Month: March 2024

On March 1, 2024, at about 4:30 pm, the body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto was found in the woods off Hickory Tree Road in Osceola County. The teenager was reported missing on February 26, 2024, after allegedly being dropped off at school by her mother, Jenn Soto’s boyfriend. However, she reportedly did not attend school that day.

FOX 35 Orlando reported that on the night of February 28, 2024, Jenn Soto’s 37-year-old boyfriend Stephan Sterns was taken into custody and named the prime suspect in Madeline’s disappearance. He was charged with sexual battery and child abuse material possession charges and was transferred from the Orange County Jail to Osceola County on the morning of March 1, 2024.

FOX 35 Orlando reported that in an interview on February 27, 2024, with Madeline Soto’s mother, Jenn Soto, her boyfriend Stephan Sterns was observed being restless with his hands and cracking his knuckles in the background.

Body language expert Susan Constantine, who is the president of The Human Behavior Academy, shared her perspective on Stephan’s behavior exhibited during the interview, although she is not involved in the case

According to the report by FOX 35 Orlando, human behavior investigator Susan Constantine assessed Stephan’s demeanor and said:

A press release by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office stated that during the investigation into Madeline’s disappearance, detectives with the sheriff’s office found upsetting pictures on Stephan’s phone while forensically examining the device. The examination of the phone’s data also revealed that there have been attempts to erase evidence.

According to The Independent, the press release read:

“During the investigation into Madeline’s disappearance, Orange County Sheriff’s Office detectives discovered disturbing images when they forensically examined Sterns’ phone. A review of the phone’s data revealed attempts to delete evidence.”

The report by FOX 35 Orlando stated that, as per an arrest affidavit, Stephan willingly handed over his phone to authorities, mentioning that he had unintentionally performed a factory reset on the device the day Madeline Soto was reported missing

According to the press release by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, their Digital Forensics Unit recovered images and videos from Stephan’s phone that were “criminal and sexual” in nature. Authorities also determined that those crimes were committed at the family home in Kissimmee.

Stephan Sterns’ Facebook profile states that he is originally from Lake Forest, California, but resided in Kissimmee, Florida.

NBC News reported that Stephan Sterns is suspected of moving Madeline Soto’s body. It was initially reported that on February 26, 2024, the teenager was dropped off near Hunter’s Creek Middle School in Orlando by her mother’s boyfriend.

However, in a press conference on March 1, 2024, Orange County Sheriff John Mina stated that new evidence indicates that she was never dropped off near her school on the day of her disappearance

According to the report by NBC News, authorities believe that the 13-year-old was killed in Kissimmee, where her family resided in an apartment, and that Stephan moved her body in the early morning hours of February 26, 2024. Orange County Sheriff Mina said:

“We have evidence that shows Stephen Stern’s returning to the complex and Madeline was visible in that vehicle. We believe she was already dead at that time.”

The report by NBC News stated that video evidence retrieved by authorities revealed that on February 26, 2024, at 7:35 am, Stephen tossed items in a dumpster at the Kissimmee apartment complex. Later, authorities found Madeline Soto’s backpack and her school-issued laptop in the trash.

Just days after the disappearance of a 13-year-old girl in Central Florida, her body was reportedly found in a wooded area of Osceola County.

Madeline Soto was reported missing on Monday after she did not show up to Hunter’s Creek Middle School in Orlando.

Soto’s mother’s boyfriend, Stephan Sterns, was the last known person with the teen. He claimed to drop her off near her school on Monday morning, but an investigation revealed that she was never dropped off, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

Orange County Sheriff John Mina believes that Stephan Sterns moved Madeline’s body in the early morning hours of Feb. 26.

“We have video evidence that shows Stephan Sterns discarding items in a dumpster in that apartment complex in Kissimmee at 7:35,” Mina said. “Detectives later recovered Madeline’s backpack and her school-issued laptop from that dumpster.”

Mina said a video showed Sterns returning to the complex with Madeline in his car about 45 minutes later, but the sheriff believes she was already dead by that point.

Sterns was arrested by Kissimmee police on Wednesday, after “disturbing images” were found on his phone.

He faces charges including sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

Sterns made a court appearance on Saturday. Kissimmee police have taken over the investigation and said he could face more charges after a thorough investigation is conducted.

Soto’s mother is reportedly not a suspect in the case.

In Pittsburgh, a collective plea echoes through the city as authorities seek assistance in locating Marcele “Marcy” Rauterkus, a 66-year-old woman who has gone missing from her residence in Crafton Heights since Friday.

Described as standing at 5’9″ and weighing 160 pounds, with a mane of brown hair and eyes to match, Rauterkus’s absence has sparked concern among law enforcement and community members alike. The last known whereabouts place her in the vicinity of Homewood/Regent Square, with speculation suggesting she may be navigating with a discernible limp.

As Pittsburgh Police intensify their search efforts, they urge anyone possessing information pertinent to Rauterkus’s whereabouts to promptly contact emergency services at 911. The communal effort to bring Marcy Rauterkus home safely stands as a testament to the unity and solidarity within the city’s populace during challenging times.

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Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood has clarified the timeline in the recently closed cold case involving a girl missing out of Ormond Beach.

This comes a day after detectives uncovered the remains of a person believed to be Autumn McClure, who was 16 years old at the time of her disappearance.

Investigators have been on the case since McClure went missing in 2004. Her boyfriend then claimed to have dropped her off at the Volusia Mall. He later changed his story and instead said he dropped her off at the Seabreeze Bridge, where she got into a car with a woman named Jessica Freeman.

When she first disappeared, Autumn’s grandmother reported receiving letters from her connected to a Melbourne address. It’s unclear if the letters were legitimately from her or a potential smokescreen by her killer. Sheriff Chitwood said the case went cold for years after being unable to catch a lead through those letters.

That was until 2021 when they received a phone call that would change the outlook of the investigation. A man named Chris Miller said an associate of his confessed to killing Autumn and burying her somewhere in Volusia County.

“He basically tells the detective, I’ve got to get this off my chest,” Chitwood said.

The associate’s name was Brian Donley, and the tip from Miller would put detectives on Donley’s trail. All while this is happening, investigators are in contact with Jessica Freeman, who, on a monitored phone call, told Miller she witnessed Donley kill Autumn and get rid of the body.

Approximately a year after said phone call, Donley died following a medical procedure.

“Karma is a [expletive],” the Sheriff said. “The sad part is he’ll never face [consequences] in this world for the evil that he perpetrated.”

According to investigators, Donley’s death gave Jessica Freeman the peace of mind to step forward and give more information. She told deputies she withheld information out of fear of retaliation from Donley.

After securing a deal for her immunity, she said Autumn lived with herself and Donley when she disappeared.

“They were involved in a sexual relationship with Autumn. Now, keep in mind, Brian was 31 at the time. Autumn was 16.” Chitwood said. After further conversations, she would give investigators a location where the body was buried in the 1300 block of Hand Avenue in Ormond Beach.

She claims Donley visited the property in late 2021 or early 2022 and was delighted to see a new home was being built there. In 2023, the department identified the location and began working with the homeowner on a deal to excavate the site. After coming to terms with them, the next stage of the investigation commenced.

The department recruited the assistance of Dr. Lerah Sutton, a forensic scientist. She said that with the help of radar technology, the group was able to identify an abnormal object in the ground.

The object turned out to be human remains. Those remains are believed to be those of Autumn McClure.

“This was really an extremely intense and resource-heavy operation, but all of the factors came together to help us achieve our successful outcome,” Dr. Sutton said.

Though the cause of death will be difficult to confirm, detectives found Freeman’s testimony to be credible.

“She came home one afternoon and saw Brian choking Autumn in the bathroom. By the time she intervened, she saw that Autumn was lifeless, and she left the [trailer],” The Sheriff said. The department said they have no reason to believe Freeman had anything to do with the teen’s death.

Freeman said Donley killed Autumn out of fear she would return home and he would face legal trouble if she told her family about their inappropriate sexual relationship.

The remains have been sent off to a medical examiner to confirm their identity.

Residents in St. Cloud set up a memorial along the road near where Madeline Soto was found.

People dropped off flowers, rosaries, and stuffed animals near the location where 13-year-old Madeline Soto’s body was found. Many who live nearby were heartbroken to hear of her death.

“I don’t even know the girl and I’m getting choked up. It’s just sad that it happened and she didn’t deserve that,” said Jimmy Carpenter whose family lives nearby.

“I felt devastated,” added Vanessa Concepcion who also lives close to the area. “I felt like it was something so messed up that no one should ever go through that.”

The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office said a tip led law enforcement to her body near Hickory Tree Road in St. Cloud Friday afternoon. Jason Garcia used to ride past near where her body was found on the way to school.

“It’s definitely heartbreaking because it’s close to home and when I saw where she was basically found, I was like wow I used to take the bus every day so it was something that just broke my heart,” said Garcia.

Madeline’s body was found in a rural part of Osceola County. Deputies believe Madeline’s mother’s boyfriend Stephan Sterns moved her body and is the prime suspect in her death.

“Nobody should be killed and thrown in the middle of nowhere,” said Concepcion.

Stephan Sterns, the man named by Central Florida authorities as the prime suspect in the disappearance and death of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, waived his first appearance in Osceola County court.

Sterns, 37, described as the boyfriend of Soto’s mother, was instead represented solely by his attorney, who said that they knew what he was being charged with. The judge granted Sterns no bond amount. News 6 is working to learn what new charges Sterns may be facing.

Madeline’s body was found on Friday in Osceola County by authorities searching the woods off Hickory Tree Road, some four days after her mother reported the 13-year-old was missing.

Sterns — who law enforcement noted ahead of his arrest on Wednesday was the last person to have seen Soto — was named the prime suspect in her disappearance after interviews with investigators led detectives to disturbing pictures and videos on his cellphone, prompting charges against Sterns of sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material. Sterns initially told investigators he “accidentally” performed a factory reset on his phone the same day Soto was reported missing.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office, which worked in conjunction with Kissimmee police to make Sterns’ arrest ahead of his transfer to Osceola County, said the crimes depicted in the images and videos were committed at the family home in Kissimmee. The Kissimmee Police Department was promptly notified, going on to take the lead on the sexual battery case.

At a news conference Friday, held before the discovery of Soto’s body was announced, Orange County Sheriff John Mina said investigators already believed that the 13-year-old was dead.

“Last night, detectives from the Kissimmee Police Department met with Madeline’s mother and they had to tell her the very devastating news that although we have not found Madeline, we are now confident that she is dead,” Mina said on Friday.

The girl’s mother had told Orange County deputies that Sterns dropped Soto off near Hunter’s Creek Middle School on Monday morning, yet Mina said Friday that his detectives had since determined the 13-year-old was never dropped off.

“Instead, we believe she was already dead at the time and that Stephan Sterns moved her body in the early morning hours on that day,” Mina said. “We have video evidence that shows Stephan Sterns discarding items in a dumpster in that apartment complex in Kissimmee at 7:35 a.m.”

The sheriff said around 8:19 a.m., detectives found the girl’s backpack and her school-issued laptop in the dumpster.

“We have evidence that shows Stephan Sterns returning to the complex and Madeline was visible in that vehicle. We believe she was already dead at that time,” he said. “As a result of that, although the initial missing persons investigation started in Orange County, the Kissimmee Police Department will now be taking over the investigation and will become the lead agency.”

Kissimmee police Chief Betty Holland provided the following statement

The search for 13-year-old Madeline Soto came to a grim conclusion. The once hopeful pursuit turned into a somber recovery effort, shattering the hopes of finding the missing teen alive. Orange County Sheriff John Mina confirmed that Madeline’s disappearance led investigators to a horrifying discovery – a body found in the dense woods of Osceola County.

The ominous turn of events points fingers at Stephan Sterns, the boyfriend of Madeline’s mother, who now stands as the primary suspect in this devastating case. Sterns, 37, was the last person seen with Madeline before her disappearance. Surveillance footage captured Sterns disposing of items in a trash bin at their Kissimmee apartment complex, with Madeline’s backpack later unearthed from the same location.

Authorities revealed chilling details from their investigation, indicating Sterns’ involvement in appalling crimes. He stands accused of sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material, casting a dark shadow over the family’s home. Forensic examination of Sterns’ phone uncovered disturbing evidence, painting a grim picture of the events leading to Madeline’s disappearance.

Despite the absence of an official confirmation from the medical examiner, the clothing found on the body strongly resembles what Madeline was last seen wearing, leaving little room for optimism. Sheriff Mina expressed a solemn certainty of Madeline’s demise, shifting the focus of their efforts towards recovering her remains.

As the community grapples with the heartbreaking reality of Madeline’s fate, Kissimmee police take charge of the criminal investigation while the sheriff’s office continues its relentless pursuit of answers.

Amidst the sorrow and shock, one truth remains undeniable – a promising young life has been tragically cut short, leaving behind a grieving family and a community in mourning.

A teenage girl who went missing in central Florida earlier this week is likely dead, investigators said.

Orange County Sheriff John Mina said the boyfriend of 13-year-old Madeline Soto’s mother is the primary suspect in the girl’s disappearance.

Florida authorities found a body in their search for Soto, and confirmation is pending.

That body was found Friday afternoon in some woods in Osceola County.

“A tip led us to the area of Hickory Tree Road about a mile and a half from here. Where someone potentially said that they saw some involvement in the case. So what we did was we sent our units out here and we did discover what appears to be a body,” said Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez.

In a briefing Friday night, the county’s sheriff said they were waiting on an official confirmation from the medical examiner as to whether the body is that of Soto, but the body had clothing very similar to what the girl was last seen wearing.

Meanwhile, Mina announced Friday that the search for the missing girl is now a recovery effort.

“We are now confident that she is dead,” Mina said. “Our efforts will be focused on recovering Madeline.”

Stephan Sterns, 37, was the last person to see Madeline alive Monday morning, Mina said. Video evidence shows Sterns discarding items in a trash bin at the family’s Kissimmee apartment complex early Monday morning, officials said. Madeline’s backpack was later found in the bin.

Video also shows Sterns returning to the complex with Madeline visible in the car later in the morning, and detectives believe she was already dead, Mina said.

Sterns was arrested Wednesday and charged with sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material, officials said. Detectives discovered the abuse images and videos when they forensically examined Sterns’ phone, officials said. Investigators believe sexual crimes were committed at the family’s home.

Kissimmee police will take over the criminal investigation, while the sheriff’s office focuses on finding the girl.

Stephan Sterns was a no-show for his first appearance in Osceola County court. His lawyer didn’t want the judge reading out the charges.

At the first appearance, Sterns faced charges including sexual battery and possession of material depicting sexual performance by a child. Sterns had voluntarily handed his phone to investigators, who managed to recover photos and videos that they call “disturbing.”

Investigators said he was also the prime suspect in Maddie Soto’s disappearance.

Search teams finally recovered Maddie’s body on Friday evening after an exhaustive search through the woods in Osceola County. The judge said Sterns would stay behind bars.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office has turned over the case to Kissimmee Police. Sheriff John Mina said they had proof Sterns tried to cover his tracks after Maddie’s death. “We have video evidence that shows Stephan Sterns discarding items in a dumpster in the apartment complex in Kissimmee at 7:35 on Monday, February 26.

Detectives later recovered Madaline’s backpack and school-issued laptop from that dumpster.

“At 8:19, we have evidence that shows Stephan Sterns returning to the complex, and Madeline was visible in that vehicle,” he said, “we believe she was already dead at that time.”

Kissimmee police said they weren’t releasing any further updates on the case.

Former Orlando Police chief, Orlando Rolon, said Sterns may have thought he could fool investigators.

“This is a prefect example of someone who probably though ‘Eh, I can get away with this,’ and fortunately everything is now pointing to the face that he had now been caught for the murder of this child.”

Madeline Soto disappeared at the morning after Stephan Sterns, 37, the boyfriend of Soto’s motherm was supposed to drop her off at school.

According to deputies, Sterns was the last person confirmed to have seen Soto and is now the prime suspect in her disappearance. Sterns was detained at night and faces several charges, including sexual battery.

The upsetting news of Soto prompted many to gather at her middle school for what was meant to be a night of praying for her return, but shortly turned into a night filled with tears as many were shocked to learn of her murder.

“We did what God calls us to do,” said Pastor Gaby Melendez of Unity and Fire Church, who helped organized Friday’s vigil. “In this time of grief and hardship — truly a devastating time — we came together.”

Along with many, Melendez is working with those who knew Madeline — or ‘Maddie’ as her best friends called her — to carry on her legacy and remember her for who she was.

“She was like perfect. She was always happy. She would comfort you. If you asked for a favor, she would do it,” said Savanna Bobets of her best friend, while wearing a green hoodie Soto switched with her prior to her disappearance.

At Friday’s vigil, Soto was described as energetic and thoughtful, and as someone who never showed signs of living in danger.

The makeshift memorial was attended by several alumni and parents who hope to bring awareness on child abuse.

“We hope for education, we hope for healing,” said Maria Vazquez, whose child graduated from Hunter’s Creek.

Vazquez didn’t know Soto personally, but described the loss as “personal.”

“We hope for parents and the schools to just be able to look at children and listen to them,” Vazquez said.