State Attorney to Seek Death Penalty in Madeline Soto Murder Case

The Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office announced plans to seek the death penalty in the first-degree murder case against Stephan Sterns, accused of killing 13-year-old Madeline Soto. The decision comes after a thorough investigation and consideration of several aggravating factors.

In April, Sterns was charged with first-degree murder following the disappearance and death of Madeline Soto in late February. Sterns, 37, is the boyfriend of Madeline's mother and has been the prime suspect since the teen's body was discovered in rural Osceola County on March 3.

According to investigators, Sterns allegedly dropped Madeline off near her middle school on February 26. However, she never made it to the school. In a disturbing twist, Sterns was initially arrested for tampering with evidence found on his phone during the investigation.

"Even before Madeline was found dead, Sterns' actions raised significant red flags," stated the Orange County Sheriff's Office. Evidence allegedly tampered with on his phone contributed to his arrest and subsequent charges.

On Monday, the State Attorney's Office cited "several aggravating factors the State intends to prove" in their decision to seek the death penalty. These factors include:

- The capital felony being committed while the defendant was engaged in aggravated child abuse.
- The victim's particular vulnerability due to Sterns' position of familial or custodial authority over her.
- The capital felony's heinous, atrocious, or cruel nature.
- Sterns' prior convictions involving violence, with current sex charges potentially serving as priors if he is convicted.

The State Attorney's Office emphasized the severity and brutality of the crime. "The heinous nature of this crime, combined with the abuse of trust and authority, warrants the pursuit of the highest penalty available under the law," the office stated.

In March, Sterns faced an indictment on 60 charges related to sexual battery on a child and possessing materials depicting sexual performance by a child. These charges came before the first-degree murder charge was added in April. Documents released by the office of Circuit Nine State Attorney Andrew Bain detailed the vile acts of sexual abuse allegedly found on Sterns' cellphone. Sterns claimed to have accidentally reset his phone the day Madeline went missing.

"I don't know what the heck I did. But somehow during the massive OS update, I managed to factory reset my phone and lose all of my contacts. All my information," Sterns told investigators during an interview.

The investigation revealed that Sterns had been sexually abusing Madeline for years. Madeline's mother, Jennifer Soto, provided troubling testimony, indicating it was normal for Madeline and Sterns to sleep together, even in her absence.

Body camera footage from the Orange County Sheriff's Office shows Jennifer and Sterns recounting the morning Madeline went missing. Jennifer stated, "She didn't want to be dropped off at school. She wanted to be dropped a half block away so she could walk," with Sterns adding, "She didn't explain, she's in a phase."

Despite these explanations, deputies reviewing security footage concluded that Madeline never made it to the school campus that day.

The tragic and brutal nature of Madeline's death has shocked the community, prompting calls for justice. As the case progresses, the pursuit of the death penalty underscores the seriousness of the charges against Sterns.
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