Steven Gress was charged with murder alongside his girlfriend, Michelle Brandes, after Gress allegedly killed and dismembered 16-year-old Miranda Corsette after holding her captive. Gress and Brandes were arrested in March, but new information has been revealed, alleging that Gress told about the murder to his mother. As per police, he even sent disturbing pictures of the abuse Corsette endured to her and two other men.
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According to PEOPLE, Steven Gress allegedly told St. Petersburg Police Department detectives that he had contacted his mother days before Corsette's death. Additionally, he also reached out to two other men. Gress allegedly sent pictures of Corsette showing the abuse she had endured to his mother and the two men.
Furthermore, Gress allegedly admitted to telling his mother that he and his girlfriend, Brandes, "had killed Corsette and dismembered the body." Not one of the three individuals shared the photos with police the day they were sent, on February 18. They refrained from doing so during the two weeks after Corsette was reported missing.
Eventually, however, one of the men who received the images shared them with the police.
"There was a total of five photographs and in each photograph Corsette looked to be in increasingly worse physical condition," a police warrant alleged. "Corsette was nude in each photograph and had bruises and marks on most of her body. In the last photograph, Corsette's head was so swollen that she was almost unrecognizable."
Pictures Sent
Eventually, all three individuals, including Gress's mother, Jacquelyn Kristich, admitted to receiving he pictures on or before February 18, as per the outlet. February 18 was about five or six days before the date on which Gress allegedly admitted to killing Corsette with Brandes.
Following Gress's arrest, they arrived at his home, and they spoke with Kristich. There, she admitted to receiving the pictures and text messages, but denied opening or looking at them. Kristich also shared that Steven Gresstold her about having "a girl at his house who had stolen a ring from him." A week later, on February 18, Gress called again, saying that the girl, Corsette, was still at his house.
Kristich told her son to let her go and instructed him to never call her again. She never contacted police, as per the warrant. She told detectives that Gress had a history of killing animals.
Alleged Murder
The warrant details that Corsette met Steven Gress through a dating app on Valentine's Day. She then visited Gress's and Brandes's home, where she stayed. Gress allegedly told detectives that he started beating Corsette over a stolen ring.
An individual who first reported the alleged murder allegedly told detectives that it was actually Brandes who took the ring away. This was an attempt to make Gress angry, as per ABC Action News. The individual also confirmed that Gress and Brandes allegedly dismembered Corsette's body. Allegedly, she was with both of them at the time.
Gress, however, alleges that Brandes was the one who killed the girl by stuffing a sock down Corsette's throat. She then wrapped the 16-year-old's face in plastic wrap, as per an affidavit. Gress allegedly instructed Brandes not to cover Corsette's nose, but it was too late.
Following her death, the affidavit alleges that Gress and Brandes went to play mini golf and had Popeye's. They were celebrating Brandes's birthday. Allegedly, they took Corsette's body and dismembered her at a family member's yard.
Steven Gres and Michelle Brandes were charged with murder and kidnapping.
