Jaylen Baron
•6/18/2026
Thomas Stein entered the courtroom on Thursday in Cape Coral, glancing back at his mother, Jessica, and briefly at the packed room as he sought a second chance, but his motion for a new trial was denied. Stein's lawyers argued that a deposition from one of the victim's friends did not align with her trial testimony about who shot 15-year-old Kayla Rincon-Miller.Cape Coral police said the shooting occurred in 2024 when a group in a gray Nissan Pathfinder approached Kayla and her friends on SE 16th Place at SE 20th Street as they walked from the movies to a McDonald's. Both friends, Louann Dejaie and Emma Wright, testified in April. Stein’s defense attorneys said they felt strongly about requesting a new trial, arguing that Stein should have been allowed to call the prosecutor to testify. Jessica Stein, Thomas Stein’s mother, who testified during the trial alongside other family and friends, was present in the courtroom but declined to comment. Assistant state attorneys Sara Miller and Alysa Wolfe told the court they believed the case fairly demonstrated how Stein killed Kayla Rincon-Miller in 2024 in Cape Coral. Stein’s co-defendant, Christopher Horne Jr., is serving a 25-year sentence after testifying that Stein shot Kayla. Stein awaits sentencing next month. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment, and original programming on your TV.
