2 teens plead not guilty in murder of 15-year-old Cape Coral girl

Writer: Carolina Guzman
Published: Updated:

Two teens accused of murdering a 15-year-old girl in Cape Coral have both entered a plea of not guilty.

Thomas Stein and Christopher Horne, who were both 16 at the time of the shooting, did not appear in front of a judge Monday morning but submitted a written plea of not guilty.

On March 17, Kayla Rincon-Miller was walking with her friends to McDonald’s from the Coralwood 10 movie theater along a side street off Del Prado when a van pulled up and tried to rob the girls.

According to investigators, Stein used his car headlights to blind Rincon-Miller and her friends while his passengers robbed them, then someone shot Rincon-Miller. She later died from her injuries.

According to the Cape Coral Police Department, Horne is not believed to have been the gunman after a thorough investigation was conducted following his arrest.

A gray Nissan Pathfinder rented by Stein’s mother was used in the shooting.

During a press conference last week, the State Attorney’s Office announced the teens’ charges would include first-degree murder and a number of attempted robberies.

“No matter what the age of the defendant, if by law they can be charged and punished in adult court and we can prove it, we will charge them in adult court. We will indict them. We will seek maximum sentence on them no matter what their age,” said Amira Fox, the State Attorney.

The duo have been charged as adults and are scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 10 at 9 a.m. They face life in prison without parole.

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