Insets, from left: Steven Gress, Michelle Brandes and Miranda Corsette (St. Petersburg Police Department). Background: Dumpster where Miranda’s body was disposed (WFLA/YouTube).
A Florida couple allegedly suffocated a teen girl to death with a billiard ball before chopping her up and stuffing the body parts in the trunk after torturing her for a week over a missing ring.
Steven Gress, 35, and his girlfriend Michelle Brandes, 37, needed to dispose of the victim’s remains — but first they needed to celebrate Brandes’ birthday, cops wrote in a search warrant request obtained by the Tampa Bay Times. Gress and Brandes ate chicken at Popeyes and then played mini golf at Congo River in Clearwater, the 25-page warrant written by the St. Petersburg Police Department reportedly said. After their birthday bash, the two suspects allegedly drove around the Tampa Bay area looking for places to dispose of 16-year-old Miranda Corsette’s body.
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Eventually, they found a dumpster near where Gress’ grandparents lived in Ruskin and tossed Miranda’s remains there, the warrant reportedly said. They got lucky: Cops believe the dumpster was taken to a landfill and its contents — including Mirada’s remains — were incinerated. Now prosecutors will have to try and convict the couple without a body.
But helping the state’s case is the fact at least six people saw Miranda with the couple or knew she was being tortured, the warrant seeking to obtain the contents of Gress’ mother’s phone reportedly states. Per cops, Gress was known by neighbors to take disadvantaged women into his home. Miranda, a mother of an 1-year-old child, was a frequent runaway with mental health and drug issues, cops said. Detectives believe Gress and Miranda met on a dating app and took her to his home in mid-February. Gress allegedly spoke to neighbors about the girl and even bragged to them about hurting her.
“This little b—- stole my ring and won’t give it back,” he reportedly said. “So I’ve been beating her a–.”
Gress also allegedly sent nude pictures of Miranda that showed her increasingly worsening injuries to at least three people, including his mother. His mother denied seeing them.
While no one else has been charged, Sixth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bruce Bartlett told the Times “there’s a pretty good likelihood of more to come.” Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Gress and Brandes.
Detectives also questioned a woman who lived with the defendants. She accused Gress of being abusive and he would buy animals off Craigslist and kill them by throwing them off a bridge, the warrant reportedly stated. Not long into Miranda’s stay, he accused her of stealing his ring, cops reportedly wrote. This sparked the weeklong abuse and torture, cops allege. As the alleged torture continued, Brandes said she found the ring. The roommate thought Brandes probably had it all along and took it so he would ditch Miranda, according to the warrant.
The woman reportedly told detectives on Feb. 23, the day of Miranda’s death, the defendants stuffed a billiard ball in the girl’s mouth and wrapped plastic around her head. Miranda suffocated.
As Law&Crime previously reported, the St. Petersburg Police Department said in a March 7 press release that Gress picked up the girl on Feb. 14 after meeting her on a dating app and took her to his home in the 2700 block of 27th Ave. N. After hanging out that day, he drove her back to her home. Miranda returned to his home the next day, and this time she would not make it out alive.
After killing, Miranda, Gress and Brandes placed the teen’s body in his car and drove the remains some 15 miles to a home in the 12000 block of Mallory Drive in Largo, cops said. There, police believe she was dismembered. Her remains were once again moved, this time to a dumpster about 55 miles away.
Miranda’s grandmother, who had custody of her after both of her parents died, reported her missing to Gulfport police on Feb. 24. Gulfport police commander and acting chief Mary Farrand said her department is “very familiar” with Miranda, who is a “frequent runaway” with a history of mental health issues and drug abuse. She also was the mother of a 11-month-old child. Her grandma told police Miranda was known to run away and she’d usually return home, but not this time.
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On March 6, a “witness” contacted police regarding information about a kidnapping and homicide. Police realized they already had Gress in custody after he allegedly pointed a harpoon at Brandes and was in possession of drugs. Detectives quickly unfurled the case, and Brandes turned herself into cops on March 8.
Gress was quite chatty during his first appearance.
After the judge read the allegations against him, he reportedly told the court, “They just said I suffocated,” before a public defender quickly intervened and ordered him to “not say anymore!”
Gress also questioned the court about the whereabouts of Brandes.
“Where is Michelle Brandes at?” Gress asked twice, video from local Fox affiliate WTVT showed.
“Talk to your lawyer,” the judge sternly advised Gress before ending the hearing.
Both Gress and Brandes stand accused of first-degree murder and kidnapping. They are being held at the Pinellas County Jail without bond.
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