Shocking emails from prison sent to the alleged killer of Madeline Soto reveal that the suspect’s family believes others are involved in the teenager’s murder.
Soto, 13, was reported missing on Feb. 26 when she failed to show up for school, two days before her stepfather, Stephan Sterns, 38, was arrested in connection with her disappearance.
The teen’s decomposing body was found March 1 in Kissimmee, Florida, and Sterns faces a host of charges including first-degree murder, sexual assault, sexual abuse and possession of child sexual abuse material.
In newly released emails from Sterns’ time behind bars, his mother alluded to a woman who was also involved, saying she was “disgusted that she’s free and you’re not, when this isn’t all your fault!”
Detectives also revealed that Sterns’ vehicle and another car were seen driving toward the area where Soto’s body was found the same day she disappeared. It is unclear who was driving the second vehicle.
Stephan Sterns, 38, was arrested and charged with the murder of his stepdaughter Madeline Soto days before her body was found in Kissimmee, Florida.
Authorities launched an urgent search after 13-year-old Madeline Soto failed to show up for school on February 26 and her body was tragically found a week later on March 1.
The jailhouse emails were revealed in a 64-page filing from the State Attorney’s Office, which shows Sterns speaking to his family between his arrest and July 1.
In emails dated June 25, where the suspect’s mother said someone else was also responsible for Madeline’s death, she urged her son to “talk to his lawyers.”
“I still think you would never rat out a friend,” he continued.
“It really made me angry and I felt like you valued them more than us when you let them get away with it. Don’t do that again.”
‘We all know (censored) was heavily involved in this and it disgusts me that she is free and you are not, when this is not all your fault!
“You need to think more about yourself and less about her. She’s probably not thinking about you or how she can help you right now. That whole family is willing to just sit back and let you take the blame for everything.”
The emails also showed Sterns speaking with his brother Chris as the murder suspect detailed his ordeal in the Osceola County Jail.
“The carpet is flat and has very little cushioning, the cell is small, dirty and has some stains on the wall that appear to be bloody fingerprints,” Sterns wrote.
Sterns was dating Madeline’s mother, Jennifer, and newly released court records showed his car drove from her apartment to near where the teen’s body was found the day she disappeared.
Authorities have not ruled out filing further charges in connection with Madeline’s murder and insist the investigation remains open.
Sterns faces a number of charges including first-degree murder, sexual assault, sexual abuse and possession of child sexual abuse material.
It’s unclear who Sterns’ mother is referring to in the emails, and no one else has been charged with any crime in connection with Madeline’s death.
Prosecutors insist the investigation into Madeline’s murder remains open and have not ruled out filing further charges.
At an earlier news conference in March, Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland said, “Everyone who was close to Madeline is considered a suspect until we prove otherwise.”
After a week of searching for Madeline, it was revealed this week that… Click on Orlando that detectives were using surveillance camera technology, including license plate readers, to track vehicles around where her body was found.
One of the vehicles, a silver Lincoln, was allegedly driven by Sterns from Madeline’s apartment, where she lived with her mother Jennifer, on the day she disappeared.
Sterns claimed he dropped the 13-year-old off at school, however, court records cited by the outlet showed his car allegedly left the apartment building at 7:40 a.m. and returned around 10:14 a.m.
Sterns’ vehicle left the apartment complex at 11:03 a.m. and was gone for nearly an hour before returning. The car left again at 12:44 p.m. and headed to an area near where Madeline’s body was found days later.
Sterns’ emails to his family also included a description of his ordeal behind bars, where he said “the mat is flat and has very little cushioning, the cell is small, dirty and has some stains on the wall that appear to be bloody fingerprints.”
Prosecutors allege Sterns killed his stepdaughter in the apartment before driving to a wooded area to dump her body.
Hours after Sterns’ vehicle made the trip, a white Nissan was also seen on surveillance footage making a nearly identical trip from the apartment building to where Madeline’s body was found.
The Nissan arrived in the area shortly after 3 a.m., before returning to the apartment around 4:30 a.m.
It’s unclear whether prosecutors believe Sterns or someone else was driving the Nissan.