Stephan Sterns' Suspicious Behavior, Secret Photos Uncovered in Madeline Soto Murder Case
New details have emerged in the case of Stephan Sterns, accused of murdering 13-year-old Madeline "Maddie" Soto. A recent interview with a female roommate, who shared the house with Maddie and her mother Jenn Soto, sheds light on Sterns' odd behavior in the days leading up to Maddie's disappearance, according to audio obtained by FOX 35.
The roommate described the relationship between Maddie and Sterns as a close "father-daughter" connection, although Sterns was not biologically related to her. He was the boyfriend of Maddie’s mother, Jenn Soto, and occasionally stayed at their residence in Kissimmee. Despite their close bond, the roommate said she noticed Sterns acting unusually in the days before Maddie went missing.
According to the woman, she remembered hearing strange noises from Sterns' room one evening. “The noise lasted until at least I fell asleep,” she recalled during the interview. She also noted that Sterns had taken to doing laundry—a rare occurrence, she observed—and was seen with various power tools, including a hammer, for a project he didn’t disclose to anyone.
"She noticed something odd about him because of the way he was moving around the house," the woman explained in Spanish, which was later translated by an interpreter. She mentioned that Jenn Soto had questioned Sterns about the tools, but he offered only vague responses, stating he was working on an unspecified project.
Kissimmee police have since revealed even more disturbing details as part of the investigation. Detectives informed the woman during their interview that nude photographs of her were found on Sterns' phone. Authorities allege that Sterns used a hidden camera beneath the woman’s bedroom door to capture these images without her knowledge. She was asked to verify the photos, and after some hesitation, she reportedly confirmed their authenticity. "I take that as a ‘yes,’” one detective remarked after she paused, seemingly stunned by the revelation.
The woman admitted that the discovery of these photos fundamentally changed her perception of Sterns. "Prior to seeing these photos, she couldn’t believe he could do something or hurt Maddie. Now, seeing these photos—yeah, he’s capable of anything, obviously," the detective translated, summarizing her reaction.
Despite these findings, authorities have yet to file additional charges against Sterns related to the unauthorized photos of the roommate. Whether charges will be added for this alleged invasion of privacy remains unclear.
Meanwhile, in newly released footage, detectives can be seen questioning both Maddie’s mother, Jenn Soto, and Sterns. While Jenn Soto defended Sterns at times during her interrogation, detectives expressed doubts that he acted alone. They were particularly skeptical after showing her photographs that allegedly captured abuse inflicted on her daughter.
Stephan Sterns has been formally charged with first-degree murder in connection with Maddie Soto’s death. He also faces 60 counts related to sex abuse, following the discovery of explicit images of Maddie in a Google Drive linked to his cell phone. Sterns has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
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