Shocking prison emails sent to Madeline Soto’s alleged killer reveal the suspect’s family believe others are involved in the teenager’s murder.
Soto, 13, was reported missing on February 26 when she didn’t turn up for school, two days before her stepfather Stephan Sterns, 38, was arrested in relation with her disappearance.
The teen’s decomposing body was found on March 1 in Kissimmee, Florida, and Sterns is facing a number of charges including first-degree murder, sexual battery, molestation, and possession of child sex abuse material.
In newly released emails from Sterns’ time behind bars, his mother alluded to a woman also being involved, saying she was ‘disgusted that she is free and you are not when this is not all your fault!’
It comes as detectives also revealed that Sterns’ vehicle and a separate car were both seen driving to the area where Soto’s body was found on the same day she vanished. 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 Madeline Soto, 13, didn’t 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 by the State Attorney’s Office, showing Sterns speaking with his family between his arrest and July 1.
In emails from June 25 where the suspect’s mother pointed to someone else also being responsible for Madeline’s death, she urged her son to ‘talk with your attorneys.’
‘I keep thinking about how you would not ever rat out a friend,’ she continued.
‘It really made me mad and I felt like you valued them over us when you let them get away with stuff. Don’t be doing that again.
‘We all know [redacted] was heavily involved in this and I am disgusted that she is free and you are not when this is not all your fault!!
‘You need to think about yourself more and her less. She sure isn’t thinking of you and how she can help you right now. That whole family is willing to stay quiet and let you take the fall 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 mat is flat and has very little cushion left, the cell is small, filthy, and has some spots 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 their apartment to near to where the teen’s body was found on the day she vanished
Officials have not ruled out bringing further charges in relation to Madeline’s murder, and insist that the investigation remains open
Sterns is facing a number of charges including first-degree murder, sexual battery, molestation, and possession of child sex abuse material
It is unclear who Sterns’ mother is referring to in the emails, and no one else has been charged with any crimes related to Madeline’s death.
Prosecutors insist that the investigation into Madeline’s murder remains open, and have not ruled out bringing further charges.
At a previous press conference in March, Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland said: ‘Everyone that was close to Madeline is considered suspect until we have proven otherwise.’
Following the week-long search for Madeline, it was revealed this week by Click 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 drove from the apartment building at 7:40am and returned around 10:14am.
Sterns’ vehicle then left the apartment complex again at 11:03am, and was gone for almost an hour before returning. The car then left again at 12:44pm, and drove to an area near to 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 cushion left, the cell is small, filthy, and has some spots on the wall that appear to be bloody fingerprints’
Prosecutors allege that 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 in surveillance footage making almost an identical trip from the apartment building to where Madeline’s body was found.
The Nissan drove to the area shortly after 3am, before returning to the apartment around 4:30am.
It is unclear if prosecutors believe Sterns or another party were driving the Nissan.