Florida man who pleaded guilty to kidnapping and murder of teen girl wants the death penalty
08/23/2026 7:00 am PDT
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (TCN) -- A 37-year-old man has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and kidnapping in connection with the March 2025 death of a 16-year-old girl that he and his co-defendant met on Grindr.
According to the St. Petersburg Police Department, a witness contacted them on March 6, 2025, and said they had information about a missing teenage girl who had possibly been kidnapped and killed. An investigation found that Miranda Corsette, 16, had met Steven Gress on the dating app Grindr the previous month and had gone to the home he shared with his partner, Michelle Brandes, 38. Corsette was reported missing on Feb. 24, 2025.
Gress accused Corsette of stealing a ring, WFLA reports. In retaliation, he tortured and beat Corsette for multiple days. At one point, he gave Corsette medicine to heal so he could continue the torture. Brandes was also allegedly involved in the mistreatment of Corsette.
Investigators believe Corsette was killed between Feb. 20 and Feb. 25, 2025, according to police.
Brandes allegedly wrapped plastic cling film over Corsette’s face, leading to her death. WFLA reports Brandes later said she was a victim of Gress, who threatened her to do whatever he told her. According to a search warrant obtained by WFLA, Corsette was dismembered with a chain saw, allegedly at the home of Brandes’ mother, and disposed of in a dumpster.
According to police, evidence found at their home linked Corsette’s remains to the location. WFLA reports her body has never been found.
According to police, Brandes turned herself in on March 7. Gress had already been taken into custody the previous day for drug possession and for allegedly pointing a harpoon at Brandes.
In May 2025, Corsette’s family sued Grindr, the app where Corsette met the defendants, NBC News reports. In the lawsuit, Grindr is accused of wrongful death, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and participation in a sex trafficking venture.
The suit reads, “Grindr chose not to implement adequate safeguards to prevent minors from accessing its services. … Grindr emphasizes user anonymity and confidentiality. The app does not verify username, sexual orientation, gender identity, or age,” per NBC.
The Tampa Bay Times reports Gress pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and kidnapping on Aug. 19. At court in July, Court TV reports he told the judge, “I’ve been ready to plead guilty to this. … I’ll take the death penalty. I don’t want to go to trial.”
Gress said he pleaded guilty because he felt like it was the right thing to do, according to the New York Post. He said, “I did not kill Miranda, but I was involved in certain things that led to her death.”
WFLA reports Brandes, who has been charged with first-degree murder, is scheduled to appear in court for a pretrial hearing in October.
Gress is scheduled to appear for a sentencing hearing on Nov. 4, according to WTVT.
MORE:
Florida couple allegedly lured teen on app, killed and dismembered her — True Crime News
Teen allegedly beaten, strangled, dismembered after she was lured on dating app — True Crime News The Podcast
