Practically two months after a 13-year-old lady was killed, her mom’s boyfriend, already in jail on sexual abuse prices, has been charged with first-degree homicide.
Stephan Sterns is accused of killing Madeline Soto in Kissimmee, Florida, on the finish of February.
The 13-year-old had simply celebrated her birthday when she was reported lacking on 26 February, along with her physique discovered on 1 March.
At a press convention on Wednesday afternoon, State Lawyer Andrew Bain stated {that a} grand jury had returned the indictment earlier within the day.
“For the final seven weeks, the Kissimmee Police Division and my workplace have been working carefully to go over each piece of proof that we might collect on this case,” Mr Bain stated. “It was voluminous and a variety of proof to go over in that point.”
Mr Bain stated that his workplace was contemplating whether or not to hunt the dying penalty for Mr Sterns.
“I need to thank the grand jury for his or her arduous work and their efforts in making certain we’re taking this primary step in in search of justice for Madeline Soto,” he added.
Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland stated she understood the curiosity in Madeline’s case as she had simply celebrated her birthday and was “only a youngster”.
“The proof exhibits a person who was entrusted to maintain Madeline protected made calculated strikes to dispose Madeline’s belongings and place her physique in a wooded space earlier than she was ever reported lacking,” Chief Holland stated.
Madeline was reported lacking on the afternoon of 26 February. Mr Sterns, 37, stated he had dropped her off shut to highschool that morning, however she by no means arrived for sophistication.
After a four-day search, Madeline’s physique was present in a wooded space.
Mr Sterns was arrested whereas search efforts have been nonetheless underway, after “disturbing” photographs and movies of alleged sexual abuse have been discovered on his cellphone.
Investigators stated the media, displaying abuse stretching again years, was found regardless of the suspect saying he had by accident carried out a manufacturing facility reset of his cellphone the day Madeline vanished.
He was later charged with sixty youngster sexual abuse offences and has been held within the Osceola County Jail since.
Mr Sterns was resulting from have his pre-trial listening to earlier on Wednesday, however this was pushed again to July.
Mr Bain stated that he expects Mr Sterns to seem in court docket within the coming days.
