Murder of Madeline Soto
| Murder of Madeline Soto | |
|---|---|
| Location | Kissimmee, Florida |
| Date | February 26, 2024 |
| Victim | Madeline Soto |
| Accused | Stephan Michael Sterns |
| Charges | |
Madeline Soto, a 13-year-old girl from Kissimmee, Florida, was reported as missing on February 26, 2024 and found dead on March 1, 2024. Her mother's boyfriend, Stephan Michael Sterns (born April 25, 1986), was charged with first-degree murder.[1] In July 2025, Sterns plead no contest to his charges.
Disappearance
[edit]Soto disappeared on February 26, 2024. Staff of her middle school stated that she did not arrive that day.[2] On February 27, the Orange County Sheriff's Office requested the public assist by providing any information they had on her whereabouts.[3]
Investigation
[edit]A search for Soto was undertaken by the Orange County Sheriff's Office on February 28.[3] Soto's body was found in a wooded area on March 1. The Kissimmee Police Department took over as it became a homicide investigation.[4] The department released a report in August stating that Soto died of strangulation.[5]
Authorities found video evidence of Sterns discarding items into a dumpster on February 26. Inside, they found Soto's backpack and school-issued laptop.[4] On that same day, Sterns's phone was put through a factory reset, which Sterns claimed to be an accident.[6]
Two days later on February 28, Stephan Michael Sterns, a 37-year-old native from Aurora, Illinois, who was later raised in Georgia, Southern California and Florida, gave consent for police to search his phone.[3] The sheriff's office reported on February 29 that they had found pictures and videos of Sterns, who lived in Kissimmee at the time, molesting Soto, dating back to when she was only eight years old, on his phone and Google Drive.[3] Sterns requested that the evidence to be thrown out as it had not been acquired with a search warrant.[7]
Sterns was indicted by a grand jury for murder in April 2024.[8]
On June 10, the Ninth Judicial Circuit Attorney's office stated that it would seek the death penalty.[9] Sterns's attorney cited the Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments to argue that the death penalty was a form of cruel and unusual punishment.[2]
On July 21, 2025, Sterns pleaded no contest to murder, and guilty on all 60 other sex crime charges.[10] Later that afternoon, Sterns was sentenced to 21 concurrent life sentences in state prison with no possibility of parole.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ Asma-Sadeque, Samira (August 28, 2024). "Cause of Death Revealed for Madeline Soto, 13, Whose Mother's Boyfriend is Accused of Molesting and Killing Her". People. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
- ^ a b Striepling, Bailey (February 7, 2025). "Man accused of killing girlfriend's daughter files motion to strike death penalty in case". WWSB. Osceola County, Florida. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
- ^ a b c d Talcott, Anthony (March 1, 2025). "It's been 1 year since Madeline Soto's body was found. Here's the timeline of her case". WKMG-TV. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
- ^ a b Lenthang, Marlene (March 1, 2024). "Missing 13-year-old Florida girl found dead and mother's boyfriend suspected of moving her body". NBC News. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
- ^ Boxley, Mark (August 29, 2024). "Orange County Medical Examiner says Madeline Soto was strangled to death". Spectrum News 13. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
- ^ Hazen, Bob (April 24, 2025). "Madeline Soto case: Stephan Sterns seeks to block key phone evidence". WESH. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
- ^ Tracy, Spencer (February 12, 2025). "Battle over evidence in the killing of 13-year-old Madeline Soto". WESH. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
- ^ Petro, Allison (July 21, 2025). "Stephan Sterns pleads no contest to murder, guilty to sexual battery against Madeline Soto". WESH. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ Kelly, Jason (June 11, 2024). "Madeline Soto case: State to seek death penalty against Stephan Sterns". WFTV. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
- ^ Spargo, Chris (July 21, 2025). "Madeline Soto Plea Deal: Mom's Boyfriend Confesses to Rape and Murder of Girl, 13, to Avoid Death Penalty". People. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
- ^ Helsel, Phil (July 21, 2025). "Man given 21 life sentences in death of Madeline Soto". NBC News. Retrieved July 23, 2025.