If I knew if I knew anything, I promise you I would tell you. Like, I am willing to take a lie detector test. Whatever the [ __ ] you want, but I don't know anything. He's never mentioned anything. I've never seen any signs. I tried watching her like a hawk. I thought I was doing a good job, but I wasn't. I was oblivious to every 4 years >> minimum. That's just how that far back the clown goes. [laughter] And I I find it hard to believe for me that you were so worried about how many pills she took at night, but not where she slept or what relationship she was, his interest in her. >> I thought we were all safe. I thought because that he hadn't shown me anything so far, like everything seems fine. Like he seemed >> March 1st, Orange County, Florida. Jennifer Sto is questioned about her missing daughter, Maddie. Investigators suspect Maddie has been killed and their attention is turning toward Jennifer's boyfriend, Stefan Sterns. But as detectives examine Jennifer's account, her explanations raise more questions. Why is she defending Stefan while Maddie is still missing? And what will detectives confront her with before this interview ends? >> All right. >> Can I get you like the last outfit she was wearing? >> Is it has it been like with all the clothes and all that? Like your clothes? >> It got it got mixed in with pink clothes and dirty clothes. Look, she was supposed to be dropped off at school. Didn't make it to school. >> Didn't make it to school. I went to pick her up from school tonight and she never came out. They they announced it over the speaker and I'm just like maybe she walked here because sometimes she'll walk here to this office. >> I came here, nothing. I went back to the school. They were closed. I got a notice, an email from the school saying she was absent. But I also messaged her teacher and he looked at her entire attendance today and saw that she was completely not at school today either. >> Okay. >> Um so she never made it. >> Okay. What's her name? >> In the first moments of the search, Jennifer reports that Maddie never arrived at school. But one detail stands out. Stefan already knows what Maddie was wearing that morning. >> What's her name? >> Meline. M A D E L I N E. >> M A D E L >> I N E. Last name. >> Sodto. S O T O. >> S O T O. >> I just started a new job last year or the week before. >> Okay. Where's that at? Walt Disney World at um Coronado Springs front desk concierge tour. [snorts] I uh I was finishing up my last day of No, I wasn't even my last day of training. I was still in the middle of training. Sunday in the middle of training. Couldn't I couldn't miss to go to her birthday party, so I went to work. This is Jennifer Sto, Maddiey's mother, being questioned by detectives about her daughter's disappearance. As investigators go through the events of that night, they begin challenging her account and asking difficult questions about Stefan Sterns. >> Was my family all day. She had the best day. She was so happy when I got home and I saw her at my house around 8:30 that night. I wasn't home. Um, she got dropped off alone. About 10 to 15 minutes later, Stephan showed up. I realized I forgot to take my meds and I said, "You guys, I need a good night's sleep. I need to take my meds." [snorts] Um, I sent them to sleep upstairs in the in the guest bedroom so that I could get a good night's sleep. um suggested that we all sleep together in the same bed together, but not the easiest person to sleep with. She rolls around, she punches, she kicks, she'll we have a king-siz bed, and she typically sleeps on one side, and she'll end up on my side when we wake up. Okay. >> So, I asked her, I'm like, "No, please. I need a good night's sleep. Um, if you guys can go upstairs and let me sleep. Um, I had asked Stephan to take her to school in the morning. >> What's your password? >> Uh, 030288. >> 030288. Okay. >> Is that a birthday? >> My birthday. >> It's your birthday. >> Yeah. >> My birthday's tomorrow, right? >> Today's the first I didn't even know. This is like the worst. This is the worst prank ever. while I was waiting for my blood work appointment and he let me know, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I left my phone at home by accident. Um, school, everything went great. She got up super early, got up really quick." Um, she slept most way on in the car. Um, I asked her multiple times if she wanted McDonald's, but she said no. Um cuz that was the plan was that they were going to stop in McDonald's that morning and go get breakfast. He said uh that he had gone to the vape shop and they were closed and they didn't open. So he he waited there for a while and left and then said he was going to go back later. Um, when I saw him at the house, everything was normal. We were chatting, we were talking, he was acting normal. He was sitting in my computer chair just messing around on his phone. While we were hanging out, he mentioned something along the lines of, "Oh man, I've been avoiding this phone update for a really long time. I should probably update it now." And I said, "Do it. Don't avoid it. Just get it over with." and he updates his phone and then tells me, "Oh my god, I don't know what button I just pressed, but I just factory reset my entire phone." And I said, "How the hell does that happen? That gives you options now when you reset your phone." He goes, "Yeah, apparently I I wasn't paying attention and it just I pressed I just pressed the button and it happened." And I said, "Oh, that's unfortunate. That sucks." Um later on he tells me he's going to go back out and I think this is around 12:30 1:00 told me he was going to go out cruising that night to go look for her. And I said I even questioned that. I asked him, "Are you sure that's a good idea? You should probably sit tight. Um let's just wait to see if she comes home." Um, and he said he was going to take a drive out. I had completely forgotten about him wanting to take the drive or that he actually did it. And it wasn't confirmed to me until the following day where agents came to the house and we sat in the car for a good amount of time and I noticed the chair has adjusted and I said, "Did you drive my car?" And he said, "Yeah, remember I said I was going out last night to That's right. You did say that." Now, on Wednesday, >> Jennifer's account begins to establish the events of Maddiey's last night at home. But as investigators listen, the details of that evening become important to understanding what happened next. Every part of the timeline matters when someone is missing. >> Time I thought he was truly heartbroken and not that he had done all this [ __ ] to her. Like I I look back at [ __ ] now, I'm just like, he was [ __ ] lying. He was [ __ ] faking. What else has he been lying to me about? I know he's like a master liar manipulator cuz he's he's done it to his parents and he's told me and shown me the lies he's done to his parents, but I don't know why I never thought not me. >> The lies are about money. They're about where he's at, what he's doing, what's he >> Yeah. All that. Um >> to his parents. >> Yeah. He's stolen money from his parents. Um they used to have a few thousand dollars hidden in like a closet for emergency fund kind of thing and a few during co he sold like he wanted RC cars. See if he wants something he's going to get it. Um no matter what I started saying to him like I think they're focusing in on you. Like we need to call your dad and I think we need to get you a lawyer. Um I feel like they're [clears throat] focusing on the wrong person. He kept saying the same thing. He kept repeating what I was repeating that um they're focusing on the wrong person. Um they're wasting time there. Um >> how did he feel when he said he's a lawyer? He didn't believe me. Like when I told him like, "Don't you see forensics is closing down the house?" They know something or there's something like they know something something's happening. They wouldn't be locking down the house this way if if if they didn't have suspicions of something. But in my I wasn't thinking I don't know why I wasn't thinking him. Like I was just like, "No, they've got the wrong guy." >> The police have showed you their hand. They said, "Stephan, we want your phone." Stephan, we want to talk to you. We are going to lock down your residence. You can't go back inside. Me, I don't care if it's the love of my life sitting next to me. I don't care if it's maternal grandma. If the police come and take my mom's phone and my son's disappearance, I'm not going to offer my mom a lawyer. That's nuts to me. That to me shows you prioritizing Steph because at that point you became more worried about him being falsely accused than any. Does that make sense what I'm saying? Whether or not that's what you felt. Does that make sense? >> People having lawyers is their constitutional right. That is a thing that everybody is afforded. But for somebody who's going through what you were going through to offer him a lawyer leads me to believe that there may have been a conversation. There may have been knowledge or there may have been some inclination that you had whether it be his involvement, her location or something to where in your mind there's guilt. >> I promise you like >> because you offering him a lawyer is very weird. >> I know. I know. I that was still me under the assumption that I think at one point no at one point you guys interviewed me and when you guys showed me the picture of her I believe the sexual stuff but I didn't want to believe that he had done anything evil to her. I'm like no what if she what if he did this stuff fine but what if she's still missing out there? What if somebody took her? I still wanted to believe his I I believed him. I believed his whole story. So, I was just like I I kept repeating that part. I'm just like, "What if what if she did get dropped off? What if she I got abducted? What if she's missing?" Um, but that was me assuming that you guys had the wrong guy. I wanted to think he was the good guy still, but clearly he's not. After everything you guys have told me and have shown me, I know he's the worst person on this face of the earth. >> We know that now. We know he's a piece of now. >> I know. >> But you didn't know that then. >> We didn't. >> Then you offered a guy who the police suspected suspected of kidnapping, abducting, assisting the disappearance. Offered him a lawyer. And then we don't have to round table that. you went back to what you just said is the sex stuff is fine. >> It's not fine. >> So if you guys are sleeping in the same bed and she's in the center, you've woken up and they're snuggling. They're under the same blanket. They're not under the same blanket. >> No, >> but just like >> she's got her own blanket. >> Spooning for what? >> How is snuggling to you? Cuz to me, snuggling spooning. Big spoon, little spoon. >> He would lay down like this and she would be right here in his in in the nook. >> Okay. Um, >> how do you guys sleep? You guys sleep clothed, unclothed? I sleep >> clothed. >> Yeah. >> Shirt, pants, pajama sets. >> Yes. >> Everybody. >> Uh, I sleep in like my everyday clothes. >> Okay. >> Sleepovers before. >> Yeah. Like, you want to watch movies and eat snacks? Can we do that? I'm like, no, no, no. We can all watch movies down here together. We can all sleep down here together. um up until I mean up until up until June together all the time. So we were always she would sleep in the middle, I would sleep on this side, he would sleep on the other side. Um it wasn't until June that he got his own bedroom and I sent him upstairs. That's where the that's where the requests for sleepover started. Okay. >> Um and I I kept telling her, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm not comfortable with that. I'm not comfortable with that." Um but eventually at some point like we just we really want to watch I forgot what movie it was. They really wanted to watch something and I was really tired and I said, "Okay, fine. Um go ahead, but this can't happen often." Um, and yeah, I I allowed her to go upstairs and sleep with him, but honestly, I I think I can count on one hand how many times that's happened. And it hasn't been many times that I've allowed her to have a slumber party with him, to be alone in a in a bed with him. I'm usually around all the time. I up until 2 weeks ago, you know, I was pretty much at home all the time living on disability. Um, if I wasn't at home, just, you know, I was substitute teaching, but I was substitute teaching primarily at her school or at the school close by, but I'd make sure I get out around the same time and I'd get out in time to pick her up and take her. So she was with me pretty much all the time when she wasn't at school. Um, so yeah, after >> when he's not there, where does she sleep? >> With me. >> She never sleeps in her room. >> No, always with me. Quickly, do you know, and you may hate the question, but do you know, do you have any idea? We currently have upwards probably 200 people working on fire. All right. The Orange County Sheriff's Office is involved. The Kan Police Department's involved. St. Cloud Police Department, Ocola County Sheriff's Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, FBI. Yes. under suspicious circumstances. So, anybody who is somebody is involved. >> Yeah. >> So, regardless of the circumstances, those people don't get to go home. Those people don't get to go back to their families. Those people don't get to live their lives and go back to their primary jobs. Of >> course, >> I know the sheriff has probably expressed you that's his number one priority. I'm sure the Casino Police Department's expressed that to you, our detectives. This isn't something that's going to stop or go away. >> Yeah. >> All right. Anybody who knows something, anybody who may know something will be brought into a room and we'll be talked to whether they're guilty, whether they're innocent because our number one priority, our jobs have kind of stopped on any other things we have going on until it's fine cuz that's the most important thing anybody has going on right now. But with that, a lot of people are going to feel >> then Jennifer recalls something Stefan told her about his phone. He said he accidentally factory reset it while updating the device. Investigators suspected the reset was deliberate. But what makes this detail more significant is what Stefan said happened on his >> with that a lot of people are going to feel that whatever happened. >> I can tell you and I know detectives express to you that the thought process at this point is this is a homicide investigation. >> Yeah. >> Based on the evidence I've seen, based on the videos I've seen, I do believe With that being said, and the reason I tell you that not to be an [ __ ] is because the thought process with us leads it in a different investigation or different way. Meaning whatever has already happened, >> right? We cannot change what happened most likely on Monday. We cannot change the fact that I believe Stephan killed her, right? All we can do now is find her as quickly as possible. On the the 2% chance we're wrong and that she is alive, that's phenomenal, right? That's the best thing that could happen. On the chance that we are 100% correct and she has passed away, finding her now versus later will bring closure to your family, will bring closure to everybody regardless of how it happened or why it happened. Meaning, if you have an inclination, if you know where she's at, if his father knows, that doesn't mean those people get held accountable for what he did. It doesn't mean those people get held accountable for knowing what he did. It means we close out the investigation. You know what I mean? So, a lot of times we go into rooms like this and we ask people questions. We say, "Hey, do you know what happened? Do you know what happened?" And there's this fear of what happened already happened. I can't change that. So, I'm not going to insert myself with knowledge because it's going to make me look bad. Regardless, at this point, I murdered her, right? He victimized her. He ruined her entire life from childhood until now. I think that there's probably some sense of guilt and my fear is that sense of guilt is causing you to not want to assist in the location of her. Not because you're a bad person, but because there's that sense of guilt that what was happening was happening under your roof. And now by her being found brings that all to your plate. And it doesn't. >> Oh no. And if I knew anything, I would so tell you. Do I want to leave after she's dead? Because you guys tell me your suspicions, but I still I'm not going to believe it until I have her body. >> So, there are things and the reason I say these things, and again, I'm not trying to be an [ __ ] but the reason I say these things is a lot of things you've said and a lot of things I've kind of researched between the Fox 35 story, between your initial statement to the police. A lot of things have changed. initial statement to the police was you watched her get dressed, you watched her leave, you knew exactly what she was wearing. >> Can I can I tell you my thought process on that or where I came from with that? >> I was handed this form and I'm like, where do I start? What do I write? And somebody say somebody said, tell them what you saw. And so I started with I saw and then I wrote out what I wrote out. But it wasn't until later I was like, "Wait, I didn't see her. I assumed that I saw her. I assumed that I heard her, but I didn't. In reality, I didn't see her. I only saw him. And I heard something in the kitchen, but I don't know who that was." >> Which we've talked about today. But I guess my concern there's other concerns, right? You were nervous. The police have showed you their hand. They said, "Stephan, we want your phone. Stephan, we want to talk to you. We're going to lock down your residence. You can't go back inside me. I don't care if it's the love of my life sitting next to me. I don't care if it's maternal grandma. If the police come and take my mom's phone and my son's disappearance, I'm not going to offer my mom a lawyer. That's nuts to me. That to me shows you prioritizing Steph because at that point you became more worried about him being falsely accused than any. Does that make sense what I'm saying? Whether or not that's what you felt. Does that make sense? People having lawyers is their constitutional right. That is a thing that everybody is afforded. But for somebody who's going through what you were going through to offer him a lawyer leads me to believe that there may have been a conversation. There may have been knowledge or there may have been some inclination that you had whether it be his involvement, her location or something to where in your mind there's guilt. >> I promise you like >> you offering him a lawyer is very weird. >> I know. I know. I that was still me under the assumption that I think at one point no at one point you guys interviewed me and when you guys showed me the picture of her I believe the sexual stuff but I didn't want to believe that he had done anything evil to her. I'm like no what if she what if he did this stuff fine but what if she's still missing out there? What if somebody took her? I still wanted to believe his I I believed him. I believed his whole story. So, I was just like I I kept repeating that part. I'm just like, "What if what if she did get dropped off? What if she got abducted? What if she's missing?" Um, but that was me assuming that you guys had the wrong guy. I wanted to think he was the good guy still, but clearly he's not. After everything you guys have told me and have showed me, I know he's the worst person on this face of the earth. >> We know that now. We know he's a piece of [ __ ] now. >> No, >> but you didn't know that then. >> I didn't. >> Then you offered a guy who the police suspect that suspected of kidnapping, abducting, assisting the disappearance. Offered him a lawyer. And then we don't have to round table that. you went back to you. What you just said is the sex stuff is fine. >> It's not fine. >> Hold on. I know every relationship is different and I know everybody's family is different. I won't ask. But going on your going back on has he expressed interest in >> Jennifer admits she told Stefan to get a lawyer because she thought detectives were focusing on the wrong person. The detective struggles to understand that decision while Maddie is still missing. And later he explains exactly why >> interest in I would use the word weird. I'm not going to shame anybody for what they they like different sexual pleasures, different sexual experiences, different kinks that involve things you weren't comfortable with. >> The only thing he's ever expressed to me was like anal. >> Okay. >> Um he had an anal kink and like butts. >> Okay. >> But that was something I was ever comfortable with over doing. And I let him know that like like that sounds like something. >> It's fine. >> You guys slept in the same bed together. Steven was a big portion of your life at one point. Stephan was a big portion of your life at one point. And this is not me coming at you as a person or a bad person because [ __ ] happens in the past and the past is the past. We can't change the past. Has he ever expressed to you? >> Never. >> Never. >> Has he ever made these statements about made you feel different? >> No. Okay. When you guys slept in the same bed together, the middle, did you ever wake up and find them cuddling? Did you ever wake up and find them closer than you thought they should be? >> They would they would snuggle. Yeah. Okay. >> But I I we all snuggle. I didn't think that that was that normal. >> So, if you guys are sleeping in the same bed and she's in the center, you've woken up and they're snuggling. They're under the same blanket. They're not under the same blanket. >> No. But just like >> she's got her own blanket. >> Spooning for what? >> How is snuggling to you? Cuz to me, snuggling spooning. Big spoon, little spoon. >> He would lay down like this and she would be right here in his and [snorts] in the nook. >> Okay. >> Um, >> how do you guys sleep? You guys sleep clothed, unclothed? I sleep >> clothed. >> Yeah. >> Shirt, pants, pajama sets. >> Yes. >> Everybody. >> Uh, I sleep in like my everyday clothes. >> Okay. I think I can count on one hand how many times that's happened and it hasn't been many times that I've allowed her to have a slumber party with him to be alone in a in a bed with him. I'm usually around all the time. If I knew if I knew anything, I promise you I would tell you like I am willing to take a lie detector test, whatever the [ __ ] you want, but I don't know anything. He's never mentioned anything. I've never seen any signs. I tried watching her like a hawk. I thought I was doing a good job, but I wasn't. I was oblivious to every four years >> minimum. That's just how f that far back the cloud goes. >> And I find it hard to believe for me that you were so worried about how many pills she took at night, but not where she slept or what relationship she was his interest in her. >> I thought we were all safe. I thought because that he hadn't shown me anything so far. Like everything seems fine. like he seemed like he treated her like >> like he treats you >> in his mind. >> If anything, she was a little bit more open with Stefan cuz she told him about a boy she had a crush on. >> Okay. >> And um that his name was and um she described him and Stephan's like, "Are you aware that she has a crush on a boy?" I said, "No." He's like, "Yeah, she told me that he's tall and um that she likes his fluffy hair." Um >> when was this? You remember when this conversation happened? >> Within the last week sometime, but I'm not sure. >> Okay. >> Like within So we saw So within a week of that Sunday. >> How did he take it? Was he like, and I want you to think back before you know things, you know, now, like, did he seem concerned about her? Did he seem excited for her like she's she's starting to, you know, be a kid and have crushes and everything else? >> He seemed he seemed happy for her. >> Okay. >> Um he's like, "Yeah, did you hear this? This is super cute." And I was like, "Oh, I hadn't she hadn't told me." And I and I wondered I'm like, "Why didn't she tell me? Why'd she tell him and not me?" Like, I want to know who she's got a crush on. But maybe it's because I told her that she she had a rule. She wasn't allowed to date for a few years. >> She didn't die naturally. She didn't overdose. She didn't have a heart attack. We circle murder on Monday. Something had to cause that. He's been having unrestricted sexual activity for a long time. He's getting what he wants from her out of from you and who knows whoever else, right? So, it's not like he woke up or went to bed Sunday and he was like, "You know what? I'm done with this, but I'm going to kill her. Something happened. People don't just wake up and like, you know what? They leave people. They break up with people, but usually things cause people to snap. Now, what you know what and I'm in trouble or I feel like I'm or him be out. We can go even worse. She's pregnant. That's what that's what questions last night led me to believe when we started talking about her period. >> I was told that her and her friend, and granted I'm I'm male, never had a period, but that somebody found it weird that they were no longer on the same cycle. Could be different cuz she's a teenage girl. Could be that she missed her period. Have you ever found a pregnancy test at home that wasn't yours? I have two underneath the kitchen the bathroom sink, but I haven't seen if they're still there or not. >> The detective. >> By this point, detectives are desperate to find Maddie. They explain that every passing day could mean losing important evidence. Then the conversation turns personal. One detective tells Jennifer he believes she is focused more on protecting Stefan than on finding her daughter. >> What do you think made him snap? I don't know theories. I I I keep hearing. >> Tell me your theories. Cuz here's the deal. We don't go home until she's found. >> No, I know. I know. >> What are your theories? >> What I've heard is what if what if she upset him and threatened to tell me and say that she was going to tell me and he needed to shut that down? That's the only thing. >> What do you think? I believe I don't want to believe he killed her. But for me, he was telling me he must have killed her Sunday night and snuck her body out in the morning. But outside of you reporting her missing, and I may be wrong. I haven't been involved in all aspects of it, but you have not shown me one bit that you prioritize her over him. And that sucks. Not because we're working our asses off for your family, not because we have people out there sweating their asses off for your family, but because I feel like all I care about is your care is to make sure Stephan doesn't get held accountable. Well, I don't care anymore >> anymore because we're being because I'm not being nice. >> But up until Thursday, it was okay that she gave a no big deal. Get a lawyer. >> No, it wasn't. It wasn't okay. I was honestly I saw that and I was in shock and I don't know why. My first reaction was to tell him to get a lawyer, but I saw that and I was in shock and I was just like, I don't know what to believe. I don't know what to believe. >> It's easy to believe it now. We showed you pictures of it. You can't deny it anymore. >> You The sex was okay. The murder's on. At least At least that makes sense. >> That's okay. >> I want to know what is and not because I think you're a bad parent. I think you're a bad dead or alive. She's missing. Her body is out there. Her body needs to be recovered so she can have a proper burial, a proper funeral. She needs to be laid to rest. Your family needs to be able to mourn her. And we need that information. That is life. That is not life of the law. That's not life for the sheriff's office. That is common decency. That is what she deserves. That is what you deserve. That is what your family deserves. >> So, I don't know if it's possible he he gave her something and she was drugged in in those photos that you showed me where you're saying she's dead. Maybe she was drugged. But if she is dead and it was done upstairs, I could just only imagine that he choked her. I don't know how else you would kill someone and not leave a mess. >> How do you think he got her out? >> I have no idea because roommates come in and out of the house at any given point in the morning and we don't know their schedules. They can come in at any time. 192 seems to me like the easiest place he could have dumped her or like figured out where to put her. Unless she was in my trunk the whole time and he went to Northport. the trunk of your car. >> Yeah. >> Didn't you drive your car at some point? >> Did you guys sit in your car at some point? >> I did. So, that's what I'm saying. Like, I would have probably smelled something, but I didn't. So, I'm just trying to think like, did he sash your body in Northport? No, I don't think so. He's probably hiding something or destroying something. So, I guess 192 would probably be the most important right now. Her being in your truck is oddly specific. >> The only reason I say that is because from what you guys have told me, he went directly from the hotel to Northport. I don't think he made any stops anywhere to see me or [clears throat] anything first and then went to Northport. >> I'll get back. >> Before the interview ends, detectives ask Jennifer to swear that her answers are truthful and whether she knows where Maddiey's body is. She says she does not. Later that day, Maddie's body is found near Hickory Tree Road off Highway 192. Stefan Sterns is later indicted for her murder and pleads guilty. >> I don't want you to think I was purposely an [ __ ] to you. >> No, I know you're doing your job. >> Like I told you, like the sheriff's have probably reached out. You've been in communication with numerous people here. Those are my opinions and my opinions only. They don't reflect Sheriff Mina, the chief of PD, Kyle, any other detectives we talk to you. All right. I personally don't know. All right. We will be here all weekend. We will be here all night. My only hope is that you truthfully did not lie to us. You truthfully don't know where she was. And that you truthfully did not know what was happening to her. Yeah. >> Raise your right hand. >> Do you swear that everything we talked about today in this interview is true and correct? >> Yes. >> Did you lie to me at any time? >> No. >> Okay. Do you currently know or have you ever been aware of where body has been since Monday? >> No. >> Did you have any? >> No. Were you aware at any time whether it be the most recent instance or the first instanceization sexually by Stephan? >> Okay. At this time you do not know where Stefan went on 192? >> I don't. >> You do not know where he went in Northport? >> I do not. >> And you have had no time this week in any conversations with Stefan where he disclosed what he did? >> No. >> Okay. the story that we talked about of what >> at one point we discussed that she could potentially have been in a trunk on the way to Northport. >> Yeah. >> Is that information you you know to be true or an assumption? >> An assumption. >> Jennifer had already told detectives what she knew about the morning Maddie disappeared. Now, they wanted to hear from Stefan Sterns. He said he dropped Maddie off that morning, but detectives had their own questions about where he went and what happened afterward. >> That's okay. Didn't mean to wake you up. It's >> okay. >> Uh, I'm going to introduce myself. My name is Mark. I work for the Cassini Police Department. >> Nice to meet you, Mark. >> This is Corporal Elgen. >> Brandon. Hello. >> Um, I understand you've been here for a little bit. Uh so just to give you a little bit of background, the reason we are here now is because Jennifer and yourself reside in the city of Cassini. So, initially they thought, you know, um dropped off at school and it would be an Orange County case. It seems like since she lives in CMI, that's the reason we're going to do the case. >> You understand? >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. Um let me just grab some things here real quick. All right. I know that you were brought up here by detectives, right? Detectives drove you. Okay. Um and that was earlier today. Uh >> I have no idea how long ago that was. >> It was sometime today. >> Sometime today, correct? >> Um so being that you're here, we're here. You were taken here by detectives, I just need to get this out of the way just so we can talk about how we're or where she may be. Okay. All right. Have you ever been in trouble ever? Ever in your life? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um, have you ever had your rights read to you at any point in your life? >> I must have. >> Gotcha. Okay. Well, I'm going to do them again just to get it out of the way and then we can talk about school and stuff like that. Okay. All right. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer and have them present with you while you're being questioned. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, want to be appointed to represent you before any question before any questioning. Do you understand these rights? Okay, perfect. All right. Um, so before we start talking, one last thing. Can you just raise your right hand? Do you swear and affirm that the statement you're about to give, >> this is Stefan Stern's interrogation. He says he dropped 13-year-old Maddie Sto off near her school, but investigators have surveillance footage, discarded backpack, and questions about his timeline. Now, they want to know what really happened. >> We're affirm that the statement you're about to give is the truth. Nothing but the truth to the best of your knowledge will help you God. >> Beautiful. Okay. All right. Let's talk about uh your we just talked to Jennifer a little bit. So, [groaning] >> where'd you meet her? >> Uh work. >> Where was that at? Uh we worked for a home building company. Um it's no longer in business, but uh we're both in the uh call center area. >> Oh, okay. Um so like selling homes or >> Yeah. you lived in CMI with them? Cuz I know Jennifer said she's lived in CMI for years. >> Yeah. Um off and on for years myself. >> Okay. Any family that lives in CMI? >> Uh I don't know. >> Okay. Um so on and off, how long do you think you live in CMI? >> This stretch 2 or 3 years. Okay. Um, Jennifer kind of mentioned that, you know, then you move back to wherever your parents live. And where is that at? >> They say in Northport, stop by Sarasota. >> Okay. So, on the West [clears throat] Coast. >> Yeah. >> Got it. All right. Um, so she had a birthday recently. And she had a birthday party Sunday. >> Sunday. Sunday. Yeah. >> Okay. So, >> did you come to the party? >> Uh, no. I was not. I was on my way up at that point. >> Okay. Um, so the party ends. Did you pick them up from the party? Someone must have dropped her off. >> Okay. >> Uh, she was there when I got there. Jan asked me to make sure that in the shower and did her bedtime routines, which she did. She was already on top of it, so >> nothing to do there. >> Okay. Um, what time do you think you got back in CMI? >> Uh, what time I got into CMI? >> Yeah. >> Maybe maybe 8:00, 83ish, something like that. >> And I apologize if you've answered these questions before. Uh, it's just like I said, we're coming into the game late, so I may ask you things that you've already answered probably three or four times. I >> apologize. As well, my memory is not super reliable on time frames. I've been medicated for the better part of a week. >> Okay, that's fine. What do you think medicine for? >> Uh, anxiety mostly. I've been having some money troubles lately. Anxious over that. So, >> okay. Well, hopefully your money troubles get better. >> I've been medicated on Adavan since probably Saturday. >> Okay, gotcha. All right. So when you got back when you got to CMI and you got to the apartment, what happened? Like um made some dinner, made some ramen. Um I love how I make my ramen. Uh then we started watching Sister Act, but it was time for her to start getting ready home. Basically just as we were starting Sister Act. >> Okay. Um, and that was just about bedtime. >> What What time is bedtime? >> Usually 10:30, 11ish, something like that. It's It's a spectrum, not a set time. >> Mhm. >> Then, so who's going through the bedtime routine? Cuz I know Jennifer said she has somewhat of a little routine, too, that she does. Is it her you talking about? Um, Jennifer's routine is, you know, taking her meds, eating some food so that she can have proper calories for the meds. Uh, and then she's got about an hour to do whatever she needs to do because she needs to fall asleep at that point. >> Okay, gotcha. >> Her bedtime routine is taking her bedtime meds, um, brushing her hair. She should have showered that night. Um, and then she goes to bed as well. Usually there was some bombs or something on in the background. >> Got it. >> The detectives finally entered the room and read his Miranda rights to Steven. He explained about his previous experiences with the law enforcement and started going through the details about how he knew Jennifer. You can notice that Steven is trying to be focused on the details making him uncomfortable. She showered that night. Um, and the chicken bed as well, usually with some bumps or something on the background. Burgers. >> Got it. >> Um, what are the sleeping arrangements? >> Uh, she sleeps in her. >> Okay. Um, then did she sleep in her bed Sunday night? >> Uh, no. uh I was just back I'd been away for a couple months be in the same bed together suddenly. Um to get some serious sleep. Um so she said no to that and suggested that the guest room upstairs had to make enough bed. So some snuggle cuddle time that that would suffice and Jim get to sleep in peace. >> Okay. >> So you say snuggle time. What what does that mean? >> Like to be alone. >> She's extremely dependent. She does not like to be alone at all. She needs human presence around her basically. >> Gotcha. >> We've been trying to wean her off of that, but difficult. What? >> Oh, I think he's on his way down too to help. >> Gotcha. Okay. >> Um, >> last I heard. >> All right. So, Jennifer says up so snuggle time with you to help her go to sleep. Is that right? >> Just bedtime. Yeah, >> bedtime. Okay. Um, did you stay in the room the entire night? Uh, not the entire night. I'm usually up and down sometimes. Um, so I might go grab a drink or something or Yeah. Up and down sometimes. >> Gotcha. But you stay You didn't at any point go Okay. All right. So, night goes on, morning time comes around and the school walk me through that a little bit. Excuse me. Morning. Morning routine. Um >> Stefan says he drove Maddie toward her school, turned back to retrieve a gate clicker, then dropped her off along the road nearby. He also says he watched her moving in the direction of the school before leaving. But there's one important detail here. Detectives still need to establish whether his account matches the evidence from that morning. >> Um she usually starts waking up. We set about three alarms. Um first one goes off. We let her keep snoozing. Uh, >> do you remember what time her alarm goes off or what? >> Not really. Maybe 7 7:30ish. I'm not sure. >> Um, alarm goes off. We let her snooze about three times um while we start getting ourselves ready. And after the third snooze, uh, it's time for her to get up for real. and uh start getting ready. Um typically she will have showered the night before. Uh so she needs to brush her hair, brush her teeth, excuse me. Um get her book bag together. Uh eat [snorts] some breakfast if she's going to eat there. Um and then we eventually make our way out the door. >> Okay. Um, so walk me through like you go you you leave, you take it to school in your car. >> Uh, yeah. >> Okay. And what kind of car do you have? >> Uh, that's a Lincoln. It's actually my parents' car cuz my car is um down south. It needs maintenance and we're scared of driving it too much. Um, so driving a Lincoln right now. Um, got out early. The plan was to get some McDonald's along the way. Um, so we got out nice and early. >> Do you remember what time you left roughly? >> Not not 100%. I'm sorry. My memory has not been super reliable. >> No, that's fine. >> Um, but it was it was early. Um, maybe maybe 7:30, 7:45, something like that. I'm not sure. I I'm honestly not certain. That's fine. >> Um, the plan was >> Was Jennifer awake when you guys left? >> Semi awake. I was giving her updates as we were going along. Um, you know, getting ready. She's getting dressed. We're leaving now. Goodbye. Um, but she was sleeping in. So, I was just giving her little updates and poking my head in as we went. Um, but we leave the house. Uh we start making our way to the school. Um most of the time we make our way over towards her school area. I ask her if she's still in the move for McDonald's. She says no. She doesn't want anymore. Okay. Continued on. Uh it was still pretty early though, I think. Um, and we still had some time to kill. Uh, it wasn't really time to drop it off yet. Um, I had apparently forgotten my clicker key fob for the gate. Um, so I ended up actually turning around at some point and going back to the community to get the clicker. Um, I had to use my parking sticker to get in for the guy to scan. Um, I had some errands to run afterwards. I didn't I wanted my fault. Um, but we still had plenty of time as far as I knew. Um, so we did that, grabbed the clicker, left again, and that's when we drove over to her school area, and I dropped her off where I dropped her off. >> Okay. Do you remember where you dropped her off? >> Yeah, it was um the stretch of I forget the there's a street name. That was the stretch of road that the school is on. Um, make a right onto it. It goes down a little ways. There's some some communities over here and then up further there's a church and then there's the overpass and the school on the other side of the overpass right there. I dropped her off on that stretch where the communities are. >> Was she by herself when you dropped or was her friends there? >> Yeah, she was by herself. She said she was going to go find her friends and hang out, wait for them to show up. >> Okay. Um, >> it was still early. >> Where did she go after that? Like, did you see her walk towards the >> I saw her making her way towards the direction of the school, but she was like kind of shuffle step. She was meandering her way there. She was rumaging through her backpack for something. Um, I assumed she was looking for headphones, maybe. Um, but as it turns out, she did leave her phone at home that day, so she might have actually been looking for her phone. >> Gotcha. Okay. >> What was she wearing when she left or when you dropped her off? >> Uh, green hoodie. Um, black shorts. Black or blue? Black shorts. Um, white Crocs. >> White Crocs. Okay. Um, all right. So, she's walking towards the school. Do you continue straight when you leave or do you turn I turned around and went back the other way. I was watching her in my rearview mirror and she was going the right direction. So, it looked okay. >> And then where did you go after that? >> Uh, the next stop I wanted to go to was the vape shop. Um, it opened at 10:00, so I had a little while, so I just kind of meandered around and eventually made my way over there to wait for it to open. Um, it didn't open when it was supposed to, so I left and came home and then went back about an hour later when I was sure it it would have to be open at that point. um got what I needed there and then made my way back to home again, relaxed and hung out with Jen for a while. >> Seemed like any other morning. >> Did was when you got back home after school, was Jennifer home at that time? >> Uh I think she was on her way home. Um, I think that she had had a blood appointment and we were both kind of going to arrive very shortly with with some time of each other. >> Okay. Um, so when you got home, when both of you got home, what walk me through the rest of the day? >> Just hung out, chitchated, and I don't know. It's not much to recollect. >> Well, you stayed at home pretty much all day or no? uh pretty much until maybe noonish or 1:00. I have a few errands to run. Um but I want to be back in time for us to go. Um so I just ran out ran up and down 192. Um ended up getting a flat at some point which made me late to get >> Where'd you get a flat at? >> Uh somewhere along 192. >> 192 is a big road. It is. And honestly, it all looks the same to me. >> So, I've been asked, "Do you remember what plaza you were next to? What color?" Like, I'm ADD as it is, and I was in a medicated fog for the better part of the week. I lucky I remember what color I'm wearing right now. Um, >> do you remember what errands you were running? >> Yeah, I wanted to go check out some game shops. Um, >> where were these game shops? Uh there's Coliseum of Comics. There's House World Games nearby. Uh a lot of the Targets and Walmarts carry the game I was looking forward to. It just had a new release on Friday. So I even though I don't have much in the way of money right now, I still wanted to look and see what what the situation. It's >> always nice to window shop. >> It is. And I am a um serial consumer. Um, so I was just driving around up and down 192 sort of just aimlessly, honestly. >> Mhm. >> Just killing time till it was time to go back. >> All right. So, when you got home, did you and Jennifer from school? >> So, I got home. It was 10 minutes later than Jen had wanted to. About 10 minutes. I called her and said, "Hey, where are you? I'm so sorry. I got a flat." Um, she already left. She had been gone for 10 minutes. It didn't make sense for her to come back and get me. Um, she likes to be the first in line. Um, when the kids start coming out. >> Okay. Then wasn't at school. >> So, what h did Jennifer call you after that or what? Uh, I was already on the phone with her while while she was waiting. We were just chitchatting. >> Um, we do that. We just keep each other company even if we're not physically together, you know. >> Um, and she um, and that's when we started asking questions, you know, did she go somewhere else? Did she know that you were going to come pick her up? that she possibly to her office, which has kind of been what she's been doing for the past working a new schedule. Um, so we started making all the calls. Um, and no one had seen her yet. And so that's when we started getting a lot more concerned and panicked. Um, she drove around a little more looking for her and looking along the walking paths and didn't see anything. Went to her, not there. Waited around. Not there. Went back to the school. Not there. Uh at that point the whole family started rallying up and going to meet and uh I think that it was >> Stephan describes driving around to run errands and says a flat tire delayed him that afternoon. By the time Jennifer went to collect Maddie, she wasn't there. They began calling around trying to work out where she could be. Now detectives have two things to piece together when Maddie was last seen and where Stfan says he went that day. You think that it was around Okay, going back to school. Uh, how was she like on the car ride there? Just calm down, sleeping. Slipping along the way. She does that. >> How often have [clears throat] often have you? >> Um, not often, honestly. I this might have been my third or fourth morning school run. I'm not normally the one to do it. >> And on the other occasions, has she had you drop her off in around the same location or how does that >> she uh she has this image thing? I I guess it's um she only likes to be seen getting out of certain cars in front of the streetable, but mine's I guess kind of a hoop and she's embarrassed. I like it. Detective frame it around his relationship with Meline's mother, his day-to-day role in the home, and his movements from the weekend through the morning. He says he dropped Meline at school. Then he talks about his parents' Lincoln car that he used to drive Meline to school. >> Uh nice looking Sentra. >> So yeah, it's this is not the first time she has asked me to drop her off a little ways down so she could walk up and you know, look cool. So, you say she was conked out in on the way there. >> Um, you said you took her to school or you were on her way to school. You needed to turn around to get your clicker. >> Correct. >> Was she sleeping then to >> She was. Yeah. >> Okay. Um, >> it had been an early morning, so I figured it'd be fine to let her asleep in the car, right? >> Okay. Um, when you got back to the apartment complex or >> did you go in the front gate or cuz I know there's the front entrance and then the back entrance. >> Uh, when I came back after forgetting my phone. >> Yeah. So, which way did you leave? >> I would have had to go in the front. >> Okay. >> Um, and the guy scanned it. And I got in and got my father and left. I don't remember if I left out the front or the back. >> Did you stop anywhere else? And >> No, >> not that I recall. No. >> Okay. Um, did you take any trash out from the apartment? Was it the night before? I think I did. Not sure. I took I took took the trash out at some point, but I don't remember if it was the night before or was the morning of. Yeah, sometimes we get trash bags piling up by the door. >> To see them. Is there uh like a common trash place or like is there take the trash to? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Is that where you took the trash out? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um and you don't remember if that was Sunday night or Monday morning? >> It could have been Sunday night. I don't recall. I'm sorry. I was in fog. Um, well, okay. So [snorts] where? >> Uhhuh. >> Supposedly they got video of her um walking past the church or waiting at the church for a while. >> Mhm. >> And then leaving. >> How's your relationship with her? Great. One of her favorite people in the world. Okay. Um, how old are you? >> I'm 37. About to be 38. >> You seem you seem like a genuinely nice person. >> You try to be. >> Uh, Jennifer talks very highly of you, you know. Um, so [clears throat] the morning school when you came back get your clicker. >> Mhm. >> What was her? >> She wasn't saying anything. She was just asleep. She was just reclined in the chair sleeping. >> Okay. explain to me like reclining backwards. >> Just like just laying back in the chair. >> Mhm. >> Like that, I guess. Okay. All right. Stuff on here. I'm going to be I'm too old to lie to people. Too too old to beat around the bush. And we seem like we're having a generally good conversation right now. Okay. Uh, the only thing that I ask for from you is and I will reciprocate. I want you to be honest with me as much as as I'm being honest with you. Okay? There's cameras [snorts] in all over the place. As you can imagine, nowadays cameras are everywhere. Okay. Uh, so we see you coming in at the guar check. Okay. Um, we see you go by the dumpster. >> Okay. >> I may have taken some trash with me then. >> What was in the trash? >> House trash. >> House trash. >> Yeah. >> Um, so it must have been that morning then. Um, we'll toss trash bags on the back seat and wherever we're going on our way out, we'll drop that on the way. I think I even I may have mentioned to her before I have to double check. >> Okay. Was everything in trash bags? >> I'm sorry. Was everything in trash bags or was there any items that were just tossed along with the bag? >> I think it would have been trash bags or maybe some boxes too. Some some birthday stuff leftovers. I can't remember exactly what. >> Okay. Did when you for school, did she have her backpack with her? >> Yes, >> she did. Do you did she had her school computer with her? >> Yes. Presumably. Yes. >> Presumably. Okay. >> She should have. I once again, this goes back with the old honesty thing. There was things in that trash bag that got thrown away that >> probably shouldn't have been thrown away. Okay. >> We We'll get that in a minute. But right now, our main focus is on find that is our number one focus right now. Okay. When detectives bring up the surveillance footage, Stefan says he may have thrown away household trash that morning. He also says Maddie had her backpack when he dropped her off. Then the detective tells him the backpack was found in that dumpster. Stefan asks how that could be. From here, the questioning gets more direct and the detectives want him to explain the gap between his account and what they found. >> Do you have any idea where she may be? >> No. >> None whatsoever? No. Okay. All right. Um, do you know Okay. And sounds like and and Something may have happened. You think? >> I don't think so. I don't think what could have happened [clears throat] to him. >> Okay. >> The detectives were now pushing hard. They laid out the cold, hard evidence they had of him. Investigators confront him with surveillance showing him discarding items on February 26th. They say Meline's backpack and school laptop were recovered from that dumpster. This becomes a key line of questioning about why he was there and what he threw away. >> I don't think what could happen to him. >> Okay. All right. Do you know anybody that lives in St. Cloud? Do you know where St. Cloud is? See cloud. That's north or south or >> east. >> East. >> East of Kazumi. >> Yeah. I haven't been out there too much, but yeah, I'm familiar with St. Cloud. >> Okay. Whereabouts of St. Cloud? Like, do you know friends out there or? >> Uh, I don't have any friends really. I've dirt out there a few times before, but mostly just when I'm meandering up and down 192. >> Were you out there this week? >> Yeah. Yeah, I was out there sometime this week. Um, sometimes I drive just drive and meander around and explore and drive till I don't know where I am and drive till I know where I am again. And I don't know, just driving just it's peaceful sometimes. >> Mhm. >> All right. >> If I got time to kill, I'll just drive around. >> Mhm. All right. Um, so you're saying when you had her backpack, presumably her school computer was in her backpack. Mhm. And you described her wearing green jacket, some kind of dark colored shorts, and white crops. Mhm. >> Okay. Well, I can confidently tell you she did not go to school with her backpack. How's that? >> Because we found in the trash. >> So, Stefan, here's what I'm asking you and pleading with you is to dig down and do some soularching. Okay. You understand? Family's pleading with you. I'm pleading with you because this that we need to find. And it's as more time goes around goes by, it's tough. I have kids. He's got kids. And this little girl's out there somewhere that We need to know where and I really really really think you can help us. >> I mean, you want to get something off your chest. I don't know. I don't know what it is, but >> I'm pleading with you. >> I don't know. I don't >> What? >> I dropped her off. >> Where? I dropped her off on the road to school. That was the last I saw her. >> Okay. Did sometime throughout the night on Sunday, did you guys have any interaction conversations? >> What? Like fight? >> No, no, I'm not saying fight. I'm just You guys sit up and talk or we talked while I was making ramen. She was excited about her choir performance coming up. She was singing a little bit. I told her it was pretty or it reminded me of Sister Act. That's why I wanted to show her that movie. She talked about a crush she had of a boy. >> How'd that make you feel? >> Fine. She knows she's not old enough to date, but you know, I told her crush on. Get your crush. That's healthy. Do you think had she had any boyfriends in the past? >> Not per se. You know, boyfriends as however they can be that early on, but we decided that she was too young. >> Needed to avoid that BS. >> All right. Being that she's too young, so she shouldn't be having sex with boys. You know what I'm saying? >> She's um she's all the that stuff. None of it none of it counts. It's real. I just told her she'd be better off waiting till high school. >> Mhm. >> Has she ever talked to you about boys? >> A little bit. Sometimes. A little bit. >> Has she ever Cuz I asked Jennifer the same thing. Has she ever disclosed to you about being sexually active with boys? >> No. >> Do you know she's ever been sexually active with anybody in the past? >> Not that I'm aware of. Um, I heard there was some sort of incident when she was much younger where she did something with the phone or a camera but got scolded for it. She was very young. She didn't know. She got scolded for it though. But that's it's big. It's just remembering what someone said off hand. >> All right. Um, >> what happened to your hand? >> Flat tire. >> I haven't changed a flat tire in about 10 years. So, I made a rookie mistake and had my thumb too close to where the jack and the frame meet. >> Mhm. >> And it slipped and the frame came down on my thumb and pinned it between the jack, which feel like I got off surprisingly light with that. >> Ouch. >> I yanked it free. You're not supposed to do that. Um, looks okay. It's got the worst of it. Losing under the nail. >> What about the other scratches? Uh courtesy of a janky tire iron and the road. >> Did you bleed at all? >> Yeah, this one had some blood and this one had some blood, but not much. It clotted fast. >> Do you know what popped your tire at all? >> No idea. Tire just started going flop and [clears throat] then >> pretty worn out. >> Floppier and then just completely freaking separated. Thank god we had a spare and a jack. Jinky as it was. >> So, typically when changing a tire and stuff, you tend to get brake dust and dirty and all that. >> Yeah. >> Did you positive that I breathed in some freaking brake dust or tire dust or something cuz I was coughing the rest of the afternoon? >> What' you end up doing to clean up or stop the bleeding and stuff? >> Nothing actually. Just get dirty. Wash my hands and >> always hit. >> Did your clothes get all messed up at all or? >> Not bad. Surprisingly. >> What were you wearing? >> Uh, this still wearing this. I'm still wearing the same clothes. >> How's he cut? >> Try to, I guess. >> You weren't wearing a red shirt. uh who was wearing her red shirt early in the morning. >> Uh but I changed clothes later cuz that shirt was in a couple days old that morning and the flat tire happened after that. [snorts] Did the flat tire happen before? >> Uh after >> after. Detectives then asked Fan about the injuries on his hand. He says he hurt it while changing a flat tire, but questions about his clothes lead to more details about when he changed his shirt and when the tire went flat. Detectives are trying to piece together his movements that day. Then they turned to his phone, which he says was accidentally reset during a software update. after >> after [snorts] it was sometime after sometime afternoon between between noon and like 2:30. >> Mhm. I don't know how long it took to fix it. [clears throat] >> And you changed your shirt before or after going back to get the gate clicker? Um >> I I don't recall. Maybe after I can't I'm so I'm so sorry. I was I'm medicated. I've been medicated all week. My my memory is just not as reliable as I would like it to be right now. And I was in a fog and half asleep that morning as it was on her own when you took her to school. Oh yes. [snorts] >> What are you thinking about? >> Sorry, I'm spacing out here. Long day, no sleep. Who else has access to your car? Are you the only one that drives it? >> Um, all my parents have access. >> But here in CMI. >> Yeah, Casemi. I'm pretty pretty much the only one with access to it. >> So, safe to say you'd be the only male driving that Lincoln. >> Presumably. Yes. All right. I want to get back a little bit to you saying she's not allowed to have boyfriends or anything like that. >> She have crushes. She likes to >> fine. All right. Have you and her ever exchange like do you guys exchange text messages? How do you guys communicate? >> FaceTime. Um she'll FaceTime me at night when I'm not around um before bedtime to say good night. I'm talking sometimes. Sometimes we don't even talk about anything. We'll just sit there doing our own thing and just with each other's faces on the phone, just spending time, you know. >> What happened? So, the deputies made a comment. So, what happened to your phone? >> I have no idea what happened to my phone. I was pushing off doing this update for a while. >> See, after listening to Jennifer and Stefan, which parts of their stories stand out to you? Do their accounts make sense to you or do you think something is missing? Share your thoughts in the comments. If you enjoy these interrogation videos, like the video and subscribe to Verdict Interrogation for