Missing Gulfport girl, 16, was tortured, killed and dismembered, police say
Steven Gress, 35, has been charged with kidnapping in the disappearance of Miranda Corsette, and more charges against him and possibly other suspects are expected, St. Petersburg police Chief Anthony Holloway said Friday.
'This is a horrific crime,' Holloway said at a news conference. 'We want to ensure that we bring justice to Miranda.'
Corsette, who lived with her grandmother in Gulfport, was reported missing on Feb. 24. Her disappearance turned into a homicide investigation Thursday, when a witness contacted police to provide information in the case, Holloway said.
Detectives learned that Gress contacted Corsette through a dating app on Feb. 14, went to her home in Gulfport, where she lives with her grandmother, and picked her up, Holloway said. The two spent the day together at Gress' home, a duplex in the 2700 block of 27th Avenue North.
Corsette then returned to the home on her own the next day and remained there with Gress and his domestic partner, Michelle Ayleen Brandes, 36, according to police.
On Feb. 20, there was 'some sort of dispute over missing jewelry,' Holloway said.
'So from the 20th through the 24th, she was beaten and tortured because they could not find this piece of jewelry,' Holloway said.
Sometime within those five days, Corsette was killed. Gress then put Corsette's body in his car and drove to a home in the 12000 block of Mallory Drive in Largo, Holloway said.
Detectives found evidence that Corsette was dismembered there. Gress and Brandes then drove the body to Ruskin, where they dumped the remains in a dumpster in the 2800 block of 14th Avenue Southeast, Holloway said.
Investigators believe Corsette's body may now be in a Hillsborough County landfill.
Gress was already in the county jail when the witness came forward Thursday. He was arrested Wednesday on charges of aggravated assault and drug possession. Holloway said Gress pointed a harpoon at Brandes in that case.
Police were still looking for Brandes as of Friday afternoon.
'Michelle, if you're out there, we're trying to tell you to turn yourself in, because we will find you sooner or later,' Holloway said. 'If anybody out there is trying to help Michelle, if we can, we will charge you with the charges we can charge you with."
Gulfport police Cmdr. Mary Farrand, who is the department's acting chief, said the department was very familiar with Corsette because she frequently ran away from home and had mental health and drug abuse issues. The teen's grandmother was her primary caregiver.
'She said that she normally comes home so she doesn't report her missing every time she leaves, she just didn't come back in a timely manner this time,' Farrand said.
Police asked anyone with information on Brandes' whereabouts or the case to call 727-893-7780 or text SPPD and your tip to TIP411.
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