A Florida couple, Steven Gress, 35, and Michelle Brandes, 37, are facing first-degree murder and kidnapping charges in connection to the horrific death of 16-year-old Miranda Corsette, who was allegedly lured to their home through a dating app. Police in St. Petersburg revealed disturbing details of the crime in a recent arrest affidavit.
Corsette, a teenager from Gulfport, Mississippi, was reported missing by her grandmother on February 24. Her body was discovered on March 7 in a dumpster, dismembered and dumped in the city.
According to police, Gress initially contacted Corsette on a dating app, leading her to his home in St. Petersburg on February 14. Once there, he and Brandes allegedly held her captive for a week.
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The couple reportedly believed that Corsette had stolen a ring, and over the course of seven days, they subjected her to physical abuse.
According to the affidavit, the final act of cruelty involved stuffing a billiard ball into her mouth and wrapping her head in plastic, suffocating her to death.
Corsette was a young mother of an 11-month-old child and lived with her grandmother after the death of both of her parents. Police Chief Anthony Holloway confirmed that Corsette was homeschooled and was under her grandmother’s care.
Gress has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and it’s unclear whether Brandes has entered a plea. The case has left the community in shock, with many struggling to comprehend the violent nature of the crime.
