Latest news with #Corsette
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Family of teenage girl allegedly tortured and murdered by man she met on Grindr sues app
The family of a Florida teenager who was allegedly tortured, murdered and dismembered by a man she met on Grindr has filed a lawsuit, claiming the girl would still be alive if she had never met the man on the dating app. Miranda Corsette, 16, met Steven Gress, 35, on the app on February 14. Gress and his girlfriend, Michelle Brandes, 37, allegedly held the teen against her will inside Gress' St. Petersburg home before killing her. Corsette suffocated to death after the couple allegedly shoved a billiard ball in her mouth and wrapped her head in plastic before chopping her up and stuffing her body parts in the trunk of their car. Months later, a representative of Corsette's estate filed a lawsuit against Grindr, alleging that the features of the app and lack of safeguards for minors contributed to the girl's death. 'Without Grindr, we believe that Miranda would have never met this Steven Gress character, and she'd still be alive,' Attorney Lorne Kaiser said. 'This was a completely foreseeable event. Grinder has been warned for years and years about children and minors getting on this platform, and it's obviously a dangerous platform for children.' It was alleged that Gress was able to target Corsette through the app because of its 'lax age verification and hyper-precise geolocation.' 'The trauma inflicted upon M.C. (Miranda) and the irreparable harm to her family are direct consequences of Grindr's reckless disregard for the safety of minor children who are routinely preyed upon by adult predators who use Grindr's platform and design as a trap,' the suit states. According to the St. Petersburg Police Department, Gress and the teen first hung out at the couple's St. Petersburg home on February 14. He drove her home, and then she returned the next day. Gress told detectives that he was told she was 21 but later learned she was 16, according to an arrest affidavit. It wasn't long before Gress accused her of stealing his ring, which sparked the weeklong abuse and torture, the warrant states. As Gress allegedly continued to torture Corsette in their home, his girlfriend reportedly found the missing ring in Gress's car. Police said there is no evidence Corsette took the ring. The torture ended on February 23 when Brandes allegedly shoved a billiard ball into the teen's mouth and wrapped her head in plastic, a witness said. Gress reportedly told her not to cover her nose, but Brandes did, the witness said, and Corsette suffocated. After she was killed, Gress allegedly put her body in a car and drove to a house in Largo, where police say Gress used a chainsaw to dismember her body. They put the remains in trash bags and tossed them into a dumpster, and police later learned that the contents went to the county's incinerator. The new lawsuit claims the LGBTQ+ dating app failed to implement safeguards to prevent minors like Corsette from using it. 'Long before February 14, 2025, it was clear to Grindr that it was only a matter of time before its app, as Grindr marketed it and designed it, would cause the torture, rape, and murder of a child,' the lawsuit states. According to the suit, the app only requires a self-reported birthdate to confirm users are at least 18, with no cross-checking against official documentation or third-party verification at sign-up. The lawsuit claims the teen's murder 'exposes the platform's gross negligence in relying on a farcical self-reported age verification system. This performative gesture, as absurd as a bar or strip club asking teenagers to state their age without checking ID, allowed a minor to access an adult-oriented platform with foreseeable catastrophic consequences.' It's also claimed that the app's geolocation services 'deliver hyper-precise, real-time geolocation tracking — accurate to within a few feet — designed to facilitate immediate sexual encounters. As such, Grindr arranges user profiles based on their distance from other users for instant and spontaneous sexual hookups creating a uniquely hazardous environment for minors.' Corsette's family member is seeking $750,000 and is asking the court to order Grindr to implement more robust age verification measures, like government-issued identification verification or facial age estimation system, and to stop what the suit claims are misleading claims about the app's safety. Grindr LLC has not yet filed a response to the suit, according to Gress and Brandes are facing first-degree murder charges for Corsette's death and are being held at the Pinellas County Jail without bond. Prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty in the case.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Yahoo
Florida teen tortured, killed by couple after dating app meetup: police
A Florida couple is behind bars for allegedly using an online dating app to lure a 16-year-old girl to their home, brutally torturing and murdering her before dismembering her remains. The body of Miranda Corsette was discarded in a dumpster days after she was reported missing on Feb. 24, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department. Authorities allege that Steven Gress, 35, used the online dating app Grindr to lure Corsette to his house, located approximately 20 miles southwest of Tampa, on Feb. 14. "After meeting him the first time, [Corsette] went home and then the next day she returned to [Gress'] home," police said. Valentine's Day Dangers: Dating App Killers Lure Love-seekers In Unsuspecting Ways Grindr did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Read On The Fox News App Police believe that the teen, who was a frequent runaway and the mother to an 11-month-old baby, was staying at the home with Gress and his domestic partner, 37-year-old Michelle Brandes. Ten days after she initially met the couple, Corsette's grandmother, her primary caregiver, reported her missing to the Gulfport Police. "[Her grandmother] said she normally comes home, so she doesn't report her missing every time she leaves," Commander Mary Farrand, acting police chief for the city of Gulfport, said in a press conference. "[Corsette] just didn't come back in a timely manner this time." On Feb. 20, Corsette, Gress and Brandes got into an argument over a missing ring that the couple believed Corsette had stolen, according to police. 'Dating Game' Serial Killer's Rise To Fame Was Key To His Downfall, Arresting Officer Reveals For First Time Gress and Brandes allegedly tortured Corsette repeatedly over the course of several days, eventually causing her to suffocate by stuffing a billiard ball in her mouth and wrapping her face with plastic wrap, according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital. "From the 20th through the 24th, she was beaten and tortured, because they could not find this piece of jewelry," St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway said. Authorities believe that Corsette was killed between Feb. 20 and Feb. 24. Following Corsette's murder, authorities allege that Gress transported her body to a house owned by Brandes' mother in nearby Largo, Florida. Evidence found at the home indicated that Corsette's body had been dismembered before Gress drove the remains to Hillsborough County and disposed of them in a dumpster, police said. On March 6, a witness reached out to police to report a possible kidnapping and homicide involving a missing teen, according to authorities. Trans Killer Sentenced For Murder Of Nyc Antiques Dealer, Decapitated Oklahoma Man In Separate Slaying "Detectives located the dumpster and are working to find the body," St. Petersburg police said in a statement. A representative from the St. Petersburg Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that the investigation into Corsette's murder remains ongoing. Gress was already in police custody for weapons and drug offenses when police charged him with first-degree murder and kidnapping on March 7. The next day, Brandes turned herself in to police and was subsequently charged with first-degree murder. "This is a classic case of a vulnerable young lady who most likely sought attention online," Patrick McCall, a security expert at McCall Risk Group, told Fox News Digital. "This attention came from a man who easily preyed on her and who told her the right things, and she fell into his trap." Follow The Fox True Crime Team On X Gress' and Brandes' attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. "This is a horrific crime," Holloway said. "We want to ensure that we bring justice to Miranda. I want to say that we want to hold all of the responsible parties accountable." Corsette's murder comes as predators continue to use online dating apps to lure victims to their deaths. In July 2024, a Pennsylvania man was arrested, having allegedly used Grindr to meet a 14-year-old transgender teenager. DaShawn Watkins, 29, is currently facing murder charges after Pauly Likens' dismembered remains were found at Shenango River Lake in Clark Borough, Pennsylvania. Earlier this year, a Virginia man was found guilty of using dating apps to kill two women in 2021. Anthony Robinson is awaiting sentencing for the murders of Beth Redmon and Tonita Smith, after a jury convicted him of killing both women and dumping their bodies in a nearby wooded area. Personal safety experts are warning parents to keep an eye on their kids' social media usage and look for warning signs that could indicate that they are talking to strangers online. "A lot of times teens are preyed upon by people who will portray themselves as someone their age or express similarities to them to gain their trust," McCall said. "[Some signs include] being secretive with the phone, taking phone calls outside, hiding the phone, talking about a new friend or sudden interest in something they normally wouldn't be interested in that could relate to the person they are talking to. Usually, there is a tale or sign the child will slip out in conversation or in a behavior which deviates from their normal routine."Original article source: Florida teen tortured, killed by couple after dating app meetup: police
Fox News
15-03-2025
- Fox News
Florida teen tortured, killed by couple after dating app meetup: police
A Florida couple is behind bars for allegedly using an online dating app to lure a 16-year-old girl to their home, brutally torturing and murdering her before dismembering her remains. The body of Miranda Corsette was discarded in a dumpster days after she was reported missing on Feb. 24, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department. Authorities allege that Steven Gress, 35, used the online dating app Grindr to lure Corsette to his house, located approximately 20 miles southwest of Tampa, on Feb. 14. "After meeting him the first time, [Corsette] went home and then the next day she returned to [Gress'] home," police said. Grindr did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Police believe that the teen, who was a frequent runaway and the mother to an 11-month-old baby, was staying at the home with Gress and his domestic partner, 37-year-old Michelle Brandes. Ten days after she initially met the couple, Corsette's grandmother, her primary caregiver, reported her missing to the Gulfport Police. "[Her grandmother] said she normally comes home, so she doesn't report her missing every time she leaves," Commander Mary Farrand, acting police chief for the city of Gulfport, said in a press conference. "[Corsette] just didn't come back in a timely manner this time." On Feb. 20, Corsette, Gress and Brandes got into an argument over a missing ring that the couple believed Corsette had stolen, according to police. Gress and Brandes allegedly tortured Corsette repeatedly over the course of several days, eventually causing her to suffocate by stuffing a billiard ball in her mouth and wrapping her face with plastic wrap, according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital. "From the 20th through the 24th, she was beaten and tortured, because they could not find this piece of jewelry," St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway said. Authorities believe that Corsette was killed between Feb. 20 and Feb. 24. Following Corsette's murder, authorities allege that Gress transported her body to a house owned by Brandes' mother in nearby Largo, Florida. Evidence found at the home indicated that Corsette's body had been dismembered before Gress drove the remains to Hillsborough County and disposed of them in a dumpster, police said. On March 6, a witness reached out to police to report a possible kidnapping and homicide involving a missing teen, according to authorities. "Detectives located the dumpster and are working to find the body," St. Petersburg police said in a statement. A representative from the St. Petersburg Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that the investigation into Corsette's murder remains ongoing. Gress was already in police custody for weapons and drug offenses when police charged him with first-degree murder and kidnapping on March 7. The next day, Brandes turned herself in to police and was subsequently charged with first-degree murder. "This is a classic case of a vulnerable young lady who most likely sought attention online," Patrick McCall, a security expert at McCall Risk Group, told Fox News Digital. "This attention came from a man who easily preyed on her and who told her the right things, and she fell into his trap." Gress' and Brandes' attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. "This is a horrific crime," Holloway said. "We want to ensure that we bring justice to Miranda. I want to say that we want to hold all of the responsible parties accountable." Corsette's murder comes as predators continue to use online dating apps to lure victims to their deaths. In July 2024, a Pennsylvania man was arrested, having allegedly used Grindr to meet a 14-year-old transgender teenager. DaShawn Watkins, 29, is currently facing murder charges after Pauly Likens' dismembered remains were found at Shenango River Lake in Clark Borough, Pennsylvania. Earlier this year, a Virginia man was found guilty of using dating apps to kill two women in 2021. Anthony Robinson is awaiting sentencing for the murders of Beth Redmon and Tonita Smith, after a jury convicted him of killing both women and dumping their bodies in a nearby wooded area. Personal safety experts are warning parents to keep an eye on their kids' social media usage and look for warning signs that could indicate that they are talking to strangers online. "A lot of times teens are preyed upon by people who will portray themselves as someone their age or express similarities to them to gain their trust," McCall said. "[Some signs include] being secretive with the phone, taking phone calls outside, hiding the phone, talking about a new friend or sudden interest in something they normally wouldn't be interested in that could relate to the person they are talking to. Usually, there is a tale or sign the child will slip out in conversation or in a behavior which deviates from their normal routine."
Miami Herald
13-03-2025
- Miami Herald
Body of teen dismembered by man from dating app was likely incinerated, Florida cops say
The body of a 16-year-old mom who was killed and dismembered will likely never be recovered because her body was left in a dumpster that has since been taken to an incinerator, Florida authorities said. The couple accused of killing her, 35-year-old Steven Gress and 37-year-old Michelle Brandes, both face charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping, according to Pinellas County court records. Sixteen-year-old Miranda Corsette was lured by Gress on a dating app around Valentine's Day, McClatchy News previously reported. Corsette went to Gress' home Feb. 15, the day after they first met up in person, then Gress and Brandes became convinced that Corsette had stolen a ring from them, officers with the St. Petersburg Police Department wrote in an arrest affidavit. They held Corsette captive for a week and beat her repeatedly, until eventually they put plastic wrap around her head and suffocated her to death, police said. They're accused of putting Corsette's body in a car and driving her to another home, where police believe the couple dismembered her before leaving her body in a dumpster in Ruskin, which is in Hillsborough County. Corsette, whose parents are both dead, lived with her grandmother, who eventually reported her missing Feb. 24, according to police. By the time a witness came forward March 6 with information, Corsette was dead, and the contents of the dumpster had been collected and sent to an incinerator, police told McClatchy News. In Hillsborough County, trash goes to the Resource Recovery Facility, where it's then incinerated and used to generate electricity. Gress was arrested on charges unrelated to Corsette before investigators learned he was involved in the teen's disappearance, and Brandes later turned herself in, St. Pete police said. Corsette had an 11-month-old son, police confirmed.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Yahoo
Missing Gulfport girl, 16, was tortured, killed and dismembered, police say
At least one person is facing charges after investigators determined that a 16-year-old Gulfport girl who went missing last month was killed and her body dismembered and dumped in a Ruskin trash bin, police said. 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.
