Miranda Corsette: Missing teen kidnapped, beaten, killed, dismembered and left in a dumpster

In an unbelievably tragic and horrific story that could have been ripped from the pages of an R-rated police crime documentary, a 16-year-old girl who was reported missing from Gulfport, Florida, was kidnapped, killed, dismembered, and her remains placed in a dumpster in Hillsborough County.

The victim in this case, Miranda Corsette, 16, went missing after meeting 35-year-old Steven Gress on a dating app.  Gress, along with his domestic partner Michelle Brandes, lured Miranda to their home in Gulfport. Following a dispute over missing jewelry, Miranda was kidnapped, beaten and killed sometime between February 20 and 24. Gress then transported her body to a house in Largo, where it was dismembered, before being disposed of in the dumpster.

On March 7, Florida’s St. Petersburg Police Department reported that Michelle Brandes, age 37, the domestic partner of Steven Gress, turned herself into law enforcement on Saturday morning. Police arrested her and charged her with 1st degree murder.

Steven Gress has also been charged with first-degree murder for the killing of Miranda Corsette.

Background: On Thursday, March 6, a witness contacted police and said they had information about a possible kidnapping and homicide involving a missing teen.

Through their investigation, detectives learned that Miranda was lured through a social media app to meet Gress on February 14. After meeting him the first time, she went home and then the next day she returned to his residence, a duplex located at 2708 27th Ave. N.

Miranda had remained with Gress and his domestic partner, Brandes, at the home. On February 20, a dispute occurred, and she was beaten. Sometime between February 20 and February 24, police say that she was killed.  Gress then put her body in a car and drove to a house at 12243 Mallory Drive in Largo.

Miranda was reported missing to Gulfport Police on February 24.

Evidence at the Largo home indicates that the body was dismembered, driven to Hillsborough County and placed in a dumpster at 2893 14th Ave. S.E., Ruskin. Detectives located the dumpster and are still working to find and recover Miranda’s remains.

Gress is in custody. He was already in jail on unrelated charges. Police arrested him on March 5 for pointing a harpoon at his domestic partner, and for possessing drugs.

Gress is also facing a kidnapping charge in connection with Miranda’s disappearance

Fox 35 in Orlando reports that Corsette was homeschooled and lived with her grandmother because both of her parents are deceased, and that she was also mom to an 11-month-old baby.

The investigation into Miranda’s kidnapping and murder remains active as police continue to gather evidence and seek justice for the 16-year-old mom.

“This is a horrific crime,” St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway stated. “We are still investigating it, and we want to make sure we bring justice for Miranda. We will look at every piece of evidence that we can find. I want to say, we want to hold all responsible parties accountable.”

For more on this tragic story, see the video accompanying this afticle.

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(Source and all images: St. Petersburg Police Department)
(Cover photo of Miranda Corsette, Image credit: St. Petersburg Police Department)

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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