A Florida couple has been charged with first-degree murder in a gruesome case of alleged kidnapping, killing, and dismembering a teenage girl. The 16 year old, Miranda Corsette, was lured through social media, according to authorities.
Steven Gress, 35, was arrested and charged with Corsette’s kidnapping in St. Petersburg. His partner, 37-year-old Michelle Brandes, also turned herself in on Saturday morning (local time). Police believe that Corsette was killed between 20 and 24 February after a dispute with the couple.
Corsette was reported missing to Gulfport Police on 24 February, reported by ABC news. Nearly two weeks later, on 6 March, a witness came forward with information about a possible kidnapping and murder, prompting police to launch an investigation.
Detectives claim that Corsette first met Gress on 14 February after connecting with him on a social media app. She returned home after their initial meeting but went back the next day, staying with Gress and Brandes.
Police believed that Corsette was killed, and Gress transported her body in a car to a home in Largo. Evidence at the property suggested her remains were dismembered before being dumped in Hillsborough County, officers said. Investigators have since located the dumpster and are working to recover the body.
Gress was already in jail on unrelated charges, including drug possession and allegedly pointing a harpoon at Brandes, police said. He was arrested on 5 March.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities expect further charges.