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Florida police arrest boyfriend of lacking teen’s mother on unrelated expenses
Stephan Sterns, 38, was named a “prime suspect” within the February disappearance of his girlfriend’s 13-year-old daughter, Madeline Soto, based on the Orange County Sheriff’s Workplace. Soto was discovered useless not lengthy after his arrest and Sterns was charged with first-degree homicide on Wednesday, April 24.
A Florida man arrested in February throughout an investigation into the disappearance and loss of life of his girlfriend’s teenage daughter has formally been charged with homicide.
Osceola County Jail information present Stephan Sterns, 38, who was arrested on Feb. 28 on unrelated expenses, was charged with first-degree homicide on Wednesday in reference to the loss of life of 13-year-old Madeline Soto.
Soto, who was discovered useless on March 1, was allegedly killed by Sterns someday between Feb. 25 and Feb. 27, based on the indictment obtained by FOX 13 Tampa Bay.
“The proof exhibits a person that was entrusted to maintain Madeline secure made calculated strikes to dispose Madeline’s belongings and place her physique in a wooded space earlier than she was ever reported lacking,” Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland mentioned throughout a information convention Wednesday afternoon.
MADELINE SOTO DISAPPEARANCE: BOYFRIEND OF MISSING FLORIDA TEEN’S MOM ARRESTED, NAMED ‘PRIME SUSPECT’
Stephan Sterns, 38, is charged with first-degree homicide, amongst dozens of different sexual expenses, within the loss of life of his girlfriend’s 13-year-old daughter, Madeline Soto. (Osceola County Jail)
Sterns, who was dubbed the “prime suspect” in Soto’s disappearance in February, was initially taken into custody for sexual battery and possession of kid sexual abuse materials after voluntarily turning his telephone in to police.
A Digital Forensics Unit was in a position to reveal that the photographs and movies on Sterns’ telephone have been “legal and sexual in nature,” the Orange County Sheriff’s workplace mentioned when saying his arrest. Police didn’t say if the images and movies concerned Soto.
In March, he was additionally charged with eight counts of sexual battery of a kid below 12, 5 counts of sexual battery with a baby aged 12 to 18, seven counts of lewd and lascivious molestation and 40 counts of illegal possession of supplies depicting sexual efficiency by a baby.
Court docket paperwork in these instances implied Sterns could have abused Maddie for years main as much as her disappearance and loss of life, based on FOX 13.
PRIME SUSPECT IN SOTO DISAPPEARANCE, KILLING FACES 60 NEW CHILD SEX CRIME CHARGES
Madeline “Maddie” Soto, 13, was discovered useless on March 1 after she was allegedly final seen by her mom’s boyfriend at round 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 26. (Orange County Sheriff’s Workplace)
Whereas the one particular person charged in Soto’s disappearance and loss of life as of Wednesday is Sterns, the investigation stays lively, based on Will Jay, the Murder Unit chief for the State Lawyer’s Workplace for the ninth Judicial Circuit.
Sterns was the final particular person to see Soto on Feb. 26, when he allegedly dropped her off just a few blocks away from her faculty that morning, based on police throughout his February arrest.
When her mom went to choose her up at about 4:30 p.m., she discovered that Maddie by no means made it inside the varsity that day.
Sterns was charged with first-degree homicide in Madeline Soto’s loss of life on Wednesday, April 24 – almost two months after she was discovered useless. (Orange County Sheriff’s Workplace)
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It has not but been determined if the loss of life penalty can be sought towards Sterns, State Lawyer Andrew Bain mentioned Wednesday.
“That is a dialogue that we’re nonetheless going to be having for the subsequent couple of weeks to make it possible for we’re making a authorized resolution that’s acceptable on this case,” Bain mentioned when requested about the potential for the loss of life penalty.
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Sterns stays within the Osceola County Jail with no bond.
