Soto case: ‘White Nissan’ that drove to area where girl’s body dumped belonged to mother

OSCEOLA COUNTY Fla. — Hours after police said Stephan Sterns dumped 13-year-old Madeline Soto’s body in a rural part of Osceola County, records show a white Nissan traveled the exact same path Sterns’ car took from the apartment complex where Soto was killed to the area near the dump site.

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On Friday, officers confirmed the white Nissan belonged to Soto’s mother, Jennifer Soto, and it was driven by Stephan Sterns at the time.

Sterns’ potential return to the place where he left Madeline’s body in the middle of the night adds another layer into the case. By then, he and Madeline’s mother met with police, where he told them he last saw the girl when he dropped her off at a church near her school.

Read: Madeline Soto case: Stephan Sterns’ murder trial delayed

The records released Thursday show Sterns began what’s believed to be his journey to dump Madeline’s body at 12:44 p.m. on Feb. 26, 2024. His Lincoln MKZ last appeared on a traffic camera a few miles away from the dump site at 1:16 p.m.

Sterns’ car began its return journey around 2:11 p.m., now with the addition of a spare tire, the investigator stated in the report. Sterns Lincoln returned to the apartment complex at 2:43 p.m., where police said Sterns moved between a workshop area and a dumpster as he threw items away.

Kissimmee Police said Jennifer Soto’s white Nissan, driven by Sterns, pinged on a license plate reader at 3:16 a.m. on Feb. 27, the following day. The reported stated that the Nissan took the same path as Sterns did the day before, entering the area near the dump site at 3:35 a.m.

Read: Madeline Soto case: Jail emails released between man accused of killing teen and his family

At 4:09 a.m., the white Nissan was picked up on its way back to the apartment complex, passing through the front gate at 4:30 a.m., according to police.

It’s not clear why Sterns took Jennifer Soto’s car instead of his own and whether she was aware of his excursion. One possible explanation was the flat tire on Sterns’ Lincoln, but police have not confirmed those details.

The documents also revealed messages between Sterns and his father after Sterns was booked into the Osceola County jail.

Read: Madeline Soto case: Court hearings set for man accused of killing Osceola County teen

One of the messages referenced a woman whose name was redacted from the paperwork. Chris Sterns wrote to his son that he believed the woman knew more about Madeline’s death than she was letting on.

“We all know [redacted] was heavily involved in this,” Chris Sterns said. “I am disgusted she is free, and you are not when this is not all your fault!! You need to think about yourself more and her less… the whole family is willing to stay quiet and let you take the fall for everything.”

Police have not named anyone else as a person of interest in this case.

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