In a case that has shocked St. Petersburg and pulled in national attention, Michelle Brandes made a brief appearance today in Pinellas County court, one of two defendants charged in the killing and kidnapping of 16-year-old Miranda Corsette.
Local TV cameras were rolling as Brandes was brought before a judge at the Pinellas County Justice Center. According to WTSP, the hearing on Tuesday was brief, and court staff and prosecutors did not immediately release information on any motions filed or rulings made during the session.
Background on the charges
Brandes and 35-year-old Steven Gress are both charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping in Corsette’s death, according to a St. Petersburg Police Department news release. The department says the investigation is still active, and both defendants remain jailed without bond while pretrial work continues.
What investigators allege
Police and court documents cited by local media outline a particularly brutal series of events. Investigators say Corsette was allegedly lured to a St. Petersburg residence after meeting Gress on a dating app, then held and beaten over several days.
Reporting by the Tampa Bay Times and investigators describe an alleged suffocation using a billiard ball and plastic wrap, followed by dismemberment at a Largo residence and disposal of Corsette’s remains in a Ruskin dumpster.
Prosecutor moves and civil fallout
Prosecutors in the Sixth Judicial Circuit have notified the court that they may seek the death penalty, according to state filings cited by local outlets. It is one of the most serious options available and signals just how severe they consider the case.
Separate from the criminal case, Corsette’s estate has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the dating app involved. A federal judge has ordered portions of that civil dispute into arbitration, according to reporting by NBC.
What’s next
The case is still in the pretrial phase, with discovery and a stack of motions pending. A judge has previously ruled that Brandes and Gress will be tried separately, the Tampa Bay Times reported in earlier coverage.
Brandes’ short court appearance Tuesday did not produce a trial date, and current court calendars indicate there will likely be additional status hearings and filings before any schedule is set.
St. Petersburg police say they are still gathering information and are asking anyone who may know something about the case to contact the department. They outlined the initial allegations and investigative steps in a March news release and continue to urge community members with possible tips to call the department’s tip line or submit a TIP411 message.
