April 9, 2025 • 42 mins
Disturbing new details have emerged in the torture and murder of 16-year-old Miranda Corsette.
Court documents reveal that at least six people knew Steven Gress, 37, and Michelle Brandes, 35, were holding Miranda against her will before she died.
Gress allegedly sent photos of Miranda, visibly bruised, to three people, including his mother. She told police she did not view the images but admitted her son tried to talk to her about Miranda. She said she shut down the conversation, telling him she didn’t want to know.
At least two neighbors reportedly saw Miranda in distress at the home. A woman who lived with Gress and Brandes witnessed a week of torture, the murder, and the clean-up that followed.
The documents also outline a detailed timeline, including a trip to celebrate Brandes’ birthday at a Popeyes restaurant—while Miranda’s dismembered remains allegedly sat in Gress’ trunk.
Joining Nancy Grace today:
- Dave Horton - Landlord of Gress' home
- Andrea Lewis - Partner at Searcy Law in Pam Beach, Florida, Former Felony Prosecutor at Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office, and President of the Palm Beach County Bar Association,
- Dr. Bethany Marshall - Psychoanalyst, Author of "Deal Breaker,” and featured in hit show: "Paris in Love" on Peacock; Instagram & TikTok: drbethanymarshall, X: @DrBethanyLive
- Paul Duffy - Senior consultant with Group 9 Security Consulting and Training, Former Deputy and Inspector with the United States Marshals Service
- Anna Sonoda - Child Grooming Expert, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Author: “Duck Duck Groom: Understanding How a Child Becomes a Target”
- Dr. Kendall Crowns - Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County (Ft Worth), and NEW Podcast: "Mayhem in the Morgue" [launching on April 7]; Lecturer: Burnett School of Medicine at TCU (Texas Christian University)
- Dan Sullivan - Staff Writer, Tampa Bay Times; X @TimesDan, BlueSky: timesdan.bsky.social, Instagram: @timesdansullivan
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
A beautiful young teen girl, Miranda just turn sixteen. We
now know from search warrant affidavits and returns, this little
girl actually dies gagging on a pool, bawl forced into
her mouth, her head wrapped mummy style with kitchen saran wrap.
(00:33):
And then after this child's body is dismembered, the purpse
leaving blood and human tissue up on.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
The side of a house.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
They didn't even take a water hose Forte's sake to
clean off this child's blood. These two go out to
celebrate with Popeyes and Putt Putt after dismembering her with
a chainsaw. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. Thank
(01:08):
you for being with us.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Records reveal gruesome new details about the sixteen year old
Florida teen's murder. Defendants allegedly ate Popeyes and played Midi
golf before incinerating Miranda Corset's body.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
It all starts here when last week we obtained exclusive
video of the co defendants. Here he is Gress, we believe,
taking the teen girl's body out to his vehicle, just
sauntering along without a care in the world, not worried
(01:45):
if he would.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Be seen nothing. He tucks the body into his.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Vehicle, checks everything is just right, nothing hanging out, slams
the trunk with the child's body in the car, and
saunters back in.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Little did he know that he upstairs.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Residence this is a duplex, had her ring camera going
the entire time, and we got it. It's all caught
on video. This and more. He's not even worried this,
as we learn, he and builds the bub the minion
(02:37):
from Hell. Satan's assistant forced a pool ball into this
child's mouth, then wrapped her head mummy style and Sarahan
rap until she.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Died. In the last hours.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
We obtain more video and we enhance it NASA style
to determine what exactly was being said at one juncture.
I want you to see the video that we have enhanced.
A neighbor comes from across the street and we hear
(03:17):
her say the words.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
We hear Gress stating about the little girl. Quote this punch.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Stole my ring right here, the ate all the food
in the kitchen. He's talking about a little girl. The
neighbor says, the girl in the corner, h yeah, what
other girl, and the Gress says yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
He says she says that's her body.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Yeah, neighbor says, damn, listen, what is.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
With these people?
Speaker 2 (04:02):
I'm going to leave that to a jury. Thank goodness,
I got a shrink. But the shrink is joining us
at about one minute. But first I want to go
to Dan Sullivan joining us, writer for Tampa Bay Times
at Tampa Bay dot com who obtained a lot of
this affidavit and search warrant material.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Dan Sullivan, did you just see the video? The neighbor just.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Saunters over and goes that's her body, and Gress says yeah,
And all she says.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Is damn, what is wrong with this woman?
Speaker 4 (04:36):
I can answer that I know that what the police
put in the search warrant was that at least that
neighbor and at least a few other people were aware
that this girl was with him during this week. You know,
it's not clear.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Dan Sullivan, guys renowned writer for the Tampa Bay Times,
states that his examination of court documents we have just
obtained they got it revealed that at least six people
knew the girl was in his words with Gress. Isn't
it true, Dan Sullivan that based on these court documents,
(05:19):
an affidavit a sworn affidavit of what the officer, the
detective learned.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
She wasn't just with him for an outing in the park.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
She was being beaten, lying naked in a corner, begging
for help, and everybody knew it.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
All of these people knew it.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
And in my mind, are complicit complicit with it. I mean,
this neighbor sees her naked in the corner.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Dan Well, I.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
Think it seems, based on what's in the affidavit, that
people didn't know what was going on. It's not clear
if every one of them knew the extent of what
was going on, but it seems I mean, there were
a few people who received photographs that showed her in
(06:10):
worsening physical condition throughout the week.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
And you mean she's getting beaten more and more and
more lying there naked in the fetal position in the corner.
I'd say that is worsening condition.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Yeah, it is, you know, according to what's in the
search warrant that they did receive photos of what was
going on. Like I say, though, I mean, it's not
clear if everyone that saw her knew the extent of
what she was going through, but some of them, you know,
it seems had reason to believe that there was something
(06:44):
you know, very wrong happening.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Yeah, something called child abuse, child rape, and murder.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Well, you're right, it is murky.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
And you know right now what I'm trying to figure out,
Dan Sullivan, I'm trying to figure out the appropriate charges for.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
These six ghules.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Because right now they're not charged. But believe you me, Dan,
there is a way. There is a way. I mean,
when you get sent pictures this technical legal phrase, a
hole sent pictures.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Of the little girl, a little girl.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Dan, did you know my twins just turned seventeen. My
daughter weighs about ninety pounds. She's nothing but lip gloss
and eyelashes. This girl's sixteen, sixteen, Dan, and beaten to
a pulp and these people send photos. The man gress
(07:49):
sends photos of the little girl to various people lying there,
beaten and naked into corner.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Did you just say, Dan, that the photos got worse.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
The photos show her in increasingly worse physical condition, and
he kept photoing her and sending them from his phone.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Yeah, that is that is what the police wrote in
the search warrant, that you know the photos showed her
an increasingly worse physical condition. As far as whether you know,
anyone else might be charged.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
Our local state attorney here, Bruce Bartlett, said that they
are that that's a possibility and that they're looking at that.
I don't know if you know they might need any
of these people to testify as witnesses and what factor
that might play in.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Absolutely, you're right, man, you're thinking ahead.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
You're like five steps ahead of most people, maybe ten,
because these six people. You know, I'm not a batting
person because I've got children put through college. I don't
want to waste my money on the slot. But if
I were a betting person, I would bet that these
six people are either going to be states witnesses or
(09:08):
co defendants.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Mark my words. They can all be.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Thrown in the same pot to stew as far as
I'm concerned. Again, they're all presumed innocent, Dan.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Isn't it true?
Speaker 2 (09:18):
The affidavit reveals that the defendants quote searched the girl's
body cavities that means her vagina, her anus, her mouth
for a stolen ring that really hadn't been stolen at all.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Isn't that true? They did this to this little girl.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
Yeah, there is one part of the affidavit that describes that,
and it does seem, based on what's in the affidavit,
that mister Gress apparently felt very strongly about this ring
and believed that Miranda had taken it, done something with it,
really wanted to find it. There was some information.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
From really wanted to find it up her anus.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
That's according to the affidavit. That is what you know,
he's let to have done. There was some information from
one of the other people involved that you know, they
believed that he you know, that Miranda had nothing to
do with this ring, and that it was actually the
(10:28):
co defendant, Missus Brandis.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Brandis ring all along.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Isn't it true that Brandish that the ring was quote
found suddenly in Gress's car and Brandis insinuated intimated to
the third roommate that she had taken it so Griss
would get angry at the little girl and get rid
of her.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Yeah, there was there was something to that effect in
the search war. And this was after the the girl
had you know, that they had disposed of her body.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
You know what, We're spending a lot of time talking
about the ring, and frankly, Dan Sullivan, I don't give
a flying fig about the ring.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
That was just a pretext to beat this child.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
We're now learning from the affidavit that you obtained that
Gress has a history of targeting let me just say,
troubled women and girls. We know that Miranda had lost
both of her parents suddenly it's a little girl loft
(11:31):
boast of her parents at a young age and moved
in with grandma. And Grandma was so happy that Miranda
had a Valentine date date.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
That date.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Is with her alleged killer, Gress, who lured her online.
Speaking of the ring, that was a pretext for abuse,
torture and murder her. Listen to what the neighbor who
saunters over and sees the.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
Girl and does nothing.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
We have managed to enhance the video from the upstair
residence ring cam, and.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
I want you to hear what she says.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Now remember her last words you heard were that's her body, damn.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Listen to this.
Speaker 5 (12:24):
Why you get out of figure out right?
Speaker 1 (12:37):
The neighbor sees what's happening. The neighbor sees the little
girl balled.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Up in a corner crying, and you hear Gress say
she stole my ring and neighbor, how the hell are
you going to get her out of here?
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Gress.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Well, that's what I'm trying to figure out right now.
And the neighbor says, don't kill her. I don't want
to see the police up here. So she doesn't want
them to kill the little girl because she doesn't want
the police around. Wonder why I think I know the affidavit,
does it not? Dan Sullivan refer to the neighbor as
(13:13):
having sold pot to Gress in the past.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
That's correct.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
There is a portion of the affidavit where I believe
that it says that I guess she came over to
exchange in a drug transaction with him.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
We're not sure that this is the same neighbor, but
we do know that this neighbor that actually talks to
Miranda lying there dying, she does not want the police
quote up in here.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
Then the neighbor says, where you got the ring, honey?
You could have just given it to him. It's not
over yet.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
There is more from the neighbor, and we have been
able to enhance the video and the sound. Just the
nature of this neighbor. She sees the girl lying there naked,
dying and starts quizzing her about a ring.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Listen, I don't want to be an idea.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
Joining me is renowned a psychoanalyst, author of deal Breaker,
and you can see her now on Peacock Doctor Bethany Marshall.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Doctor Bethany, what is wrong with this woman? She just
says to Gress, Okay, don't kill nobody. You're Michelle. I
don't want to see the police. Iye been here.
Speaker 6 (14:36):
That's just so casual, Nancy, this is so painful to hear. Actually,
she says, is that the body? She doesn't say, is
that Miranda? Or is that the little girl or teenager?
Why isn't she in school already? She's dehumanized and dead
in the neighbor's mind. And in terms of this allegend crime,
what perpetrators do is they create something called institutional psychopathology
(14:58):
where they gravitate towards one person who has a corruption
of conscience, and that person gravitates towards another, and all
of a sudden they become a little group that has
criminality in common, like a criminal morning coffee clutch. We
see this with child molesters, Nancy. I mean, they gravitate
towards each other. Online they pass pictures around, and this is.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
What Bethany Gress. Bethany, Bethany too many words.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Boil it down, give me the concentrate, hit me.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Birds of a feather flock together. Joining us now is
a special guest.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
It's Dave Horton, the landlord at the Gress home now
believe to be murder scene.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Mister Wharton, thank you for being with us. Oh, no problem,
mister Horton.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
On the outside, your place looks, you know, perfect well,
thank you, well manicured, painted the works. But on the
inside it turns into a house of horrors for this
little sixteen year old girl. Now, you just evicted Gress
in the last hours. Explain to me what you discovered
(16:10):
inside the murder scene.
Speaker 5 (16:13):
Oh, I couldn't believe it. You know, the place was
we had the inside fixed up just as nice. I
spent a lot of time.
Speaker 7 (16:20):
And money over there, and it was just unbelievable.
Speaker 5 (16:25):
The kitchen, the damage that was in the kitchen.
Speaker 7 (16:27):
And her bedroom. You know, I had to evict.
Speaker 5 (16:32):
Them because there was rabbit feces everywhere in her room,
all over the place. And we cleaned that up, you know, yesterday,
And we really got into a corner there and opened
up a box and we've seen a bunch of broken
crystal meth pipes, a bunch of lighters and the little
bag of Mathway threw that in the bottom of the garbage,
(16:55):
took it out in the garbage man took that away yesterday.
Speaker 7 (16:58):
It was just unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
You know, you evicted the residence.
Speaker 5 (17:04):
Why the eviction was due to non payment of rent.
We wanted to get him out of there. And you know, honestly,
I started to evict him several years ago on a
termination when he shot the window out of my kitchen
with the BB gun. He had a baby hole in there,
and I says, look, we don't put up with this
kind of stuff around here, you know. And I spent
three hundred dollars with a lawyer and they went out
(17:25):
and served him, and you know, he ended up showing
up at my house. And I don't know now if
it was he was threatening me or if he was
just trying to plead, like you know, he would put
on the nice guy face, you know, and oh, I'll
do anything. Oh my god, I'm so sorry I did that,
and I'll behave it will never happen again. Well it happen.
You know what happened again?
Speaker 2 (17:46):
You know, you know Dave Horton, he just says something
I find very very probative because many people, and myself included,
wonder what attracted these women to this, oh perve because
he could put on, as you said, the nice guy face.
Speaker 5 (18:04):
Yes he could, and I think he did that with
the police too. You know, they came out, oh no need,
no need to go inside the apartment. That was the
friday before.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
When you went in the home to clean it out
for the eviction, did you see any evidence that a
teen girl had been held hostage there and murdered, only
later to be dismembered.
Speaker 5 (18:27):
No, there was no evidence whatsoever there really, you know,
the place was just a complete just like a bomb
went off in there. You know, you didn't know what happened.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
You know, we say it looks like a bomb went off.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
Are you referring to the fingerprint dust, the fingerprint powder
all over the walls or something else.
Speaker 5 (18:47):
They went in there on the Friday after. I just
I almost gave up on the place because the police
was out there on a Friday and they wouldn't do anything.
And Gypsy says, well, they came out and they didn't
go inside. Well, obviously she heard something in there. That's
why she called the police.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
You know, I understand that the mother came by and
the only thing she cared about was the parent.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
Yeah now, And I ended up ringing to him. Was
through a friend of mine, and he had called me
originally years ago and said, oh, you know, he knew
Steve's mother and apparently he kind of helps Steve's mother.
He likes Steve's mom and they hang out whatever. And
he had called me and he says, Dave, is the
(19:30):
parrot still over there at the house? And I knew
it was at the animal control And I says, no, no,
it's still there at the house, and she goes through.
It was a three thousand dollars parrot. I'm thinking I've
got about five six thousand dollars in damages. We got
a dead sixteen year old girl, and all you're worried
about is the damn bird the mother. So when the
mother came.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Out, brother preach it. She's all upset about the bird
and the girl. I know, torture.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
I know, a.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
Day and a heap in the corner, naked bruised.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
Did you know that, according to.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Witnesses, your resident, your tenant, would take pictures of the
little girl like lying there all bruised and send them
to people.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
And as he continued to.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Send them to people, mister Horton, every time there would
be more bruises, and she would look worse and worse
and worse, and nobody kid believe this thing.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
I can't believe this man, I can't believe. And I
heard he sent pictures to the mother too. No. Yeah,
so I had the police detectives greet his mother when
they when she came out there, she thought she was
getting the bird, but she got to talk to them,
and that's when she found out about the murder and
everything else. She didn't even know about it, you know,
until then when she drove out there.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Well, wait a minute, she got the pictures of the
little girl naked, beat up in the corner, and she
didn't know anything was going on.
Speaker 5 (20:51):
That's what I was told, was on the news yesterday.
I'm not sure, you know.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Well, somebody lied to you, man, they did. Well, yeah,
she's getting pictures of the little girl. Miranda just turned sixteen.
We're showing pictures of her as a little girl right now,
curled up in a ball in the fetal position.
Speaker 8 (21:08):
Of the corner.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
Picture after picture after picture, and every time there'll be
more bruises.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
And more beatings on the girl, and so she cannot
with a straight face state, Hey, I didn't know anything.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Where's my parent?
Speaker 5 (21:21):
Wow? Unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
You know what, I.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Bet a jury's gonna believe it and remind her everyone
all of this bunch of people innocent in the eyes
of Lady Justice until proven guilty in the court of law.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Dave Horton, I bet you've got.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Some stories to tell, crime stories with Nancy Great joining us.
Dave Horton a landlord at defendant's home he shared with
two other women who, by their own words, were there
(22:04):
and watched one of them allegedly participating in the brutal,
brutal torture of a little girl ultimately murdered. Mister Horton,
you better get that place in spick and span perfect condition,
because I predict a.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Jury is going to want to see the same. Thank you, sir, okay.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
Details emerge on sixteen year old Miranda Course has death.
Documents reveal accused murderers eight popeyes and play mini golf
after torturing and holding Miranda captive for a week.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
Popeyes, put putt, and a chainsaw. You know when I graduated, Laura,
you from law school. I never thought that I.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Put those three ideas in one sentence, much less a.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Pool ball.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
To Sonoda joining me, child of sex Abes, grooming expert,
social worker, author of Duck Duck Groom.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
The backdrop of.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
What we're talking about right now is that the grandma
was so happy that Miranda was going to have a
Valentine's date right.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
With gris.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
A devil from hell.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
What's your message?
Speaker 9 (23:32):
I want every parent listening to know that children are
actually following our lead. They're using dating apps. The average
thirteen to seventeen year old, eleven percent of those kids
in that age group are on dating apps. We're talking Tenderokcupid, Match,
dot Com, Bumble, and we have to throw in Instagram
(23:54):
because children are using Instagram as a dating tool. And
every parent it is pay attention to all online activity,
discuss the risk factors of meeting people online.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
And we need.
Speaker 9 (24:08):
Better more robust age verifications. Just like miners are misrepresenting ourselves,
so are adults.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
You really think a minor a child is what do
you mean by more.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
Robust age of verifications?
Speaker 2 (24:27):
If they want to get on tender or Grinder, they're
going to do you really think a child that wants
to get out a dating app is going to go
better not lie beyter, not check that box. Of course,
they're going to check the box that they're twenty one
or older.
Speaker 9 (24:41):
You're absolutely right, Nancy. What we've done is we've modeled
to children that it's perfectly acceptable to use dating apps
to meet people, and as a result, the world is
open to them. Predators know this, and they are the
ones who are winning. They have a direct path to
access miners. Children who are vulnerable, children who want affection,
(25:03):
want attention, are seeking love. This poor young child.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Well, hold on, you know, I agree with everything you're saying, Anna, Sonoda,
except I don't know that there's so much seeking love
as an adult would describe it. But I think they're
seeking acceptance that they may not be getting at school
or in their world. And they're seeking friends. I mean,
(25:28):
look at Miranda. She was fifteen at the get go,
this little girl right there with her little critter. Both
parents die suddenly, she's now living with Grandma. She wants
that dream she sees on TV with the boyfriend taking
(25:48):
her out and having fun going places. This is what
she got, Anna, She got one of these crammed into
her mouth in our head wrapped in cell aphane, which
I'm about to get to. So I don't know if
more robust age verifications are going to help anything. I
think it's more on the parents to stop it.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
But this grandma, I mean, what did she know? She
probably doesn't even know what Google is. For Pete's sake,
I want to go quickly to Dan Sullivan.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
Dan, we're learning so much from the documents. As a
matter of fact, listen.
Speaker 8 (26:24):
Court documents show that at least six people knew Stephen
Gress and Michelle Brandis were holding sixteen year old Miranda
Corsette against her will and beating her. Gres allegedly sent
photos of Miranda covered in bruises to three people, including
his mother. Gres's mom denies viewing the photos, but amidst.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
The police that her son tried to.
Speaker 8 (26:43):
Tell her about Miranda, she shut down the conversation, telling
her son that she didn't want to know. At least
two neighbors also saw Miranda in distress at the home,
and finally, a woman living with Gress and Brandas stood
witness to a week of torture, Miranda's murder, and the
cleanup isn't it.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
True based on the documents that you obtained Tampa Bay
Times that after the child was murdered transported in the trunk,
we see them all packing the car like they're going
on for a weekend in the country.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
They go where Dan Sullivan.
Speaker 4 (27:20):
Well, according to what's in the search Warren Fi David,
they went Putt Putt golfing and to Pope Is to
eat fried chicken. The affidavit states that I guess they
went there because it was Brandis's birthday that day.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
But then whoa, whoa, whoa whoa wait wait repeat they said.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
The affidavit states that it was Brandis's birthday, so they
went to eat fried chicken at Papa's and Putt putt golfing.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Joining me right now is Paul Duffy, senior consultant with
Group nine Security Consulting and Training, former Deputy inspector.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
With the US Marshall Service.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
You can find him a Group nine dot US. Paul,
thank you for being with us. A quick question regarding
the evidence in his case. The photos are going to
be damning. They're going to have to be obtained off
of cell phones or from the cloud. But Dan Sullivan
(28:18):
has just described these ghules from Hell.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
Taking the little girl.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
And Dan, did they go out for Popeyes and put
Putt before or after the dismemberment of this child?
Speaker 4 (28:33):
Yeah, the way the after David has written it sounds
like it was after they had dismembered the girl's remains
that they went golfing and to.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Popeyes, Okay, Paul Duffy Popeyes, and I believe it was
Congo River, Correct.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Me if I'm wrong, anybody on the panel.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Congo River, put Putt, pop Peyes and put Putt is
going to be a treasure trove of evidence because it's
my belief that they go they dismember the body in
Brandis's mother's house, and the mother.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
And the granny nanny are in there and.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
They can hear a chainsaw outside. What do they think
is happening?
Speaker 1 (29:15):
Human tissue and blood is.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
Found on the side of Michelle Brandis's codefendant mother's house.
They didn't even take a garden hose to like clean
off the site. They just left the little girl's blood
on the side of the house. But after they dismember her,
(29:40):
and correct me again if I'm wrong, Dan Sullivon, they
put her dismembered remains back in the car, and to
celebrate Brandis's birthday, he wanted to make her feel special.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
They go to putt putt and pop pies. Now, Paul,
this is what I would like to show a jury.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
I would like to show video surveillance of these devils
from hell playing put putt?
Speaker 1 (30:13):
How many rounds did they play? Did they keep score.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
Or they're like whow I got a hole in one?
And then I'd like to find out from the drive
through or did they eat inside. I'd like to see
the video of them eating a fried chicken while this
girl chopped up is in the car. What do they
talk about at lunch? Did they talk about where we're
(30:38):
going to dump the body? I just I want to
see the video.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
What about it? Paul Duffy, That.
Speaker 10 (30:46):
Video would be compelling in court, Nancy. It would paint
a picture that they were remorseless and depraved and add
to the indications that this is perhaps not Steve's first.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
Rodeo speaking the evidence, speaking of that video, I pray
to heaven, Paul Duffy, and I learned this the hard
way in the Chandra Levy case where Chandra Levy, you
remember the DC intern that was murdered.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
The high rise where she lived.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
In DC would restart and tape over surveillance video like
every seventy two hours. And I could have learned a
lot if I had known when she left her apartment
for the last time.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Was she dressed up to go out?
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Was she she was going jogging? Was she with anybody?
Could I see her go out and get in a cab?
And I can find that cab and I can find
where she went from that cab driver.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
You know, every cab is identified with a number.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
But no, they reacted it every seventy two hours, so
all that evidence was lost. I pray to Heaven that
Popeye's and Congo River put put doesn't do the same thing.
Is there any chance they would store that in the
cloud even if they you know, tape over.
Speaker 10 (32:04):
All, security systems aren't equal, Nancy. It all depends on
what the business invested in their security system.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
Crime stories with Nancy Grace, you know, Paul Duffy.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
You and I can explore the ins and outs the
intricacies of saving digital data on the cell phones, the
nav system in the car. And I think there was
one toll roads. Florida is full of toll roads. Where
I'll get video of them just driving happily along, going
on their merry way with the child's dead body in
(32:46):
the trunk.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
I want it all.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
I want licensed grabbers showing their route to Brandi's mother's house.
I want to find out if there's video surveillance video
at the mother's house. Is their stop like cam? Is
there anything that I could show this jury to corroborate testimony.
I want all that digital data.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
Every bit of it.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
But what is very powerful is the ring camera from
the upstairs residence home.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
And I would have this neighbor on.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
The hot seat explaining to her what accessory after the
fact means.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
And this is why listen.
Speaker 8 (33:39):
The neighbor says Miranda stayed at the home for several
days with no issues until Gres woke up to find
he's missing a ring given to him by a friend.
She says, Gress accused Miranda of stealing it and flew
into a rage when she only trembled in fear at
his accusation. After two days of brutal beatings, Branda sneakily
shows her roommate that she has the ring it from Gres.
(34:01):
The woman believes Branda's took the ring to provoke Gres
into hurting Miranda.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
Okay, so the female roommate turned murder code defendant Brandis
Michelle Brandis had the ring all along. Okay to Dan Sullivan,
isn't it true, Dan joining us from Tampa Bay Times,
who's cracked this case wide open? Isn't it true that
Gres says it was Brandis after he shoved the pool
(34:26):
ball in the little girl's mouth as she's tied up naked.
I guess on a chair that Brandis wrapped her head
as saran wrap, and he said.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
Don't come, hey, don't cover her nose.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
But she did cover her nose, and that Gres says
he rushed over and punch holes in it so.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
She could breathe, but she was already dead. Isn't that
in the affidavit?
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (34:49):
I believe. According to the other witness, she said that
Brandis actually put the poolball in Miranda's mouth.
Speaker 8 (35:01):
And then.
Speaker 4 (35:03):
Was wrapping her head in saran wrap, and there was
some discussion about you know, uh, Gress saying that he
wanted to put holes or not to cover her nose,
and wanted to put holes in the in the wrap
so she could breathe, but couldn't get to her quick enough.
(35:25):
You know it's there. There was there was something.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
So let me understand something. Angel Lewis joining me, veteran
trial lawyer, a partner at Sirce Law firm, Palm Beach,
former felony prosecutor, Andrea, You're not a prosecutor anymore. You're
on the other side. So let me understand. Is gress
gonna somehow? They're all doing this. They're all pointing the
(35:49):
finger at each other, and we've got more video to
show you of that. But Angela Lewis, I see Grass
swooping in with a she done it? And I tried
to say, hey, I tried to punch holes in the
saran wrap.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
Why did you let seran rap get wrapped around her
head to start with?
Speaker 2 (36:06):
So? What is he going to try to blame Brandis?
And Brandis is going to blame him in the roommate's like,
I had nothing to do.
Speaker 1 (36:11):
With this, Nancy.
Speaker 11 (36:13):
I am sure that that's what they're going to try
to do. But here's the problem with that. Right, we
have this man that went online and actually found this child,
enticed her into coming over to his home for we
know what he had nefarious motives. We know that they
were sexually motivated. He's the one who brought her over there.
(36:33):
This is his house of horrors that we know that
there were crimes being committed inside there. This man is
evil at his core, and it's going to be very difficult,
if not impossible, for him to direct all of the
guilt here onto his co defendant. Now, he is not
(36:54):
going to be able to escape unfazed here in my opinion.
Speaker 1 (36:58):
So, Andrea, what would the defense be, Well, the.
Speaker 11 (37:03):
Defense in this case has got to be it wasn't me,
it was my co defendant, it was somebody else. And
I think what they're going to try to do here
is that when we know that the death penalty is
going to be on the table, as it should be.
So I think, what, given all of the evidence in
this case and the video, it's going to be overwhelming.
(37:26):
Their best vet is going to try to be just
to flee this case out to something less.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
Okay, Yeah, Well, if the DP is on the table,
I don't see a plea happening. And in addition, I
imagine either the first or the last witness. If I
was trying the case, it would probably be the first witness,
although that would be going out of chronological order which a.
Speaker 1 (37:52):
Jury really likes. Doctor Kendall Crowns.
Speaker 2 (37:55):
I think the jury needs to know at the get
go the COD cause of death of this little girl.
Doctor Kendall Crowns is a renowned medical examiner joining us
out of Terrent County, that's Fort Worth, Texas. He is
launching a new podcast in a week April at fourteen
Mayhem and the Morary is an esteemed lecturer at Burnett'
(38:17):
School of Medicine at TCU.
Speaker 1 (38:20):
Doctor Kendall Crowns, what would.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
Be after all of this? What would be the cood?
Could it be the beatings? Is their internal bleeding and
she bled out on the inside. Did she die of
asphyxiation when.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
The poolball gag in her mouth?
Speaker 2 (38:38):
Or was it the saran wrapped taken right out of
the kitchen drawer and wrapped around this child's head? Well,
how do I determine with all of that happening to
this little girl, Miranda, what is the COD plus she
was dismembered. We don't have a body, but in your expertise, doctor.
Speaker 1 (38:59):
Crown what would be the CD.
Speaker 12 (39:02):
Based on all the information we have that she's beaten,
she's gagged, saran wrap put around her face. To me,
it would be more likely than not a suffocation with
the gag being put in her mouth, when the saran
wrap covering her head, she wouldn't be able to get
oxygen in and she would basically suffocate from lack of oxygen.
That was the beatings bad enough. You have a progression
(39:24):
of the beatings seen in the pictures of her having
multiple bruises over time, So I don't think the beatings
were actually bad enough to have killed her. I think
that was more of a torture method, and their final
thing that killed her was actually shoving the pool ball
in her mouth and putting seran wrap over her head.
So I feel cause of death would be asphyxiation or
suffocation manner of death homicide.
Speaker 1 (39:46):
Yes, Sullivan, it's a no body case. We don't have
a body.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
The body's very likely been incinerated, so that's a problem.
But I don't believe the definite shaded gold star or
an A plus because they managed to get rid of
the body. What do you foresee happening? Do you believe
the six ghules that knew this child was being tortured
(40:12):
and killed and sat by and they actually heard the
chainsaw outside as his child was being dismembered and.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
Nobody did a thing. Nothing.
Speaker 2 (40:25):
Do you expect charges of accessory after the fact.
Speaker 4 (40:29):
It's hard for me to answer that, not being a lawyer.
I think there is a possibility, and our local state
attorney has said that, you know, they're looking at, you know,
whether anybody else could face charges. But again, you know,
it's also possible that they will need these people as witnesses,
so that could influence, you know, any decision about other charges.
(40:53):
It's also unclear, you know, at least with the upstairs neighbor,
the one who had the surveillance video, if she.
Speaker 8 (41:04):
Was aware of what was going on.
Speaker 4 (41:05):
It doesn't seem like she was, but it definitely seems
like there were other people who were aware that Miranda
was in.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
Trouble, right, I agree the upstairs neighbor was very, very
cooperative and very distraught when we spoke to her and
she gave us all of that video. We wait as
justice unfolds, and now we remember an American hero, Special
Agent Derek Bear, USPS Office Inspectory General, killed in the
line of duty.
Speaker 1 (41:33):
A US Coast Guard vet.
Speaker 2 (41:35):
Served Ellie law enforcement fifteen years, leaving behind a wife
turned widow Lenica, children Alexander, Evelina and Vivian American hero
special agent Derek Bear. Nancy Gray signing off Goodbye friend,
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
A beautiful young teen girl, Miranda just turn sixteen. We
now know from search warrant affidavits and returns, this little
girl actually dies gagging on a pool, bawl forced into
her mouth, her head wrapped mummy style with kitchen saran wrap.
(00:33):
And then after this child's body is dismembered, the purpse
leaving blood and human tissue up on.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
The side of a house.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
They didn't even take a water hose Forte's sake to
clean off this child's blood. These two go out to
celebrate with Popeyes and Putt Putt after dismembering her with
a chainsaw. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. Thank
(01:08):
you for being with us.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Records reveal gruesome new details about the sixteen year old
Florida teen's murder. Defendants allegedly ate Popeyes and played Midi
golf before incinerating Miranda Corset's body.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
It all starts here when last week we obtained exclusive
video of the co defendants. Here he is Gress, we believe,
taking the teen girl's body out to his vehicle, just
sauntering along without a care in the world, not worried
(01:45):
if he would.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Be seen nothing. He tucks the body into his.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Vehicle, checks everything is just right, nothing hanging out, slams
the trunk with the child's body in the car, and
saunters back in.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Little did he know that he upstairs.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Residence this is a duplex, had her ring camera going
the entire time, and we got it. It's all caught
on video. This and more. He's not even worried this,
as we learn, he and builds the bub the minion
(02:37):
from Hell. Satan's assistant forced a pool ball into this
child's mouth, then wrapped her head mummy style and Sarahan
rap until she.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Died. In the last hours.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
We obtain more video and we enhance it NASA style
to determine what exactly was being said at one juncture.
I want you to see the video that we have enhanced.
A neighbor comes from across the street and we hear
(03:17):
her say the words.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
We hear Gress stating about the little girl. Quote this punch.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Stole my ring right here, the ate all the food
in the kitchen. He's talking about a little girl. The
neighbor says, the girl in the corner, h yeah, what
other girl, and the Gress says yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
He says she says that's her body.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Yeah, neighbor says, damn, listen, what is.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
With these people?
Speaker 2 (04:02):
I'm going to leave that to a jury. Thank goodness,
I got a shrink. But the shrink is joining us
at about one minute. But first I want to go
to Dan Sullivan joining us, writer for Tampa Bay Times
at Tampa Bay dot com who obtained a lot of
this affidavit and search warrant material.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Dan Sullivan, did you just see the video? The neighbor just.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Saunters over and goes that's her body, and Gress says yeah,
And all she says.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Is damn, what is wrong with this woman?
Speaker 4 (04:36):
I can answer that I know that what the police
put in the search warrant was that at least that
neighbor and at least a few other people were aware
that this girl was with him during this week. You know,
it's not clear.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Dan Sullivan, guys renowned writer for the Tampa Bay Times,
states that his examination of court documents we have just
obtained they got it revealed that at least six people
knew the girl was in his words with Gress. Isn't
it true, Dan Sullivan that based on these court documents,
(05:19):
an affidavit a sworn affidavit of what the officer, the
detective learned.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
She wasn't just with him for an outing in the park.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
She was being beaten, lying naked in a corner, begging
for help, and everybody knew it.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
All of these people knew it.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
And in my mind, are complicit complicit with it. I mean,
this neighbor sees her naked in the corner.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Dan Well, I.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
Think it seems, based on what's in the affidavit, that
people didn't know what was going on. It's not clear
if every one of them knew the extent of what
was going on, but it seems I mean, there were
a few people who received photographs that showed her in
(06:10):
worsening physical condition throughout the week.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
And you mean she's getting beaten more and more and
more lying there naked in the fetal position in the corner.
I'd say that is worsening condition.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Yeah, it is, you know, according to what's in the
search warrant that they did receive photos of what was
going on. Like I say, though, I mean, it's not
clear if everyone that saw her knew the extent of
what she was going through, but some of them, you know,
it seems had reason to believe that there was something
(06:44):
you know, very wrong happening.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Yeah, something called child abuse, child rape, and murder.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Well, you're right, it is murky.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
And you know right now what I'm trying to figure out,
Dan Sullivan, I'm trying to figure out the appropriate charges for.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
These six ghules.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Because right now they're not charged. But believe you me, Dan,
there is a way. There is a way. I mean,
when you get sent pictures this technical legal phrase, a
hole sent pictures.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Of the little girl, a little girl.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Dan, did you know my twins just turned seventeen. My
daughter weighs about ninety pounds. She's nothing but lip gloss
and eyelashes. This girl's sixteen, sixteen, Dan, and beaten to
a pulp and these people send photos. The man gress
(07:49):
sends photos of the little girl to various people lying there,
beaten and naked into corner.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Did you just say, Dan, that the photos got worse.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
The photos show her in increasingly worse physical condition, and
he kept photoing her and sending them from his phone.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Yeah, that is that is what the police wrote in
the search warrant, that you know the photos showed her
an increasingly worse physical condition. As far as whether you know,
anyone else might be charged.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
Our local state attorney here, Bruce Bartlett, said that they
are that that's a possibility and that they're looking at that.
I don't know if you know they might need any
of these people to testify as witnesses and what factor
that might play in.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Absolutely, you're right, man, you're thinking ahead.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
You're like five steps ahead of most people, maybe ten,
because these six people. You know, I'm not a batting
person because I've got children put through college. I don't
want to waste my money on the slot. But if
I were a betting person, I would bet that these
six people are either going to be states witnesses or
(09:08):
co defendants.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Mark my words. They can all be.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Thrown in the same pot to stew as far as
I'm concerned. Again, they're all presumed innocent, Dan.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Isn't it true?
Speaker 2 (09:18):
The affidavit reveals that the defendants quote searched the girl's
body cavities that means her vagina, her anus, her mouth
for a stolen ring that really hadn't been stolen at all.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Isn't that true? They did this to this little girl.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
Yeah, there is one part of the affidavit that describes that,
and it does seem, based on what's in the affidavit,
that mister Gress apparently felt very strongly about this ring
and believed that Miranda had taken it, done something with it,
really wanted to find it. There was some information.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
From really wanted to find it up her anus.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
That's according to the affidavit. That is what you know,
he's let to have done. There was some information from
one of the other people involved that you know, they
believed that he you know, that Miranda had nothing to
do with this ring, and that it was actually the
(10:28):
co defendant, Missus Brandis.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Brandis ring all along.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Isn't it true that Brandish that the ring was quote
found suddenly in Gress's car and Brandis insinuated intimated to
the third roommate that she had taken it so Griss
would get angry at the little girl and get rid
of her.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Yeah, there was there was something to that effect in
the search war. And this was after the the girl
had you know, that they had disposed of her body.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
You know what, We're spending a lot of time talking
about the ring, and frankly, Dan Sullivan, I don't give
a flying fig about the ring.
Speaker 1 (11:08):
That was just a pretext to beat this child.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
We're now learning from the affidavit that you obtained that
Gress has a history of targeting let me just say,
troubled women and girls. We know that Miranda had lost
both of her parents suddenly it's a little girl loft
(11:31):
boast of her parents at a young age and moved
in with grandma. And Grandma was so happy that Miranda
had a Valentine date date.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
That date.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Is with her alleged killer, Gress, who lured her online.
Speaking of the ring, that was a pretext for abuse,
torture and murder her. Listen to what the neighbor who
saunters over and sees the.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
Girl and does nothing.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
We have managed to enhance the video from the upstair
residence ring cam, and.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
I want you to hear what she says.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Now remember her last words you heard were that's her body, damn.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Listen to this.
Speaker 5 (12:24):
Why you get out of figure out right?
Speaker 1 (12:37):
The neighbor sees what's happening. The neighbor sees the little
girl balled.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Up in a corner crying, and you hear Gress say
she stole my ring and neighbor, how the hell are
you going to get her out of here?
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Gress.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Well, that's what I'm trying to figure out right now.
And the neighbor says, don't kill her. I don't want
to see the police up here. So she doesn't want
them to kill the little girl because she doesn't want
the police around. Wonder why I think I know the affidavit,
does it not? Dan Sullivan refer to the neighbor as
(13:13):
having sold pot to Gress in the past.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
That's correct.
Speaker 4 (13:17):
There is a portion of the affidavit where I believe
that it says that I guess she came over to
exchange in a drug transaction with him.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
We're not sure that this is the same neighbor, but
we do know that this neighbor that actually talks to
Miranda lying there dying, she does not want the police
quote up in here.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
Then the neighbor says, where you got the ring, honey?
You could have just given it to him. It's not
over yet.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
There is more from the neighbor, and we have been
able to enhance the video and the sound. Just the
nature of this neighbor. She sees the girl lying there naked,
dying and starts quizzing her about a ring.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Listen, I don't want to be an idea.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
Joining me is renowned a psychoanalyst, author of deal Breaker,
and you can see her now on Peacock Doctor Bethany Marshall.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Doctor Bethany, what is wrong with this woman? She just
says to Gress, Okay, don't kill nobody. You're Michelle. I
don't want to see the police. Iye been here.
Speaker 6 (14:36):
That's just so casual, Nancy, this is so painful to hear. Actually,
she says, is that the body? She doesn't say, is
that Miranda? Or is that the little girl or teenager?
Why isn't she in school already? She's dehumanized and dead
in the neighbor's mind. And in terms of this allegend crime,
what perpetrators do is they create something called institutional psychopathology
(14:58):
where they gravitate towards one person who has a corruption
of conscience, and that person gravitates towards another, and all
of a sudden they become a little group that has
criminality in common, like a criminal morning coffee clutch. We
see this with child molesters, Nancy. I mean, they gravitate
towards each other. Online they pass pictures around, and this is.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
What Bethany Gress. Bethany, Bethany too many words.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Boil it down, give me the concentrate, hit me.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Birds of a feather flock together. Joining us now is
a special guest.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
It's Dave Horton, the landlord at the Gress home now
believe to be murder scene.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Mister Wharton, thank you for being with us. Oh, no problem,
mister Horton.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
On the outside, your place looks, you know, perfect well,
thank you, well manicured, painted the works. But on the
inside it turns into a house of horrors for this
little sixteen year old girl. Now, you just evicted Gress
in the last hours. Explain to me what you discovered
(16:10):
inside the murder scene.
Speaker 5 (16:13):
Oh, I couldn't believe it. You know, the place was
we had the inside fixed up just as nice. I
spent a lot of time.
Speaker 7 (16:20):
And money over there, and it was just unbelievable.
Speaker 5 (16:25):
The kitchen, the damage that was in the kitchen.
Speaker 7 (16:27):
And her bedroom. You know, I had to evict.
Speaker 5 (16:32):
Them because there was rabbit feces everywhere in her room,
all over the place. And we cleaned that up, you know, yesterday,
And we really got into a corner there and opened
up a box and we've seen a bunch of broken
crystal meth pipes, a bunch of lighters and the little
bag of Mathway threw that in the bottom of the garbage,
(16:55):
took it out in the garbage man took that away yesterday.
Speaker 7 (16:58):
It was just unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
You know, you evicted the residence.
Speaker 5 (17:04):
Why the eviction was due to non payment of rent.
We wanted to get him out of there. And you know, honestly,
I started to evict him several years ago on a
termination when he shot the window out of my kitchen
with the BB gun. He had a baby hole in there,
and I says, look, we don't put up with this
kind of stuff around here, you know. And I spent
three hundred dollars with a lawyer and they went out
(17:25):
and served him, and you know, he ended up showing
up at my house. And I don't know now if
it was he was threatening me or if he was
just trying to plead, like you know, he would put
on the nice guy face, you know, and oh, I'll
do anything. Oh my god, I'm so sorry I did that,
and I'll behave it will never happen again. Well it happen.
You know what happened again?
Speaker 2 (17:46):
You know, you know Dave Horton, he just says something
I find very very probative because many people, and myself included,
wonder what attracted these women to this, oh perve because
he could put on, as you said, the nice guy face.
Speaker 5 (18:04):
Yes he could, and I think he did that with
the police too. You know, they came out, oh no need,
no need to go inside the apartment. That was the
friday before.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
When you went in the home to clean it out
for the eviction, did you see any evidence that a
teen girl had been held hostage there and murdered, only
later to be dismembered.
Speaker 5 (18:27):
No, there was no evidence whatsoever there really, you know,
the place was just a complete just like a bomb
went off in there. You know, you didn't know what happened.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
You know, we say it looks like a bomb went off.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
Are you referring to the fingerprint dust, the fingerprint powder
all over the walls or something else.
Speaker 5 (18:47):
They went in there on the Friday after. I just
I almost gave up on the place because the police
was out there on a Friday and they wouldn't do anything.
And Gypsy says, well, they came out and they didn't
go inside. Well, obviously she heard something in there. That's
why she called the police.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
You know, I understand that the mother came by and
the only thing she cared about was the parent.
Speaker 5 (19:08):
Yeah now, And I ended up ringing to him. Was
through a friend of mine, and he had called me
originally years ago and said, oh, you know, he knew
Steve's mother and apparently he kind of helps Steve's mother.
He likes Steve's mom and they hang out whatever. And
he had called me and he says, Dave, is the
(19:30):
parrot still over there at the house? And I knew
it was at the animal control And I says, no, no,
it's still there at the house, and she goes through.
It was a three thousand dollars parrot. I'm thinking I've
got about five six thousand dollars in damages. We got
a dead sixteen year old girl, and all you're worried
about is the damn bird the mother. So when the
mother came.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Out, brother preach it. She's all upset about the bird
and the girl. I know, torture.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
I know, a.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
Day and a heap in the corner, naked bruised.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
Did you know that, according to.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Witnesses, your resident, your tenant, would take pictures of the
little girl like lying there all bruised and send them
to people.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
And as he continued to.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
Send them to people, mister Horton, every time there would
be more bruises, and she would look worse and worse
and worse, and nobody kid believe this thing.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
I can't believe this man, I can't believe. And I
heard he sent pictures to the mother too. No. Yeah,
so I had the police detectives greet his mother when
they when she came out there, she thought she was
getting the bird, but she got to talk to them,
and that's when she found out about the murder and
everything else. She didn't even know about it, you know,
until then when she drove out there.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Well, wait a minute, she got the pictures of the
little girl naked, beat up in the corner, and she
didn't know anything was going on.
Speaker 5 (20:51):
That's what I was told, was on the news yesterday.
I'm not sure, you know.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Well, somebody lied to you, man, they did. Well, yeah,
she's getting pictures of the little girl. Miranda just turned sixteen.
We're showing pictures of her as a little girl right now,
curled up in a ball in the fetal position.
Speaker 8 (21:08):
Of the corner.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
Picture after picture after picture, and every time there'll be
more bruises.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
And more beatings on the girl, and so she cannot
with a straight face state, Hey, I didn't know anything.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Where's my parent?
Speaker 5 (21:21):
Wow? Unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
You know what, I.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
Bet a jury's gonna believe it and remind her everyone
all of this bunch of people innocent in the eyes
of Lady Justice until proven guilty in the court of law.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Dave Horton, I bet you've got.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Some stories to tell, crime stories with Nancy Great joining us.
Dave Horton a landlord at defendant's home he shared with
two other women who, by their own words, were there
(22:04):
and watched one of them allegedly participating in the brutal,
brutal torture of a little girl ultimately murdered. Mister Horton,
you better get that place in spick and span perfect condition,
because I predict a.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Jury is going to want to see the same. Thank you, sir, okay.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
Details emerge on sixteen year old Miranda Course has death.
Documents reveal accused murderers eight popeyes and play mini golf
after torturing and holding Miranda captive for a week.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
Popeyes, put putt, and a chainsaw. You know when I graduated, Laura,
you from law school. I never thought that I.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Put those three ideas in one sentence, much less a.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Pool ball.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
To Sonoda joining me, child of sex Abes, grooming expert,
social worker, author of Duck Duck Groom.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
The backdrop of.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
What we're talking about right now is that the grandma
was so happy that Miranda was going to have a
Valentine's date right.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
With gris.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
A devil from hell.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
What's your message?
Speaker 9 (23:32):
I want every parent listening to know that children are
actually following our lead. They're using dating apps. The average
thirteen to seventeen year old, eleven percent of those kids
in that age group are on dating apps. We're talking Tenderokcupid, Match,
dot Com, Bumble, and we have to throw in Instagram
(23:54):
because children are using Instagram as a dating tool. And
every parent it is pay attention to all online activity,
discuss the risk factors of meeting people online.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
And we need.
Speaker 9 (24:08):
Better more robust age verifications. Just like miners are misrepresenting ourselves,
so are adults.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
You really think a minor a child is what do
you mean by more.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
Robust age of verifications?
Speaker 2 (24:27):
If they want to get on tender or Grinder, they're
going to do you really think a child that wants
to get out a dating app is going to go
better not lie beyter, not check that box. Of course,
they're going to check the box that they're twenty one
or older.
Speaker 9 (24:41):
You're absolutely right, Nancy. What we've done is we've modeled
to children that it's perfectly acceptable to use dating apps
to meet people, and as a result, the world is
open to them. Predators know this, and they are the
ones who are winning. They have a direct path to
access miners. Children who are vulnerable, children who want affection,
(25:03):
want attention, are seeking love. This poor young child.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Well, hold on, you know, I agree with everything you're saying, Anna, Sonoda,
except I don't know that there's so much seeking love
as an adult would describe it. But I think they're
seeking acceptance that they may not be getting at school
or in their world. And they're seeking friends. I mean,
(25:28):
look at Miranda. She was fifteen at the get go,
this little girl right there with her little critter. Both
parents die suddenly, she's now living with Grandma. She wants
that dream she sees on TV with the boyfriend taking
(25:48):
her out and having fun going places. This is what
she got, Anna, She got one of these crammed into
her mouth in our head wrapped in cell aphane, which
I'm about to get to. So I don't know if
more robust age verifications are going to help anything. I
think it's more on the parents to stop it.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
But this grandma, I mean, what did she know? She
probably doesn't even know what Google is. For Pete's sake,
I want to go quickly to Dan Sullivan.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
Dan, we're learning so much from the documents. As a
matter of fact, listen.
Speaker 8 (26:24):
Court documents show that at least six people knew Stephen
Gress and Michelle Brandis were holding sixteen year old Miranda
Corsette against her will and beating her. Gres allegedly sent
photos of Miranda covered in bruises to three people, including
his mother. Gres's mom denies viewing the photos, but amidst.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
The police that her son tried to.
Speaker 8 (26:43):
Tell her about Miranda, she shut down the conversation, telling
her son that she didn't want to know. At least
two neighbors also saw Miranda in distress at the home,
and finally, a woman living with Gress and Brandas stood
witness to a week of torture, Miranda's murder, and the
cleanup isn't it.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
True based on the documents that you obtained Tampa Bay
Times that after the child was murdered transported in the trunk,
we see them all packing the car like they're going
on for a weekend in the country.
Speaker 1 (27:17):
They go where Dan Sullivan.
Speaker 4 (27:20):
Well, according to what's in the search Warren Fi David,
they went Putt Putt golfing and to Pope Is to
eat fried chicken. The affidavit states that I guess they
went there because it was Brandis's birthday that day.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
But then whoa, whoa, whoa whoa wait wait repeat they said.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
The affidavit states that it was Brandis's birthday, so they
went to eat fried chicken at Papa's and Putt putt golfing.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Joining me right now is Paul Duffy, senior consultant with
Group nine Security Consulting and Training, former Deputy inspector.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
With the US Marshall Service.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
You can find him a Group nine dot US. Paul,
thank you for being with us. A quick question regarding
the evidence in his case. The photos are going to
be damning. They're going to have to be obtained off
of cell phones or from the cloud. But Dan Sullivan
(28:18):
has just described these ghules from Hell.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
Taking the little girl.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
And Dan, did they go out for Popeyes and put
Putt before or after the dismemberment of this child?
Speaker 4 (28:33):
Yeah, the way the after David has written it sounds
like it was after they had dismembered the girl's remains
that they went golfing and to.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Popeyes, Okay, Paul Duffy Popeyes, and I believe it was
Congo River, Correct.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Me if I'm wrong, anybody on the panel.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Congo River, put Putt, pop Peyes and put Putt is
going to be a treasure trove of evidence because it's
my belief that they go they dismember the body in
Brandis's mother's house, and the mother.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
And the granny nanny are in there and.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
They can hear a chainsaw outside. What do they think
is happening?
Speaker 1 (29:15):
Human tissue and blood is.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
Found on the side of Michelle Brandis's codefendant mother's house.
They didn't even take a garden hose to like clean
off the site. They just left the little girl's blood
on the side of the house. But after they dismember her,
(29:40):
and correct me again if I'm wrong, Dan Sullivon, they
put her dismembered remains back in the car, and to
celebrate Brandis's birthday, he wanted to make her feel special.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
They go to putt putt and pop pies. Now, Paul,
this is what I would like to show a jury.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
I would like to show video surveillance of these devils
from hell playing put putt?
Speaker 1 (30:13):
How many rounds did they play? Did they keep score.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
Or they're like whow I got a hole in one?
And then I'd like to find out from the drive
through or did they eat inside. I'd like to see
the video of them eating a fried chicken while this
girl chopped up is in the car. What do they
talk about at lunch? Did they talk about where we're
(30:38):
going to dump the body? I just I want to
see the video.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
What about it? Paul Duffy, That.
Speaker 10 (30:46):
Video would be compelling in court, Nancy. It would paint
a picture that they were remorseless and depraved and add
to the indications that this is perhaps not Steve's first.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
Rodeo speaking the evidence, speaking of that video, I pray
to heaven, Paul Duffy, and I learned this the hard
way in the Chandra Levy case where Chandra Levy, you
remember the DC intern that was murdered.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
The high rise where she lived.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
In DC would restart and tape over surveillance video like
every seventy two hours. And I could have learned a
lot if I had known when she left her apartment
for the last time.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Was she dressed up to go out?
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Was she she was going jogging? Was she with anybody?
Could I see her go out and get in a cab?
And I can find that cab and I can find
where she went from that cab driver.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
You know, every cab is identified with a number.
Speaker 2 (31:45):
But no, they reacted it every seventy two hours, so
all that evidence was lost. I pray to Heaven that
Popeye's and Congo River put put doesn't do the same thing.
Is there any chance they would store that in the
cloud even if they you know, tape over.
Speaker 10 (32:04):
All, security systems aren't equal, Nancy. It all depends on
what the business invested in their security system.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
Crime stories with Nancy Grace, you know, Paul Duffy.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
You and I can explore the ins and outs the
intricacies of saving digital data on the cell phones, the
nav system in the car. And I think there was
one toll roads. Florida is full of toll roads. Where
I'll get video of them just driving happily along, going
on their merry way with the child's dead body in
(32:46):
the trunk.
Speaker 1 (32:46):
I want it all.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
I want licensed grabbers showing their route to Brandi's mother's house.
I want to find out if there's video surveillance video
at the mother's house. Is their stop like cam? Is
there anything that I could show this jury to corroborate testimony.
I want all that digital data.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
Every bit of it.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
But what is very powerful is the ring camera from
the upstairs residence home.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
And I would have this neighbor on.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
The hot seat explaining to her what accessory after the
fact means.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
And this is why listen.
Speaker 8 (33:39):
The neighbor says Miranda stayed at the home for several
days with no issues until Gres woke up to find
he's missing a ring given to him by a friend.
She says, Gress accused Miranda of stealing it and flew
into a rage when she only trembled in fear at
his accusation. After two days of brutal beatings, Branda sneakily
shows her roommate that she has the ring it from Gres.
(34:01):
The woman believes Branda's took the ring to provoke Gres
into hurting Miranda.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
Okay, so the female roommate turned murder code defendant Brandis
Michelle Brandis had the ring all along. Okay to Dan Sullivan,
isn't it true, Dan joining us from Tampa Bay Times,
who's cracked this case wide open? Isn't it true that
Gres says it was Brandis after he shoved the pool
(34:26):
ball in the little girl's mouth as she's tied up naked.
I guess on a chair that Brandis wrapped her head
as saran wrap, and he said.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
Don't come, hey, don't cover her nose.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
But she did cover her nose, and that Gres says
he rushed over and punch holes in it so.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
She could breathe, but she was already dead. Isn't that
in the affidavit?
Speaker 2 (34:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (34:49):
I believe. According to the other witness, she said that
Brandis actually put the poolball in Miranda's mouth.
Speaker 8 (35:01):
And then.
Speaker 4 (35:03):
Was wrapping her head in saran wrap, and there was
some discussion about you know, uh, Gress saying that he
wanted to put holes or not to cover her nose,
and wanted to put holes in the in the wrap
so she could breathe, but couldn't get to her quick enough.
(35:25):
You know it's there. There was there was something.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
So let me understand something. Angel Lewis joining me, veteran
trial lawyer, a partner at Sirce Law firm, Palm Beach,
former felony prosecutor, Andrea, You're not a prosecutor anymore. You're
on the other side. So let me understand. Is gress
gonna somehow? They're all doing this. They're all pointing the
(35:49):
finger at each other, and we've got more video to
show you of that. But Angela Lewis, I see Grass
swooping in with a she done it? And I tried
to say, hey, I tried to punch holes in the
saran wrap.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
Why did you let seran rap get wrapped around her
head to start with?
Speaker 2 (36:06):
So? What is he going to try to blame Brandis?
And Brandis is going to blame him in the roommate's like,
I had nothing to do.
Speaker 1 (36:11):
With this, Nancy.
Speaker 11 (36:13):
I am sure that that's what they're going to try
to do. But here's the problem with that. Right, we
have this man that went online and actually found this child,
enticed her into coming over to his home for we
know what he had nefarious motives. We know that they
were sexually motivated. He's the one who brought her over there.
(36:33):
This is his house of horrors that we know that
there were crimes being committed inside there. This man is
evil at his core, and it's going to be very difficult,
if not impossible, for him to direct all of the
guilt here onto his co defendant. Now, he is not
(36:54):
going to be able to escape unfazed here in my opinion.
Speaker 1 (36:58):
So, Andrea, what would the defense be, Well, the.
Speaker 11 (37:03):
Defense in this case has got to be it wasn't me,
it was my co defendant, it was somebody else. And
I think what they're going to try to do here
is that when we know that the death penalty is
going to be on the table, as it should be.
So I think, what, given all of the evidence in
this case and the video, it's going to be overwhelming.
(37:26):
Their best vet is going to try to be just
to flee this case out to something less.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
Okay, Yeah, Well, if the DP is on the table,
I don't see a plea happening. And in addition, I
imagine either the first or the last witness. If I
was trying the case, it would probably be the first witness,
although that would be going out of chronological order which a.
Speaker 1 (37:52):
Jury really likes. Doctor Kendall Crowns.
Speaker 2 (37:55):
I think the jury needs to know at the get
go the COD cause of death of this little girl.
Doctor Kendall Crowns is a renowned medical examiner joining us
out of Terrent County, that's Fort Worth, Texas. He is
launching a new podcast in a week April at fourteen
Mayhem and the Morary is an esteemed lecturer at Burnett'
(38:17):
School of Medicine at TCU.
Speaker 1 (38:20):
Doctor Kendall Crowns, what would.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
Be after all of this? What would be the cood?
Could it be the beatings? Is their internal bleeding and
she bled out on the inside. Did she die of
asphyxiation when.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
The poolball gag in her mouth?
Speaker 2 (38:38):
Or was it the saran wrapped taken right out of
the kitchen drawer and wrapped around this child's head? Well,
how do I determine with all of that happening to
this little girl, Miranda, what is the COD plus she
was dismembered. We don't have a body, but in your expertise, doctor.
Speaker 1 (38:59):
Crown what would be the CD.
Speaker 12 (39:02):
Based on all the information we have that she's beaten,
she's gagged, saran wrap put around her face. To me,
it would be more likely than not a suffocation with
the gag being put in her mouth, when the saran
wrap covering her head, she wouldn't be able to get
oxygen in and she would basically suffocate from lack of oxygen.
That was the beatings bad enough. You have a progression
(39:24):
of the beatings seen in the pictures of her having
multiple bruises over time, So I don't think the beatings
were actually bad enough to have killed her. I think
that was more of a torture method, and their final
thing that killed her was actually shoving the pool ball
in her mouth and putting seran wrap over her head.
So I feel cause of death would be asphyxiation or
suffocation manner of death homicide.
Speaker 1 (39:46):
Yes, Sullivan, it's a no body case. We don't have
a body.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
The body's very likely been incinerated, so that's a problem.
But I don't believe the definite shaded gold star or
an A plus because they managed to get rid of
the body. What do you foresee happening? Do you believe
the six ghules that knew this child was being tortured
(40:12):
and killed and sat by and they actually heard the
chainsaw outside as his child was being dismembered and.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
Nobody did a thing. Nothing.
Speaker 2 (40:25):
Do you expect charges of accessory after the fact.
Speaker 4 (40:29):
It's hard for me to answer that, not being a lawyer.
I think there is a possibility, and our local state
attorney has said that, you know, they're looking at, you know,
whether anybody else could face charges. But again, you know,
it's also possible that they will need these people as witnesses,
so that could influence, you know, any decision about other charges.
(40:53):
It's also unclear, you know, at least with the upstairs neighbor,
the one who had the surveillance video, if she.
Speaker 8 (41:04):
Was aware of what was going on.
Speaker 4 (41:05):
It doesn't seem like she was, but it definitely seems
like there were other people who were aware that Miranda
was in.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
Trouble, right, I agree the upstairs neighbor was very, very
cooperative and very distraught when we spoke to her and
she gave us all of that video. We wait as
justice unfolds, and now we remember an American hero, Special
Agent Derek Bear, USPS Office Inspectory General, killed in the
line of duty.
Speaker 1 (41:33):
A US Coast Guard vet.
Speaker 2 (41:35):
Served Ellie law enforcement fifteen years, leaving behind a wife
turned widow Lenica, children Alexander, Evelina and Vivian American hero
special agent Derek Bear. Nancy Gray signing off Goodbye friend,
Host
Nancy Grace
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.