The murder trial of Stephan Sterns, charged with the killing of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, sees a delay as the judge sets a new court date, pushing back the proceedings initially slated for next week. WFTV reported that a status hearing is now penciled in for October 14, during which time attorneys will present a proposed trial schedule for the judge's consideration. Sterns was notably absent from Wednesday's court hearing with no reasons given for his non-appearance in public records or court transcript.
During a pre-trial hearing that took place on Wednesday, Sterns' legal representatives sought additional preparation time, stating, "We are moving to continue, your honor, we have quite a bit of work to do on the case... We’re also requesting that instead of it being on a pretrial docket that it go onto a status docket that way the state isn’t constantly sending out subpoenas for I believe there’s somewhere in the vicinity of 177 witnesses right now," with these comments sourced from their court statement and reported by WESH 2. Meanwhile, prosecutors are laboring over a twofold case, as Sterns faces not only the murder charge but also 60 counts related to the sexual battery of a child, and the gravity of the accusations is reflected in the extensive witness list which poses logistical questions for the court's schedule.
According to findings presented by the Kissimmee Police Department, Sterns, who was in a relationship with Soto's mother, may have spent hours with the victim's body in his vehicle before leaving it on the roadside of rural Osceola County, the investigators pieced together a wrenching narrative suggesting that Madeline's mother unwittingly sent her to bed with the man who is now the prime suspect in her disappearance and death.
