Stephan Sterns was acting strange, washed his clothes on morning Maddie Soto was reported missing, roommate says

By Hayley Crombleholme

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    OSCEOLA COUNTY, Florida (WXII) — Kissimmee police have released new audio of interviews with a roommate of Madeline Soto, her mom, and Stephan Sterns, the man charged with killing Madeline.

In the interview, which was done at an apartment complex in Kissimmee, the roommate says Sterns was behaving oddly the day Madeline was reported missing. Eventually, this roommate finds out she herself may have been a victim of Sterns, according to police.

Related: New video shows interrogations following Madeline Soto’s disappearance

In newly released audio from the Kissimmee Police Department, you can hear detectives interviewing one of the roommates in the home. Another detective translates her responses from Spanish to English.

The roommate described Stephan and Madeline’s relationship as almost a father-daughter type of relationship. A detective asked if any of it seemed inappropriate.

“No, she never witnessed any of that that gave her that impression,” a detective translated.

The detectives asked the roommate about seeing Sterns on the Monday that Madeline was ultimately reported missing. She said she saw Sterns when she came down for breakfast and lunch.

“She noticed that there was something odd about him,” the detective translated. “Because of the way he was, like just moving around the house. And then she saw three tools out on the table, one of them being a hammer.”

She also told them she saw Sterns washing clothes

“She says Stephan never washes clothes,” they said.

In the interview, the detectives tell the roommate they found videos of her when searching Sterns’ devices. They showed the woman a photo that doesn’t show her face and asked her to confirm if it was her.

“That’s her in her room,” the detective translates.

They tell the woman they believe Sterns put the camera under her door.

One of the detective’s last questions: “Do you think Stephan has the capability to hurt Maddie?”

The second detective translated the roommate’s reply, saying, “Prior to seeing these photos, she couldn’t believe that he could do something or could hurt Maddie. Now that she the photos that you just showed her, yeah, he’s capable of anything, obviously.”

Madeline Soto was found dead on Friday, March 1 after being reported missing on Monday. Stern’s claims he dropped the teen off at school, but detectives say she never made it. Madeline’s backpack and school laptop were found in the apartment complex dumpster amid a massive search for the teen.

Before Madeline’s body was found, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office announced that Sterns had been arrested for “disturbing images” found on his phone, later revealed to be vile photos depicting sexual abuse.

As the investigation into Maddie’s death continued, 60 new charges related to capital sexual battery, lewd or lascivious molestation and unlawful possession of materials depicting sexual performance by a child were filed against Sterns.

Later, the state charged the man in Madeline’s murder and announced they would be seeking the death penalty.

Sterns’ trial is set for September of 2025. He is currently being held in the Osceola County jail.

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