Shocking emails sent from prison to Madeline Soto’s alleged killer reveal the suspect’s family believes others were involved in the teen’s murder.
Soto, 13, was reported missing on February 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 on March 1 in Kissimmee, Florida. Sterns is facing a number of charges, including first-degree murder, sexual assault, battery and possession of child sexual abuse material.
In recently released emails from Stern’s time behind bars, his mother alluded to a woman’s involvement, saying she was “disgusted that she was free and you weren’t, when it wasn’t entirely your fault!”
It comes as investigators 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 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 emergency search after Madeline Soto, 13, failed to show up for school on February 26, and her body was tragically found a week later on March 1.
The prison emails were revealed in a 64-page prosecution file, which shows Sterns spoke to his family between his arrest and July 1.
In emails dated June 25, in which the suspect’s mother suggested that someone else was also responsible for Madeline’s death, she urged her son to “talk to his lawyers.”
“I keep thinking about how you would never betray a friend,” she continued.
“It really made me angry and I felt like you put them before us when you let them get away with things. Don’t do that again.
We all know [redacted] was closely involved in this and I find it disgusting that she is free and you are not, while this is not entirely your fault!!
“You need to think more about yourself and less about her. She’s definitely not thinking about you and how she can help you right now. That whole family is willing to stay quiet and let you take the blame for everything.”
The emails also show Sterns speaking to his brother Chris as the murder suspect detailed his ordeal in the Osceola County Jail.
“The mat is flat and there is very little of it left, the cell is small, dirty and there are some marks on the wall that resemble bloody fingerprints,” Sterns wrote.
Sterns was in a relationship with Madeline’s mother Jennifer, and recently released court documents show he drove his car from their apartment to the spot where the teen’s body was found on the day she disappeared.
Officials have not ruled out filing further charges in connection with Madeline’s murder, insisting the investigation remains open
Sterns faces a number of charges, including first-degree murder, sexual battery, assault and possession of child abuse material
It’s 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.
The Public Prosecution Service emphasizes that the investigation into Madeline’s murder is still ongoing and does not rule out that more charges will be filed.
At an earlier press conference in March, Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland said, “Anyone who was close to Madeline is considered a suspect until proven otherwise.”
After a week-long search for Madeline, it was revealed this week by Click Orlando that detectives used surveillance cameras, including license plate readers, to track vehicles in the area where her body was found.
One of the vehicles, a silver Lincoln, was believed to have been driven by Sterns from Madeline’s apartment, where she lived with her mother Jennifer on the day she disappeared.
Sterns claimed he dropped off the 13-year-old boy at school, but court documents cited by the newspaper show he left the apartment complex in his car at 7:40 a.m. and returned around 10:14 a.m.
Sterns’ vehicle left the apartment complex again at 11:03 a.m. and was gone for nearly an hour before returning. The car left again at 12:44 a.m. and drove 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, saying that “the mat is flat with very little cushion left, the cell is small, filthy, and there are some marks on the wall that look like bloody fingerprints.”
Prosecutors say Sterns killed his stepdaughter in the apartment and then drove to a wooded area to dump her body.
Several hours after Stern’s vehicle made the trip, a white Nissan was also seen on surveillance footage making an almost identical trip from the apartment complex to the location where Madeline’s body was found.
The Nissan drove to the scene shortly after 3 a.m. and returned to the apartment around 4:30 a.m.
It is unclear whether prosecutors are convinced that Sterns or another party was driving the Nissan.