A Florida couple has been charged with murder after the dismembered body of a teenage girl, whom they allegedly met through a dating app, was discovered in a dumpster.
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The St. Petersburg Police Department announced in a statement shared on Facebook on Friday, that the body of 16-year-old Miranda Corsette was discovered in a dumpster. Her body was found almost two weeks after she was reported missing on February 24.
According to police, Steven Gress, 35, is accused of meeting Corsette through a dating app. He enticed her to visit his home in St. Petersburg on February 14.
“After meeting him the first time, [Corsette] went home and then the next day she returned to his home,” police explained.
Authorities suspect that Corsette had been staying at the home of Gress and his partner, 37-year-old Michelle Brandes. Her grandmother reported her missing to Gulfport Police on February 24.
At a press conference on Friday, St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway revealed that Corsette was homeschooled. She lived with her grandmother, as she had lost both of her parents. She was also the mother of an 11-month-old baby.
Gulfport’s acting police chief, Commander Mary Farrand, said Miranda is well-known to police for her “history of running away, mental health issues, and drug abuse.”
“The grandmother is her primary caregiver at this time. She said she normally comes home, so she doesn’t report her missing every time she leaves,” Farrand explained. “She just didn’t come back in a timely manner this time.”
The Teen Girl was Allegedly Tortured, Killed and Dismembered Over Missing Jewelry, Police Say
On Feb. 20, Corsette, Gress, and Brandes allegedly became involved in a dispute over missing jewelry, which resulted in the assault of the 16-year-old.
“So from the 20th through the 24th, she was beaten and tortured because they could not find this piece of jewelry,” Holloway detailed.
Corsette was killed between Feb. 20 and Feb. 24, authorities reported. Investigators allege that Gress transported her body in a car to a home in Largo, Florida, owned by Brandes’ mother, according to Holloway. Police reported that physical evidence found at the Largo residence shows that Corsette was dismembered there.
According to police, Gress allegedly transported Corsette’s body to a home in Largo before driving to Hillsborough County. He is accused of disposing of her remains in a dumpster there.
“Detectives located the dumpster and are working to find the body,” the department’s statement explained.
Authorities were alerted to the case on March 6 after receiving a tip from a witness. Two days later, on the morning of March 8, Brandes voluntarily surrendered herself.
Gress and Brandes are both charged with first-degree murder in connection to Corsette’s death. Gress is also facing an additional charge of kidnapping. Authorities revealed that Gress was already in custody on unrelated charges, having been arrested on March 5 for allegedly pointing a harpoon at a domestic partner and possessing drugs, during their investigation.
“This is a horrific crime,” Holloway noted. He stated that the police plan to file additional charges as the investigation progresses. “We want to ensure that we bring justice to Miranda.”