cruise has been ordered jailed by a federal judge, who expressed horror at the “level of depravity and psychopathy” and expressed his fears that the suspect could “snap at any time.”
Timothy Hudson, 16, had been allowed to live with family members on supervised release since his arrest in February — but US Magistrate Judge Edwin G. Torres last week ruled that staying in a house with children was risky and that he could pose a risk to himself.
“The strength of the evidence here points strongly in favor of detention. Focusing just on the sexual assault charge, the Government’s case for a forcible rape is beyond clear and convincing,” Torres said in the June 10 court filing.
“Indeed it suggests a level of psychopathy and lack of remorse that by itself raises a serious concern that Defendant can snap at any time, despite the well-meaning and serious efforts of his caretakers to make sure that does not happen.”
Torres also ruled that Hudson should be locked up because he is being tried as an adult after initially being charged as a juvenile.
“Had Defendant only been charged with that serious offense when he was 18 or older, he would have been likely detained on that basis alone,” Torres said.
“The level of depravity and psychopathy involved in the commission of that brutal offense would be too hard for most jurists to ignore.”
Here is the latest on Anna Kepner, cheerleader found dead on Carnival Cruise:
- Stepgrandma of Anna Kepner, killed on cruise ship, wants teens’ dad to be charged: ‘Recipe for disaster’
- Anna Kepner’s smashed cellphone pointed straight to stepbrother in her sex assault, murder: filings
- New questions raised in Carnival cruise murder case after DNA from unknown male minor found
- Judge issues surprise ruling in cruise ship murder case against Anna Kepner’s stepbrother
He was ordered to be booked at the Citrus County Jail in Florida, where he will undergo a mental health exam.
He will stay in the juvenile part of the facility, will still be allowed to have visits and use the internet to communicate with family members, according to the court filings.
The accused killer’s lawyers did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment Tuesday morning.
Hudson has pleaded not guilty and his trial is scheduled to begin in September.
