Nearly a year after the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old girl, two Cape Coral teenagers returned to court Thursday, where they face the maximum sentence for first-degree murder.
Thomas Stein and Christopher Horne Jr., both 17, were indicted in the killing of Kayla Rincon-Miller.
She was shot and killed on March 17 last year near SE 20th Street and SE 16th Place while walking to McDonald’s with friends.
Cape Coral Police said an SUV approached the group, its headlights blinding them. Someone jumped out and started shooting, hitting Rincon-Miller in the chest. She later died from her injuries.
Investigators linked the SUV to Stein’s mother, who had rented the vehicle. Authorities arrested Stein first, while Horne Jr. was taken into custody days later.
The State Attorney’s Office is pushing for the maximum sentence for both teens.
Gulf Coast News is in the courtroom and will provide updates as the case unfolds.
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