Cops Unlock Predator’s Phone, Find Horrifying Videos of Missing Girl 

In February 2024, 13-year-old Madeline Soto was reported missing, last seen with her mother’s boyfriend, 37‑year‑old Stephan Sterns. Investigators quickly focused on him due to “abnormal” security footage showing Sterns leaving with a slumped-over passenger — later identified as Madeline. 

A forensic search of Sterns’ phone revealed more than 1,700 disturbing images of child sexual abuse dating back to 2019. 

He was arrested on February 28, initially for sexual battery and child pornography. Five days later, Madeline’s body was discovered in a wooded area, and Sterns was indicted on first-degree murder. 
 
Sterns now faces the death penalty, and with dozens of pretrial motions and delayed hearings, the case has grown more complex — and more emotionally draining for Madeline’s family and the community. 

This episode traces the chilling timeline: from the missing child report to the discovery of gruesome digital evidence, the arrest and charges, and the legal road ahead in a murder case that has shaken Central Florida to its core.

Content Warning: This episode includes discussions of child sexual abuse, murder, and graphic evidence. Listener discretion is strongly advised.

Stephan Sterns, Madeline Soto, Florida murder, child sexual abuse, child pornography, Okeechobee murder, prime suspect arrest, forensic evidence, death penalty case, missing child investigation, disturbing images, trial delays, true crime podcast

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Serial Killer Michael Gargiulo (Hollywood Ripper) Documentary - Ashton Kutcher Girlfriend

Serial Killer Michael Gargiulo Hollywood Ripper Documentary Ashton Kutcher Girlfriend

Michael Thomas Gargiulo (born February 15, 1976)[1] is a convicted American serial killer[3] and rapist. He moved to Southern California in the 1990s and gained the nickname The Hollywood Ripper. He was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death on July 16, 2021

Description of crimes

Gargiulo is a native of Glenview, Illinois, where he may have stabbed his neighbor, 18-year-old Tricia Pacaccio, to death on her backdoor step. Her body was found by her father the next morning on August 14, 1993.[5][6] Gargiulo moved to Los Angeles in 1998, allegedly to escape the scrutiny of police in Illinois,[7] and committed two murders and an attempted murder in Southern California between 2001 and 2008.

On February 21, 2001, he stabbed 22-year-old Ashley Ellerin 47 times to death in her home in Hollywood. Ellerin's injuries included a neck wound that nearly severed her head, and deep punctures to the chest, stomach, and back. Some of her wounds were up to six inches deep.[8] According to detective Tom Small, one stab wound "actually penetrated the skull and took out a chunk of skull like a puzzle piece."[8] On the night she was murdered, Ellerin had planned a date including dinner and drinks with actor Ashton Kutcher.[9]

On December 1, 2005, Gargiulo stabbed 32-year-old Maria Bruno, his neighbor, to death at her home in El Monte, California.[10] She was stabbed 17 times.[8]

Gargiulo attempted to murder another neighbor, 26-year-old Michelle Murphy, in her home in Santa Monica on April 28, 2008.[11] She fought off the attack, and blood matching Gargiulo's DNA was found at the scene.[12]

Arrest and prosecution

Gargiulo was arrested by the Santa Monica Police Department on June 6, 2008. On July 7, 2011, the Cook County State's Attorney charged Gargiulo with the first-degree murder of Tricia Pacaccio.[13] Although Gargiulo was charged in the two California murders as well as the Pacaccio murder in Illinois, police did not link him to any other murders.[5] Gargiulo allegedly told authorities in the Los Angeles County Jail that just because 10 women were killed — and his DNA was present — does not mean he murdered anyone, leading investigators to believe that there are more victims.[5]

Media in Los Angeles dubbed Gargiulo the "Hollywood Ripper" as well as the "Chiller Killer."[13][14] Gargiulo was held at Los Angeles County Jail while awaiting a capital murder trial.[15] A pre-trial hearing was held on June 9, 2017, in Los Angeles Superior Court with his trial scheduled to begin in October 2017.[16] After delays, his trial began on May 2, 2019.[9][17] In May 2019, actor Ashton Kutcher testified about the crimes



Serial Killer Michael Gargiulo Hollywood Ripper Documentary Ashton Kutcher Girlfriend

True Crime Podcast 2025 Police Interrogations, 911 Calls True Police Stories Podcast

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To Catch a Predator Jerry Hetherington Full Police Interrogation ('Glory Hole Jerry')

"Glory Hole Jerry," also known as Jerry Hetherington, became a memorable figure in the To Catch a Predator series, where he was confronted by law enforcement and journalist Chris Hansen during one of the show's sting operations. These operations targeted individuals attempting to engage in inappropriate relationships with minors by luring them into a decoy house.Key Details from the Full Interrogation:

1. Initial Interaction with Decoy
   • Jerry was caught engaging in explicit online conversations with someone he believed to be underage.
   • He arranged to meet the minor, which led to his arrival at the sting house.
2. Confrontation by Chris Hansen
   • When Hansen revealed himself, Jerry appeared visibly flustered and attempted to justify or explain his actions.
   • He provided a series of excuses, ranging from misunderstanding the situation to denying any intent to act on his explicit messages.
3. The "Glory Hole" Incident
   • Jerry's nickname, "Glory Hole Jerry," stemmed from a bizarre and explicit reference he made in his online chats or interrogation. This added a darkly memorable element to his case.
4. Police Interrogation
   • Following his confrontation with Hansen, Jerry was detained by law enforcement for questioning.
   • The interrogation revealed further details about his online behavior, motives, and prior history, which painted a concerning picture of his intent and actions.
5. Legal and Public Fallout
   • Like many caught in the To Catch a Predator operations, Jerry faced criminal charges related to attempting to meet a minor for illicit purposes.
   • The public airing of the episode and subsequent discussions about his case likely led to personal and social consequences.

Jerry Hetherington, Glory Hole Jerry, To Catch a Predator, full interrogation, Chris Hansen, sting operation, decoy house, online predator, law enforcement, police questioning, illegal solicitation, inappropriate behavior, public exposure, criminal charges, online grooming, explicit chats, sting investigation, internet crimes, predator confrontation, societal impact, legal repercussions.


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Late Night Graveyard Shift Workers, What’s your Scariest Paranormal Experience?

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What Is A Scary Or Horrifying Fact That Shouldn't Be True, But Is?

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Stephen McDaniel's FULL Police Interrogation with Macon police after Lauren Giddings' Murder

Stephen McDaniel's first interview with the Macon Police Department. McDaniel later pleaded guilty in the killing of Lauren Giddings, a Mercer University law student. As part of the plea deal, McDaniel was sentenced to life in prison with the chance of parole in 2041.

Macon police interview Stephen McDaniel after Lauren Giddings' disappearance

This is a video of Macon police interviewing Stephen McDaniel for the first time following the disappearance of his fellow Mercer University law student, Lauren Giddings.



True Crime Podcast 2025 Full Police Interrogations and Police Bodycam Audio Crime Investigations

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Alek Minassian — FULL police interrogation of Canadian Terrorist Attacker CREEPY!

Alek Minassian was arrested as the driver in the deadly 2018 Toronto van attack, a careful and skillful Toronto police detective interrogated him for close to four hours. Minassian couldn’t keep much to himself. This is the full interrogation video, as released to me by order of Justice Anne Molloy of Ontario Superior Court in response to a request National Post made, joined by other news organizations. For the sake of viewing ease, lengthy scenes when no one is in the interview room and no one is speaking have been deleted. The deletions are marked by a “static” screen effect.

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Kendall Francois A.K.A.: The Poughkeepsie Killer - Serial Killer Documentary

A Serial Killer Documentary about Kendall Francois A.K.A.: The Poughkeepsie Killer

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COPS and UFOs - Police Officer Shares His Experience with a UFO and Aliens REAL AUDIO

Ken Storch, is a retired homicide detective who has been investigating UFO cases for 35 years. He has also done a lot of local research on Bigfoot or Sasquatch.

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LAPD Detective Stephanie Lazarus Murder Suspect - Full Length Police Interrogation Video

Full Length Police Interrogation Video

Sherri Rasmussen (February 7, 1957 – February 24, 1986) was an American woman found dead in February 1986 in an apartment she shared with her husband, John Ruetten, in Van Nuys, California. Rasmussen had been beaten and shot three times in a struggle. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) initially considered the case a botched burglary, and the crime remained unsolved.

Rasmussen's father believed that Stephanie Lazarus, an LAPD officer, was a prime suspect. Detectives who re-examined the cold case files in 2009 were eventually led to Lazarus, by then herself a detective. A DNA sample she unknowingly discarded was matched to one from a bite on Rasmussen's body that had remained in the files. Lazarus was convicted of the murder in 2012 and is serving a sentence of 27 years to life for first-degree murder at the California Institution for Women in Corona.

Lazarus appealed the conviction, claiming that the age of the case and the evidence denied her due process. She also alleged that the search warrant was improperly granted, her statements in an interview prior to her arrest were compelled, and that evidence supporting the original case theory should have been admitted at trial. In 2015, the guilty verdict was upheld by the California Court of Appeal.[5]

Some of the police files suggest that evidence that could have implicated Lazarus earlier in the investigation was later removed, perhaps by others in the LAPD. Rasmussen's parents unsuccessfully sued the department over this and other aspects of the investigation. Jennifer Francis, the criminalist who found key evidence from the bite mark, unsuccessfully sued the City of Los Angeles, claiming she was pressured by police to favor certain suspects in this and other high-profile cases and was retaliated against when she brought this to the LAPD's attention.

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