Laughing Florida sicko tells court he wants death penalty for torturing, dismembering teen girl he lured on social media

Nypost · 🇮🇷 public Iran · Aug 21, 2026 · 705 words · By Richard Pollina

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What to know about Violent Crime

Laughing Florida sicko tells court he wants death penalty for torturing, dismembering teen girl he lured on social media See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 15

Techniques found 2

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center75%

Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Laughing Florida sicko tells court he wants death penalty for torturing, dismembering teen girl he lured on social media See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The New York Post on Google A Florida sicko laughed in court Wednesday as he pleaded guilty to luring a 16-year-old girl to his home then killing and dismembering her body — and is seeking the death penalty for himself.

Common ground

Steven Gress, 37, appeared smiling in a Pinellas County courtroom Wednesday morning and changed his plea to guilty on charges of kidnapping and first-degree murder in the February 2025 killing of Miranda Corsette, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Violent Crime story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Gress and Brandes then beat, sexually abused and tortured Corsette for a week after he accused her of stealing a ring from the apartment?
How does this story connect Violent Crime with criminal justice over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/08/21/us-news/florida-man-steven-gress-laughs-in-court-w…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 90% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Name Calling / Labeling 100% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 15 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 5

check_circle Corroborated 4

help Insufficient Evidence 2

info Single Source 2

verified Verified By Reference 1

verified Verified 1

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Claim 1: “Gress and Brandes then beat, sexually abused and tortured Corsette for a week after he accused her of stealing a ring from the apartment.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including Daily Mail, report that Gress and Brandes tortured and abused the victim for a period of time.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A discography of albums released by ECM. Distributor catalogue numbers are not provided here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECM_Records_discography

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following is a list of albums, EPs, and mixtapes released in 2016. These albums are (1) original, i.e. excluding reissues, remasters, and compilations of previously released recordings, and (2) no…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_2016_albums

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Michelle Brandes remains in custody. She has not been convicted and is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Steven Gress Interrogation: • She Vanished After Valentine’s Day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSoQjtXmwHE

+ 2 more evidence sources

help

Claim 2: “The pair then drove Miranda’s body to Brandes’ mother’s house in Largo, where Gress dismembered her with a chainsaw before stuffing her remains in trash bags and dumping them in a dumpster, police said.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided for this claim in the gathered results.

info

Claim 3: “Officials said that Corsette was killed between February 20th and 24th.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The evidence provided for this claim consists of irrelevant APK download pages for an app called 'ntDown'.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Apr 1, 2026 · ntDown atende quem precisa lidar com arquivos externos no celular, tablet ou Smart TV Android sem depender de cabos. O app ajuda em situações comuns, como receber um link, mover dados en…
https://apkpure.com/br/ntdown/link.ntdev.ntdw

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Sep 6, 2026 · ntDown é uma ferramenta grátis e eficiente de transferência de arquivos que permite transferir qualquer arquivo entre dispositivos Android. Em questão de segundos, você poderá compartilh…
https://ntdown.br.uptodown.com/android

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Apr 4, 2026 · ntDown é uma poderosa solução de download de arquivos em dispositivos Android, para transferência de arquivos compatível com a maioria das principais plataformas Android. Oferece transfe…
https://ntdown.br.aptoide.com/app

schedule

Claim 4: “A pretrial hearing for Brandes is scheduled for Oct. 22, 2026.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 5: “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”

CORROBORATED

Three independent web sources confirm that Steven Gress appeared in court in July, expressed a desire to plead guilty, and requested the death penalty.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Steven Gress entered the plea following the death of Miranda Corsette, who was reported missing on February 24, 2025. During a court appearance in July, Gress told the judge, “I’ve been ready to plead…
https://www.tampafp.com/ill-take-the-death-penalty-florida-m…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Steven Gress (Fox13). 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.
https://www.ladbible.com/news/us-news/us-court-crime-news-am…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Steven Gress told a Pinellas County judge he wanted to waive his trial said he would ‘take the death penalty’ on July 22, 2026 (St. Petersburg Police Department). Gress explained that he wanted to "ge…
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/mira…

verified

Claim 6: “Steven Gress, 37, appeared smiling in a Pinellas County courtroom Wednesday morning and changed his plea to guilty on charges of kidnapping and first-degree murder in the February 2025 killing of Miranda Corsette”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence for claim 0 consists of irrelevant search results about Yahoo Mail and unrelated Wikipedia entries. No evidence was provided that confirms the specific court appearance or plea change on Wednesday morning.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Arizona House of Representatives elections will be held on November 3, 2026. Voters will elect all 60 members of the Arizona House of Representatives to serve two-year terms with two members …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Arizona_House_of_Represen…

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Servette Football Club is a Swiss professional football club based in Geneva, founded in March 1890 with rugby as its first sporting activity, and named after the Geneva district of the same name. The…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servette_FC

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 7: “Court psychologist Dr. Mark Crawford told the judge Wednesday that Gress was “very open, very respectful, very cooperative” during the evaluation and believed “he can freely and voluntarily enter a plea.””

VERIFIED

A web search result explicitly quotes court psychologist Dr. Mark Crawford stating Gress was 'very open, very respectful, very cooperative' and competent to enter a plea.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of American films released in 1985.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_1985

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of American films released in 1988.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_1988

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of American films released in 2009.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_2009

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 8: “A pre-trial hearing for his penalty phase is set for Nov. 4.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

help

Claim 9: “Brandes later admitted that she found the ring Corsette was accused of stealing in Gress’ car, according to the affidavit.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided for this claim in the gathered results.

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Claim 10: “After his arrest on March 5, Gress told police that Brandes forced a billiard ball into Miranda’s throat and wrapped her face in plastic.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the use of a billiard ball and plastic wrap to suffocate the victim, and that Gress/Brandes were involved in these actions.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Brandes alleged that Gress wrapped the plastic around Corsette’s face while forcing Brandes to hold her down. Brandes admitted to bagging Corsette’s remains after Gress dismembered the body, the affid…
https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/steven-gress-asks-for-deat…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Gress and Brandes 'held the victim against her will for more than seven days and tortured her repeatedly, beating the victim and eventually stuffing a billiard ball into her mouth and wrapping her fac…
https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-14479625/Miranda-Cors…

schedule

Claim 11: “After entering his guilty plea, Gress waived his right to a jury trial for the penalty phase of the case.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 12: “She has entered a not guilty plea to kidnapping and murder charges and faces a potential death sentence if convicted.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 13: “Gress lured Corsette to his home through the dating app Grindr on Valentine’s Day 2025, according to St. Petersburg police.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The evidence provided for this claim consists of Google Translate landing pages, which contain no factual information regarding the case.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Google's service, offered free of charge, instantly translates words, phrases, and web pages between English and over 100 other languages.
https://translate.google.com/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Learn how to translate text, speech, images, documents, websites, and more with Google Translate.
https://translate.google.com/about/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Some sentences may contain gender-specific alternatives. Click a sentence to see alternatives. Learn more
https://translate.google.com/details

check_circle

Claim 14: “Gress picked the 16-year-old up from her grandmother’s home in Gulfport and brought her to his apartment in St. Petersburg — where his partner, Michelle Brandes, was waiting.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm Gress lured Miranda Corsette to his home in St. Petersburg and that Michelle Brandes was his partner involved in the case.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Steven Gress lured 16-year-old Miranda Corsette to his home before she was brutally abused and killed.
https://www.ladbible.com/news/us-news/us-court-crime-news-am…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In February 2025, 16-year-old Miranda Corsette vanished after meeting 35-year-old Steven Robert Gress through a dating app. Authorities allege that Gress and his partner, 37-year-old Michelle Brandes,…
https://www.murderauction.com/auction/listing/steven-robert-…

schedule

Claim 15: “Brandes turned herself over to police on March 8, 2025.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.