The Brief
- A surprise plea hearing for Stephan Sterns is scheduled for Monday, days before his murder trial was set to begin.
- Sterns is charged with killing 13-year-old Madeline Soto, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty.
- He also faces 60 counts of sexual abuse, with a separate trial set for next week.
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Days before Stephan Sterns was set to go to trial in one of two cases connected to the disappearance and death of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, an unanticipated plea hearing has been scheduled for early next week.
Late Friday afternoon, a “plea hearing” was scheduled for Monday afternoon, July 21, 2025, in the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida.
What we know:
The one-page document – a “Notice of Hearing” – simply lists the date, time, and courtroom for the upcoming hearing. It also references “Plea.”…