Florida Teen Murder: 16-Year-Old Mother Dismembered After Meeting Man on Dating App
In a devastating case out of St. Petersburg, Florida, a 16-year-old mother named Miranda Coretti is believed to have been killed and dismembered after meeting a man on a dating app. Steven Gress, 35, allegedly contacted Miranda on Valentine's Day and brought her to his home, where authorities say she was later held captive, tortured, and killed between February 20th and February 24th, 2025.
According to police, Gress and his domestic partner, Michelle Brandis, 37, are accused of beating Miranda for days over allegedly stolen jewelry before suffocating her with plastic wrap. The pair then reportedly dismembered her body at another location and disposed of it in a dumpster in Ruskin, Florida. Law enforcement officials are now searching area landfills in an effort to recover Miranda's remains as the investigation continues into this tragic case that highlights the dangers of online interactions.
Key Takeaways
A teenage mother disappeared after meeting a man on a dating app, leading to murder charges against him and his partner.
The suspects allegedly tortured the victim for days over missing jewelry before killing and dismembering her.
Law enforcement faces significant challenges in recovering the victim's remains, which are believed to be in a Florida landfill.
Crime Overview
Allegations of Violence
The case involves a 16-year-old mother, Miranda Coretti, who authorities believe was killed and dismembered after meeting 35-year-old Steven Gress on a dating app. The victim was reported missing on February 24th, 2025, from Gulfport, Florida.
According to police reports, Gress is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly holding Miranda captive for seven days, repeatedly beating her, and ultimately suffocating her by wrapping plastic wrap around her face. Court documents reveal particularly disturbing details:
Torture included severe beatings over several days
A billiard ball was allegedly forced into the victim's mouth
The murder weapon appears to have been plastic wrap used for suffocation
Gress's domestic partner, 37-year-old Michelle Brandis, has been implicated as an accomplice. Police believe the motivation stemmed from accusations that Miranda had stolen a ring, though investigators have found no evidence supporting this claim.
Incident Timeline
February 14, 2025: Gress initially contacted Miranda through a dating application on Valentine's Day.
February ≈15-19: Miranda reportedly visited Gress's St. Petersburg residence twice. After the second visit, she did not return home.
February 20-24: During this period, police believe Miranda was:
Held captive at Gress's residence
Subjected to beatings and torture over alleged missing jewelry
Murdered through suffocation
February 24: Miranda's grandmother reported her missing to authorities.
Late February: After Miranda's disappearance, law enforcement received a tip from a witness regarding her possible fate.
The investigation spans multiple locations across Florida's Gulf Coast:
Miranda's home in Gulfport
Gress's residence in St. Petersburg (site of alleged captivity and murder)
A Largo property, reportedly belonging to Brandis's mother (where dismemberment allegedly occurred)
A dumpster in Ruskin, Hillsborough County (disposal site)
Police are currently searching landfills in an attempt to recover Miranda's remains.
Victim Profile
Miranda Coretti was a 16-year-old mother living in Gulfport, Florida with her grandmother. Her personal circumstances included:
Both parents were deceased
She was mother to an 11-month-old baby
She received homeschooling
When investigators began examining her disappearance, they discovered that Gress, the primary suspect, was already incarcerated on unrelated charges. The investigation continues as authorities work to locate Miranda's remains, which they believe may be in a Florida landfill.
Investigation Progress
Suspects Taken into Custody
The investigation into 16-year-old Miranda Coretti's disappearance took a tragic turn when authorities arrested two individuals in connection with her death. Steven Gress, 35, was apprehended and charged with first-degree murder after police determined he initially contacted Miranda through a dating app on Valentine's Day. According to investigators, Gress drove to Miranda's home in Gulfport, brought her to his residence in St. Petersburg, and later returned her home. The teenager reportedly went back to Gress's residence a second time, which ultimately led to fatal consequences.
Michelle Brandis, 37, described as Gress's domestic partner, was also arrested for her alleged role in the crime. Court documents reveal disturbing details about the case, indicating the suspects held Miranda captive for approximately seven days. The investigation determined a dispute over allegedly missing jewelry triggered the violent events that followed.
Search for Remains
Law enforcement officials are now focused on locating Miranda's remains, which presents significant challenges. St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway outlined the suspects' movements after the homicide, explaining that Gress and Brandis transported Miranda's body to Largo where evidence indicates dismemberment occurred. The pair then allegedly drove to Ruskin, where they disposed of the remains in a dumpster.
Investigators believe Miranda's body may currently be in a landfill, complicating recovery efforts substantially. The police are working to identify which specific landfill may contain her remains by tracking the dumpster's waste disposal route. Despite these obstacles, authorities have expressed determination to "bring Miranda home," employing specialized search techniques to locate her within the vast disposal site.
Legal Consequences
Murder in the First Degree
Steven Gress faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of 16-year-old Miranda Coretti. The arrest affidavit details disturbing allegations that Gress "unlawfully and from a premeditated design" caused Miranda's death. According to authorities, Gress and his partner Michelle Brandis allegedly held Miranda captive for seven days, subjecting her to repeated beatings and torture before ultimately killing her.
The prosecution will likely focus on several key elements that support the first-degree murder charge:
Premeditation: The extended period of captivity (7 days) demonstrates calculated intent
Brutality: Documentation of repeated beatings and torture
Method of killing: Allegations include stuffing a billiard ball in the victim's mouth and wrapping her face with plastic wrap, causing suffocation
Attempts to conceal: The dismemberment and disposal of remains in a dumpster show consciousness of guilt
Law enforcement reports indicate all these events stemmed from accusations that Miranda had stolen a ring, though no evidence suggests she actually took anything.
Possible Capital Punishment
The nature of this case makes it highly likely that prosecutors will pursue the death penalty. Florida law permits capital punishment in murder cases that meet specific criteria, and this case appears to satisfy multiple aggravating factors:
Heinous, atrocious, and cruel - The extended captivity, torture, and method of killing would likely qualify
Cold, calculated premeditation - The sustained duration of the crime suggests deliberate planning
Victim vulnerability - Miranda was a minor (16 years old)
Aggravating Factors Details from Case Heinous/Cruel Nature Seven days of beatings, torture before death Premeditation Extended captivity, deliberate method of killing Victim Vulnerability Teenage victim (16 years old) Concealment Efforts Dismemberment, disposal across multiple locations
The prosecution may also explore potential human trafficking charges as an additional aggravating factor, particularly considering the circumstances of how Gress allegedly met Miranda through a dating app despite their significant age difference.
Challenges in Law Enforcement
Law enforcement faces significant obstacles when investigating complex homicide cases, particularly those involving missing persons. These challenges require specialized techniques and resources to overcome, especially when evidence has been deliberately concealed or destroyed.
Finding Human Remains
Locating a victim's body becomes extraordinarily difficult when perpetrators dispose of remains in public waste systems. When remains end up in landfills, investigators confront massive search areas with constantly shifting terrain and decomposing materials. The St. Petersburg police currently face this exact challenge, as they believe a teenager's remains were placed in a dumpster that was later emptied into a landfill. Officers must determine which specific landfill received the contents from that particular dumpster, then coordinate a methodical search through tons of waste. This process requires significant manpower, specialized equipment, and patience as teams work through hazardous conditions to recover evidence that deteriorates with each passing day.
Canine Forensic Teams
Specialized cadaver dogs serve as crucial assets in the recovery of human remains. These highly trained canines possess the remarkable ability to detect human decomposition scent even in challenging environments like landfills. Their sensitive olfactory systems can identify the specific odors associated with human remains amid overwhelming competing smells. Law enforcement agencies deploy these dogs to systematically search large areas, following their alerts to potential locations of remains. This technique has proven valuable in cases where traditional search methods would be impractical or ineffective. The success of cadaver dogs demonstrates the importance of specialized training and the integration of animal capabilities into modern forensic investigation techniques.
Media Coverage and Advocacy
Television Program Analysis
Local news coverage of the Miranda Coretti case has been extensive across Florida's Gulf Coast. The 16-year-old victim's tragic story has been featured prominently on crime-focused television programming, highlighting the timeline from her initial disappearance on February 24th to the subsequent investigation. Television reports have detailed how authorities believe Miranda was killed between February 20th and February 24th after meeting 35-year-old Steven Gress through a dating application on Valentine's Day.
St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway provided media outlets with a comprehensive timeline of events. The information revealed that Gress allegedly transported Miranda from her Gulfport home to his residence in St. Petersburg. Television coverage emphasized the particularly disturbing aspects of the case, including allegations that Miranda was held captive, tortured over missing jewelry, and ultimately killed.
Media reports have noted several key investigative details:
Miranda lived with her grandmother in Gulfport
She was the mother of an 11-month-old baby
Her parents are deceased
The investigation spans multiple Florida locations (Gulfport, St. Petersburg, Largo, Ruskin)
Morgan and Morgan Partnership
The coverage of this case has been supported through a partnership with Morgan and Morgan, America's largest injury law firm. Their sponsorship has enabled comprehensive reporting on complex criminal cases like Miranda's, ensuring these stories receive proper attention and public awareness.
The firm boasts over a thousand attorneys and has secured several significant verdicts in recent months. Their recent legal victories include:
Location Case Type Settlement Amount Florida Car Crash $9.3 million Atlanta Car Accident $5.6 million Kentucky Insurance Dispute $1.8 million (after initial $5,000 offer)
Their support allows for the examination of difficult cases like Miranda's with appropriate legal expertise. Legal analysis for the case has included input from former Florida State's Attorney Dave Aronburg, who provided context on potential prosecution strategies, including whether human trafficking charges might apply and the likelihood of seeking the death penalty due to the "heinous, atrocious, and cruel" nature of the crime.
Social and Ethical Challenges in Digital Relationships
Dangers of Online Connections
The rise of digital platforms for meeting new people comes with significant risks, particularly for vulnerable individuals. Cases like the tragic murder of a 16-year-old Florida teen highlight extreme dangers that can occur when meeting strangers online. Dating apps may facilitate connections between individuals with substantial age differences, creating power imbalances that predators can exploit. Victims may be deceived about a person's true identity, intentions, or character.
When meeting someone from an online platform in person, individuals often have no reliable way to verify safety. These meetings can lead to situations where victims are isolated from support networks and placed in vulnerable positions. Criminal cases show that some predators deliberately use these platforms to target specific victims, particularly younger or vulnerable individuals who may be less experienced with recognizing warning signs.
Age Verification Weaknesses
Many digital platforms implement inadequate age verification systems that can be easily circumvented. Users can often self-report their age without any meaningful verification process, allowing both minors to access adult-oriented spaces and adults to misrepresent themselves to connect with younger users. This creates environments where significant age gaps between users may go undetected or unaddressed by platform safety measures.
The consequences of these verification failures can be severe:
Issue Potential Consequence Minors accessing adult platforms Exposure to inappropriate content or dangerous individuals Adults misrepresenting age Deliberate targeting of younger users Lack of identity verification Ability to create multiple profiles with different ages
Law enforcement agencies face significant challenges investigating crimes that originate from online connections, as digital evidence may be limited and platforms may have varying levels of cooperation with authorities. Parents and guardians should maintain awareness of teens' online activities and teach critical evaluation of online relationships to help protect against potential dangers.
