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KISSIMMEE, Fla. — A Kissimmee man already in jail facing dozens of charges of sexual battery of a child, molestation and possession of child pornography, has now been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 13-year-old Madeline Soto.
According to authorities, Stephan Michael Sterns — who was supposed to drop the teen off at school — is believed to be the last person to see Soto alive when she went missing on Feb. 26. Her body was found in a wooded area of Osceola County on March 1.
What You Need To Know
- The primary suspect in the death of 13-year-old Madeline Soto was indicted on a first-degree murder charge Wednesday
- Stephan Michael Sterns, 37, was already in jail on dozens of counts of sexual battery of a child, molestation and possession of child pornography
- He is currently being held at the Osceola County Jail
Orange County investigators initially identified Sterns as the boyfriend of Soto's mother, but the arrest warrant from the Kissimmee Police Department says she identified him as the girl's step-father. No information was immediately available to clarify if Sterns was indeed married to Soto's mother at the time of the girl's death.
According to a Feb. 29 arrest affidavit, during the investigation into Soto's disappearance, investigators reported sitting down for an interview with Sterns, who gave them permission to search his phone, but said he had "accidentally performed a factory reset on his phone on Feb. 26, 2024."
Despite it being reset, officers were able to access the phone and allegedly found several explicit photos and videos of a young girl that appeared to have been recorded in the Kissimmee home he shared with Soto and her mother.
The arrest affidavit did not identify the victim in Sterns' sexual battery case other than to say she was a girl born on Feb. 22, 2011. He was accused of abusing her at least two times — in August of 2022 when she was 11, and again when she was 12.
At that time, he was charged with sexual battery of a child younger than 12 by a familial or custodial authority.
On March 12, Sterns was charged with 60 additional counts:
- Eight counts of sexual battery on a child under 12
- Five counts of sexual battery of a child aged 12-18
- Seven counts of lewd and lascivious molestation
- 40 counts of unlawful possession of 10 or more images depicting a sexual performance by a child
Investigation into Soto's death is ongoing. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Crimeline by phone at 800-423-TIPS (8477) or online.