Teen accused of involvement in murder of Kayla Rincon-Miller to appear in court

CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK)— One of the teens accused in the murder of 15-year-old Kayla Rincon-Miller is set to appear before a judge for a motion hearing.

Thomas Stein was 16 years old at the time of Rincon-Miller's murder in March 2024. The Cape Coral teen was shot and killed while walking to a McDonald's with her friends.

Stein is expected back in court for pre-trial motions, where the judge could decide what evidence and testimony jurors will eventually hear when the case goes to trial.

Although investigators say he may not have been the actual shooter, he is being charged as an adult with first-degree murder and three counts of attempted robbery with a firearm.

As the legal process continues, Rincon-Miller's family is working to honor her memory. Over the weekend, WINK News spoke with Rincon-Miller's mother and sister for the first time at a gun violence rally organized by Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers and Kayla's House, a nonprofit created by her loved ones.

"I just want her to be remembered as like a beacon of light, and hope that it wasn't she was lost just for good, that you can turn a loss into something beautiful," Rincon-Miller's sister, Tatiyana, said.

The hearing could shape what jurors ultimately hear when this case goes to trial on April 27.