Stephan Sterns, the man accused of sexually abusing and later murdering 13-year-old Madeline Soto, is scheduled to appear in Osceola County court on Monday, July 14 at 9 a.m. for a motion hearing related to over 60 child sex abuse charges.
The hearing will address two new motions, including a request by Sterns’ attorneys for him to appear without handcuffs or physical restraints.
Sterns is also charged with first-degree murder in Maddie Soto’s death. Soto’s body was found in a field in St. Cloud, a week after she was initially reported missing on February 26, 2024.
Investigators say Sterns, her mother’s then-boyfriend, was the last person to see her alive and was supposed to drop her off at school that morning.
The murder case is being tried separately and is currently scheduled for trial in September, according to court records.
Prosecutors announced they are seeking the death penalty if Sterns is convicted, citing the cruelty of the crime and Soto’s vulnerability.
Jury selection in the sex abuse case begins July 22, with opening arguments scheduled for July 25.
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