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True Crime Society – The homicide of Madeline Soto
True Crime

True Crime Society – The homicide of Madeline Soto

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Last updated: August 12, 2025 3:05 am
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Published: August 12, 2025
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Madeline Sophia Soto was born on February 22, 2011 to Jennifer Soto and Tyler Wallace. Tyler doesn’t appear to have been very concerned in Madeline’s life – he has made some statements saying that Madeline wished to reside with him as soon as she turned 13.

When Madeline was round 3 years previous, Jennifer married a person named Steven Younger. They divorced in 2017.

That very same 12 months, Jennifer met Stephan Sterns at Eco Properties, the place they each labored. They had been mates for round a 12 months earlier than they started an intimate relationship.

By 2018, Stephan began staying over at Jennifer’s residence. Madeline was clearly there throughout this time.

Madeline attended Hunter’s Creek Center Faculty in Orlando, Florida. She lived in an residence together with her mom Jennifer, and Jennifer’s boyfriend, Stephan. Stephan was 37 in February 2024. A number of roommates additionally lived within the residence. One was named Nathalie and she or he was dwelling within the residence together with her 15 year-old son. There was additionally one other girl named Anjelica.

Her organic father Tyler lived in Texas and primarily communicated with Madeline by social media.  

“Maddie was simply crucial individual to my spouse and I,” he advised the media.  

Madeline beloved music, dancing, artwork, drawing and journaling, in response to group members who attended a memorial for her, per WESH.

Members of Madeline’s neighborhood and group have spoken concerning the teen.

“She was vigorous, and she or he was looking for her approach.”  mentioned Nancy Roscka.  

There are over 900 pages of courtroom paperwork for this case, so we’re going to try to summarize crucial elements and can hyperlink the entire paperwork on the weblog.

Within the months earlier than Madeline disappeared, there are some studies that Jennifer and Stephan had damaged up.  Jennifer advised her roommate Angelica that she and Stephan had not had a sexual relationship for over six months.  

Police would additionally interview Stephan’s dad and mom Chris and Debra. 

At two factors earlier than Madeline was murdered, Stephan looked for Sevoflurane.

Thursday February 22, 2024 was Madeline’s thirteenth birthday.  A celebration with a number of family and friends was held on Sunday February 25, 2024.  The social gathering was held at Yolanda Zambrano’s residence – she was Madeline’s maternal grandmother.  Stephan didn’t attend the social gathering as he was not appreciated by Jennifer’s household and was not concerned.   Jennifer – Madeline’s mom – additionally didn’t attend attributable to work.  Madeline had been staying at Yolanda’s residence round this time and she or he cried when she needed to return to her own residence.  

Madeline was dropped residence after the social gathering at round 8.30pm on February 25.  Stephan arrived on the residence at round 8.40pm.  

The roommate Nathalie has mentioned that she didn’t see Madeline return residence that night time as she was already in mattress.

Jennifer arrived residence from work at round 10.30pm that night time.   She would later inform authorities that she noticed Madeline earlier than mattress and Madeline confirmed her the items she had obtained for her birthday.  

That is the place issues begin to get actually horrific.  Stephan and Maddie shared a mattress.  Jennifer apparently shared the identical mattress regardless of being apparently damaged up from Stephan.   A 13 12 months previous woman and a 37 12 months previous man??

Jennifer apparently ‘despatched’  Stephan and Madeline to mattress at round 11pm.  There was a downstairs bed room the place Jennifer additionally slept.

Madeline was reported lacking on Monday February 26, 2024 at round 8pm.  Stephan was meant to have dropped Madeline off to highschool that day.

Jennifer mentioned that she wakened when Stephan took the canine for a stroll earlier that morning and she or he went again to sleep.   She by no means noticed Madeline that day and apparently assumed she had arrived in school.

Stephan spoke to Jennifer through the day and mentioned that he had by some means manufacturing facility reset his telephone whereas attempting to replace it.

Jennifer went to the college at about 4.30pm to choose her daughter up.   In accordance with Click on Orlando, it was solely then that she was advised that Madeline had not been at school that day.   

Madeline’s telephone was discovered within the household residence, which was uncommon.    We ultimately realized some extra concerning the motion of her mobile phone.  This data is a abstract of courtroom paperwork from Reddit which we now have linked on the weblog. 

7:04 AM – Maddie’s telephone is unplugged from the charger

7:05 AM – Maddie’s telephone strikes 113 steps

7:15 AM – Maddie’s telephone strikes 50 steps

7:16 AM – Maddie’s telephone is powered off. This sample of Madeline`s mobile phone use will not be typical of her regular day. Which reveals this exercise was not bodily performed by Madeline

10:55 AM – Maddie’s telephone strikes 8 steps

February 27 was day two of the case.   The Orange County Sheriff issued a press launch, asking for data.

MISSING JUVENILE: 13-year-old Madeline Soto was final seen round 8:30 a.m. yesterday (Monday February 26) off of Village Park Drive (within the space of City Loop Boulevard and Hunter’s Park Lane).

She was sporting a inexperienced sweatshirt, black shorts and white Crocs.

In case you have seen Madeline, or in case you have any details about the place she is likely to be, please name 911 or the Orange County Sheriff’s Workplace at 407-836-4357.

Stephen was questioned on at the present time.  He was requested about precisely the place he dropped Madeline off and what he did after.   The detectives questioned a few of his solutions and Stephan modified his tales.  He mentioned he dropped her off on the faculty after which modified his story and mentioned he dropped her off at a church and watched her stroll in the direction of the college.

On February 28, the sheriff’s workplace performed a large-scale search.

Orange County Sheriff John Mina mentioned that they’d discovered data on Madeline’s telephone indicating that she wished to reside within the woods as soon as she had turned 13 – which occurred on February 22, 2024.  He additionally mentioned that authorities had searched the realm during which she was final seen and nothing had been discovered.  

Stephan gave authorities consent to look his mobile phone. 

Authorities additionally searched the household residence.  Jennifer and Stephan drove to an Orange County lodge at the moment.  Jennifer’s mom has mentioned that Stephan was ‘very panicky’  as a result of he wished his telephone again.  Stephan snuck out that night time and drove all the way in which all the way down to North Port for “unknown causes” earlier than returning by the following morning, an investigative report reveals.

On Thursday February 29, 2024, Stephan was arrested because the prime suspect in Madeline’s case.

In a launch, investigators mentioned that detectives found a whole lot of “disturbing” pictures and movies of kid pornography after they searched his telephone and Google Drive account, and a assessment of the machine’s information confirmed that somebody had tried to delete the proof forward of time.  Authorities additionally discovered nude pictures of one of many roommates on Stephan’s telephone.  It’s believed that Stephan put his mobile phone below the roommate’s door to take the pictures.

Detectives had been in a position to pinpoint a few of these pictures and movies to the household’s residence in Kissimmee, courtroom information present.

Stephan was arrested and held on no bond. He was charged with sexual battery and possession of kid sexual abuse supplies.

Stephan would inform authorities concerning the sleeping preparations within the residence.  He mentioned that he shared a mattress with Madeline and Jennifer and that Madeline all the time wanted human contact when going to sleep.  

Stephan mentioned it was regular and regular for him to go to mattress with Madeline alone.  This was so Jennifer might get some sleep.

Authorities would interview an ex of Stephan’s.   That they had a short relationship in 2022.  Stephan would refuse to spend the night time with this girl.  He mentioned he needed to be again with Jennifer and Madeline as they may stay awake with out him there. 

The lady ended the connection after she discovered concerning the sleeping preparations.  

On March 1, 2024, numerous proof was launched.   We’ll now backtrack a bit as that is after we discover out what really occurred on the day that Madeline disappeared and was murdered.

Police consider that Madeline was killed between 12am and round 7am on Monday February 26, 2024.  “Our detectives have decided that Madeline was by no means dropped off on the morning of Feb. 26 close to her faculty,” Mina mentioned throughout a information convention. “As an alternative, we consider she was already lifeless on the time, and that Stephan Sterns moved her physique within the early morning hours of that day.”

At 7.30am on that day, Stephan was seen driving his car to a dumpster in Venetian Bay, Florida.  He exited his car and threw two giant white trash luggage within the dumpster.  Within the passenger seat of the car, a white feminine will be seen.  The feminine was sporting a inexperienced sweatshirt and had her head slumped to the left.  Her place was described as irregular and she or he didn’t transfer in any respect whereas Stephan was getting out and in of the car.  

CCTV of Stephan dumping gadgets in a dumpster on the residence advanced at 7.35am was additionally discovered.   Authorities would later discover Madeline’s backpack and her laptop computer within the trash there.

Stephan was later seen driving his car, with Madeline’s physique nonetheless in it.  He was seen altering a tire on the aspect of the highway. 

Extra video of Madeline within the car was discovered at 8.19am, 8.33am, 9.01am.  This confirms that Stephan clearly didn’t drop her off in school at 8.30am as he initially acknowledged.  

At 9.40am,  Stephan entered a parking storage at a Vacation Inn in Orlando, Florida.  He parked the car and opened the trunk.  He then carried a limp physique from the passenger seat to the trunk.  

Stephan left the storage and when the car was seen on CCTV once more at 10.14am,  Madeline was not seen within the passenger seat.  

Stephan went again to the residence.   Angelica mentioned that he was performing odd – he was going out and in of the residence.  She additionally mentioned he was washing his garments which she had by no means seen him do beforehand.  

At 10.54am, Stephan was seen on CCTV in several clothes, throwing one thing into the advanced dumpster.

Jennifer had some appointments that morning.  She left the residence at round 9.30am and returned again at round 11am.  

Stephan left once more at round 11.03am.  At 11.22am, he stopped at a vape store and made a purchase order.  

At 12.12pm, a manufacturing facility reset was carried out on Stephan’s telephone.  He apparently advised Jennifer this was unintentional but it surely requires navigating by settings and presumably coming into a password.   He would later do one other manufacturing facility reset on February 27, 2024 at 12am.  

Stephan returned to the residence advanced at 2.43pm.  Between round 3.25pm and 4.36pm,  Stephan went to the dumpster 3 times to discard gadgets.

Between 3.19am and 4.30am on February 27, Stephan left the advanced in Jennifer’s car and returned. 

After Stephan was arrested, police held a press convention and mentioned they had been assured that Madeline was deceased.

“Final night time, detectives from the Kissimmee Police Division met with Madeline’s mom and so they needed to inform her the very devastating information that though we now have not discovered Madeline, we are actually assured that she is lifeless,” Sheriff Mina mentioned.

The press convention was held at 1pm.  By 4.30pm that day, Madeline’s physique was present in a wooded space off Hickory Tree Highway in Osceola County.

In a launch, Kissimmee police Chief Betty Holland supplied the next assertion:

“It’s with a heavy coronary heart I inform everybody that as we anticipated, Madeline Soto is deceased. I’m grateful that she was discovered and for the coordinated efforts of the Kissimmee Police Division, Saint Cloud Police Division, Orange County Sheriff’s Workplace and the Osceola County Sheriff’s Workplace which are in a position to convey some closure to the household. This can be a unhappy day for our group and we mourn the lack of such a younger life.”

On March 1, 2024, Jennifer was interviewed.   She mentioned that Stephan was a ‘grasp liar’  and a ‘grasp manipulator.’  

Jennifer claimed she had no concept that he was sexually abusing her daughter. She insisted she tried “watching her like a hawk,” however added that she was “oblivious to all the pieces.

She mentioned that she initially wished to consider he was harmless however had modified her thoughts after being proven proof by authorities.

“I requested her what she thought Stephan was responsible of, and she or he replied, ‘He’s been grooming and abusing my little one,’” an investigative report reads.

Stephan waived his first look in courtroom on March 2, 2024.  He was represented as an alternative by his legal professional.  He was not granted bond.  

Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez posted a confidential crime scene photograph displaying Madeline’s physique on Instagram on that day.  The company later mentioned it had been ‘by chance shared’  with the general public.  

The garments seen within the photograph are in step with the outfit Madeline was mentioned to be sporting when she disappeared. 

A caption beneath the image learn, “Nice day with our seniors,” adopted by an emoji of a smiley face with a halo.

“Earlier as we speak a put up was made on social media a couple of group occasion for seniors,” an unnamed Osceola County spokesperson mentioned in an e mail to Information 6. “Within the put up, an investigative photograph was by chance included. The photograph was instantly eliminated. We deeply apologize for any confusion or disturbance this may increasingly have prompted. As with every investigation, the knowledge obtained is confidential and any mistaken disclosures will probably be instantly rectified.”

On March 6, 2024, courtroom information had been launched that confirmed Stephan had been sexually abusing Madeline for years.   Despite the fact that he tried to wipe his telephone, investigators had been in a position to recuperate the information which stemmed again so far as 2022. 

“Upon reviewing the contents of Stephan’s telephone, a number of pictures and movies had been positioned, which depicted the lacking juvenile,” the affidavit reads.

There’s data within the courtroom paperwork about the kind of pictures which had been discovered which we won’t go into element right here however a lot of them appeared to happen whereas Madeline was sleeping/drugged.

On March 7, one of many roommates mentioned that she heard ‘noises’  coming from the bed room the place Stephan and Madeline had been on the night time of the homicide.

“To ensure that her to listen to noises, it must be vital primarily based upon the noise must journey by two closed doorways and throughout a hallway,” an investigative report reads.

On March 12, 2024, the Orange-Osceola State Legal professional’s Workplace introduced that it filed 60 counts towards Stephan, together with the next:

8 counts of Sexual Battery on a Youngster Underneath 12

5 counts of Sexual Battery with a Youngster 12-18 (Familial/Custodial Authority)

7 counts of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation

40 counts of Illegal Possession of Supplies Depicting Sexual Efficiency by a Youngster Ten or Extra Photos

One USB machine that was retrieved contained over 35,000 pictures of CP. 

Police held a press convention on March 21, 2024 to offer updates.

Police Chief Holland was requested whether or not Jennifer’s mom was thought of a suspect or an individual of curiosity.

In response, she mentioned, “Everybody (who) was near Madeline is taken into account a suspect till we now have confirmed in any other case.”

On April 18, 2024, Jennifer and her legal professional had been taken in for an additional interview. Jennifer was requested why she allowed Stephan to remain on the residence even after they’d damaged up.

“(Soto’s mom) acknowledged Madeline would sleep together with her a majority of the time, and when Stephan started staying there, the three of them would sleep in the identical mattress. (She) acknowledged Madeline by no means wished to sleep alone in her bed room. (Soto’s mom) couldn’t bear in mind what number of instances she let Madeline sleep with Stephan alone in his bed room. (She) acknowledged she allowed it as a result of she trusted Stephan, and he handled (Soto) as his daughter. When (Soto’s mom) acknowledged she and Stephan ended their relationship, Madeline had an concept however by no means spoke about it. (Soto’s mom) mentioned she spoke with Stephan about presumably shifting again to assist him get on his toes, however she didn’t know if it was going to be everlasting or short-term.”

On April 24, 2024,  Stephan was indicted on a  first-degree homicide cost in relation to Madeline’s dying.  

“The proof reveals a person who 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,” mentioned Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland.

On June 10, 2024, it was introduced that prosecutors would search the dying penalty towards Stephan.

 

Madeline’s explanation for dying was revealed in August 2024.  Her explanation for dying was dominated as murder through strangulation.  The hyoid bone in her neck had been damaged. 

In February 2025, Stephan’s legal professional filed motions searching for to drop the dying penalty, arguing that it was unconstitutional.

His legal professional additionally sought to suppress proof that had been discovered on Stephan’s telephone, arguing that it had been unlawfully seized.  The legal professional argued that Stephan had not been given a selection concerning the seizure of the telephone and LE had not obtained a search warrant on the time.

His legal professional additionally mentioned that Stephan was below the affect of remedy and had not eaten all day on the time when he allowed detectives to take his telephone.

Madeline’s case by no means went to trial.   On July 21, 2025 Stephan pleaded no contest to homicide and pleaded responsible on all 60 different intercourse crime prices.   He was sentenced to 21 concurrent life sentences in state jail with no likelihood of parole.

Jennifer didn’t attend the courtroom session and she or he didn’t present any ready remarks.  

Madeline’s father Tyler spoke in courtroom.

“I can’t grasp the selfishness of you, the deplorability of your actions. You’re wicked, you’re weak, you’re a coward,” he mentioned. “It doesn’t heal with time.”

Stephan was allowed to talk.  

“Sure, your honor. I’d wish to make a short assertion.

I agree that it’s not honest that Madeline (Soto) will not be right here anymore. It’s been a tough time considering a world the place she’s not round. A world which feels much less vibrant, much less colourful than it did earlier than. I’ve prayed to God numerous instances to commerce locations together with her, to take me as an alternative. And, sadly, that’s simply not how he works.

I’ve nothing however sorrow for her loss, and I miss her on a regular basis. Her passing has torn me and my household aside as properly. And he or she really was a pleasure.

I pray to God that she is in heaven and that he’s taking excellent care of her. And I hope she will get to affix the choir as a result of she had a ravishing voice.

I’ll miss her on a regular basis. I’ll by no means not honor her reminiscence. I apologize for all of the ache.”

SOURCE LIST

https://www.clickorlando.com/information/native/2025/07/22/heres-the-full-timeline-of-the-madeline-soto-case-from-start-to-finish

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Madeline_Soto

https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/information/2024/08/29/orange-county-medical-examiner-says-madeline-soto-was-strangled-to-death

https://www.mysuncoast.com/2024/08/28/new-documents-reveal-madeline-sotos-cause-death-timeline-events

https://www.fox35orlando.com/information/stephan-sterns-new-documents-madeline-soto-case.amp?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1YXhlc9iPUOHsvmNFCrXMhAZItwOTjapeE6XpbVDmuDYSEOKXDmzg3dzY_aem_AaBjZf9q-NaYI1rMBzqFCZdzHw0FO8t04iKh6idVb6OLmLG5MCdNlnyJlt6nl9O2ytXeKa1qhKRMksA1A8GaapRn

https://gavinfish.com/instances/madeline-soto/

https://folks.com/what-happened-to-madeline-soto-11776720

https://www.wesh.com/article/st-cloud-community-honors-madeline-soto-14th-birthday/63883896

https://www.clickorlando.com/information/native/2024/03/01/search-continues-for-13-year-old-madeline-soto-prime-suspect-transferred-to-osceola-county

https://www.clickorlando.com/information/native/2024/08/26/madeline-sotos-cause-of-death-revealed-months-after-her-body-was-found

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