Police in Florida believe a 16-year-old girl was beaten, killed and dismembered after being lured to meet 35-year-old man through social media. Investigators are still searching for the teen’s body.
Steven Gress, 35, and his partner Michelle Brandes, 37, were arrested and face charges in the death of Miranda Corsette. Corsette was reported missing last month in Gulfport, Florida, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department.
Investigators believe Corsette’s remains were left in a dumpster in Hillsborough County in the Tampa Bay metro area.
Corsette met with Gress on Feb. 14 and went to his house in St. Petersburg, but returned to her home that night, police said. The next day, she went back to Gress’ house, where police believe she remained until her death. Brandes was allegedly also at the house.
“On February 20th, a dispute occurred and she was beaten. Sometime between February 20th and February 24th, she was killed,” the St. Petersburg Police Department said in a statement.
Gress then put Corsette’s body in a car and drove to another house in Largo, Florida, where she was dismembered, police said they learned in their investigation.
Gress was arrested March 5 for an unrelated incident in which he allegedly pointed a harpoon at Brandes, who turned herself in to police on Saturday morning. Both Gress and Brandes face first-degree murder charges, police said. Gress was also charged with Corsette’s kidnapping.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether Gress or Brandes had hired attorneys who could speak on their behalf Saturday. The public defender’s office for Pinellas and Pasco counties declined to comment.
(This story has been updated to add new information.)
