Former Disney Cast Member’s Shocking Confession Leads to Life Sentence in Child Murder Case
WARNING: The following article mentions and/or discusses topics that may be distressing for certain audiences. Reader discretion is advised.
The disappearance of 13-year-old Madeline Soto from her Kissimmee, Florida, home in February 2024 sent shockwaves across the nation. First reported missing on February 26, the teen’s sudden vanishing left her family and the local community in distress. Authorities were quick to launch an extensive search for Madeline, hoping for a safe return.
However, what was expected to be a story of recovery soon turned into a grim reality when her body was discovered in a wooded area just days later. On February 28, two days after the search began, the Kissimmee police announced that the case had shifted to a homicide investigation. Madeline had tragically been strangled to death.
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The investigation into her murder quickly pointed to Stephan Sterns, the boyfriend of Madeline’s mother, as the primary suspect. Sterns, who was no stranger to the Kissimmee area, had worked as a cast member at Walt Disney World Resort in the past. Although Disney declined to comment on his employment status, confirming only that he wasn’t an active cast member, his connection to the area and his suspicious actions immediately placed him under scrutiny.
On the day Madeline went missing, Sterns was seen disposing of items in a dumpster. Among the discarded items were Madeline’s backpack and her school-issued computer. Sterns also reset his phone on that same day, actions that raised red flags for investigators.
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From the outset, Sterns claimed innocence, insisting he had nothing to do with Madeline’s disappearance. However, evidence soon emerged that would shatter that defense. Just days after the search began, police were granted access to Sterns’ phone, and what they discovered was nothing short of horrifying. Hidden within Sterns’ Google Cloud were photos and videos that revealed the extent of the abuse he had inflicted on Madeline over several years, beginning when she was just eight years old.
The investigation grew darker as this evidence painted a disturbing picture of the years-long abuse that had led to Madeline’s tragic death.
On April 25, Sterns was officially charged with first-degree murder. The State Attorney’s office indicated that it would seek the death penalty, based on the severity of the crimes committed. However, the case took an unexpected turn when Sterns made the decision to change his plea just days before he was set to stand trial.
In a surprise move on July 21, 2025, Sterns pleaded no contest to both the charges of raping and murdering Madeline. His plea deal ensured that he would be sentenced to life in prison, with the death penalty no longer on the table.
Stephan Sterns was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the first-degree murder of 13-year-old Madeline Soto, and an additional life sentence for 20 sex offenses, including sexual battery of a child, Osceola County Circuit Judge Keith Carsten ordered, according to Orlando CBS affiliate WKMG.
Sterns pleaded no contest to the first-degree murder charge and guilty to all 20 counts of sex crimes during a plea hearing Monday afternoon. This abrupt change came just as he was expected to go on trial this week for the sexual battery charges. Sterns had previously pleaded not guilty to sexually abusing and murdering Madeline Soto, the daughter of his former girlfriend.
Before Sterns was sentenced, Madeline’s father, Tyler Wallace, was given the opportunity to read a victim impact statement. His words, delivered through tears, were filled with heartbreak and anger. He called Sterns “depraved,” “weak,” and a “coward” for his actions, expressing that no amount of time could ever heal the pain of losing his daughter.
Wallace’s words were a powerful reminder of the lasting impact of such a horrific crime. He concluded with a chilling hope that Sterns would endure the same suffering that his daughter experienced as he served the rest of his life sentence.
Though justice has been served for Madeline, the pain her family endures will never fully fade. We extend our deepest sympathies to the family of Madeline Soto, whose loss is immeasurable. May her memory live on, and may she forever rest in peace.
