Killer giggles and makes chilling request to judge after 16-year-old dismembered
A killer who is alleged to have dismembered the body of a teenage girl after meeting her online and then callously threw her body in a dumpster made a chilling request to a judge.
Steven Gress, 37, pleaded guilty to luring 16-year-old Miranda Corsette to his home before beating and killing her.
On Wednesday morning (19 August), he appeared at a Pinellas County courtroom and changed his plea to guilty on charges of kidnapping and first-degree murder following the killing in February last year.
Gress told the court he felt it was 'the right thing to do,' but maintained he did not actually kill Corsette, the New York Post reported.
Advert
But in a chilling request to a judge, it was reported that he asked for the death penalty to be applied to him at a previous hearing.
Gress had previously appeared before the court in July, where he told Judge Philip Federico he wanted to enter a guilty plea and requested the death penalty.
Court psychologist Dr. Mark Crawford described him as 'very open, very respectful, very cooperative' during a competency evaluation, adding he believed he could 'freely and voluntarily enter a plea'.
“I want you to understand the significance of what we’re talking about as we go through this process,” Judge Federico said. “Yes, sir,” Gress replied.
Offering an explanation for his plea, he laughed and said: "Life or death is a lose-lose. I would rather do the lesser time than spend the next 53 years of my life behind bars.”
By entering a guilty plea, Federico told him that he either faces life in prison without parole or a death sentence.
“I feel it’s the right thing to do,” Gress said. “I would like to plead guilty to felony murder. I did not kill Miranda, but I was involved in certain things that led to her death.”
Victim lured to house on Grindr
Gress had lured his victim, Miranda Corsette, to his home through the dating app Grindr on Valentine’s Day 2025, according to police.
Gress picked the teenage victim up from her grandmother’s home in Gulfport and took her to his apartment where his partner, Michelle Brandes waited.
The pair then beat and sexually abused Corsette for a week after Brandes accused the victim of stealing a ring that belonged to Gress.
At least six people knew the teen was in danger at the time, but no one called 911, according to an affidavit.
Officials said that Corsette was killed at some point between 20 and 24 February.
The pair then drove Miranda’s body to Brandes’ mother’s house where Gress dismembered her and put her remains in bin bags which were thrown into a dumpster, police said.
After his arrest on March 5, Gress then went on to tell police that Brandes forced a billiard ball into her throat and wrapped her face in plastic.
After entering his guilty plea, he waived his right to a jury trial for the penalty phase of the case. A pre-trial hearing for his penalty phase is scheduled for 4 November.
Meanwhile, Brandes turned herself over to police on 8 March last year. She has entered a not guilty plea to kidnapping and murder charges and faces a potential death sentence if she is convicted.
A pretrial hearing for her is scheduled for 22 October.
Police statement
In a former statement, Pinellas County Sherrif's Office said: "On Thursday, March 6th, a witness contacted police and said they had information about a possible kidnapping and homicide involving a missing teen.
"Through their investigation, detectives learned that 16-year-old Miranda Corsette was lured through a social media app to meet 35-year-old Steven Gress on February 14th.
"After meeting him the first time, she went home and then the next day she returned to his home, a duplex at 2708 27th Ave. N. She was reported missing to Gulfport Police on February 24th.
"Miranda remained with Gress and his domestic partner, Michelle Brandes at the home. On February 20th, a dispute occurred and she was beaten. Sometime between February 20th and February 24th, she was killed.
"Gress then put her body in a car and drove to a house at 12243 Mallory Drive in Largo. Evidence at the Largo home indicates the body was dismembered, driven to Hillsborough County and placed in a dumpster at 2893 14th Avenue S.E., Ruskin. Detectives located the dumpster and are working to find the body."
James Holt