A Florida couple is behind bars after they allegedly lured a teenage girl they met online to their home, tortured and suffocated her to death over a piece of missing jewelry, and dismembered her body before disposing of her remains in a dumpster.

Steven Gress, 35, and his girlfriend Michell Brandes, 37, stand accused of first-degree murder and kidnapping in the death of 16-year-old Miranda Corsette. The St. Petersburg Police Department said in a press release Friday that Gress picked up the girl on Feb. 14 after meeting her on a dating app and took her to his home in the 2700 block of 27th Ave. N. After hanging out that day, he drove her back to her home. Miranda returned to his home the next day, but this time she would not make it out alive.

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St. Petersburg police Chief Anthony Holloway told reporters at a press conference that there was a dispute over some missing jewelry on Feb. 20. Gress and Brandes allegedly assaulted and tortured Miranda for the next week.

“Repeatedly beat the victim, while holding her captive for seven days and eventually suffocating her by wrapping plastic wrap around her face,” a judge said during Gress’ first appearance, according to local NBC affiliate WFLA.

Gress and Brandes then put the teen’s body in his car and drove the remains some 15 miles to a home in the 12000 block of Mallory Drive in Largo. There, police believe she was dismembered. Her remains were once again moved, this time to a dumpster about 55 miles away across Tampa Bay. Cops have located the dumpster, however the remains were disposed into a Hillsborough County landfill. Cops are continuing to search for Miranda’s body.

Miranda’s grandmother, who had custody of her after both of her parents died, reported her missing to Gulfport police on Feb. 24. Gulfport police commander and acting chief Mary Farrand said her department is “very familiar” with Miranda, who is a “frequent runaway” with a history of mental health issues and drug abuse. She also was the mother of a 11-month-old child. Her grandma told police Miranda was known to run away and she’d usually return home, but not this time.

On Thursday, a “witness” contacted police regarding information about a kidnapping and homicide. Police realized they already had Gress in custody after he allegedly pointed a harpoon at Brandes and was in possession of drugs. Detectives quickly unfurled the horrific case. Brandes turned herself into cops on Saturday.

The trial of a 24-year-old woman in Georgia accused of killing her 20-month-old son and tossing his body in a dumpster began on Monday with prosecutors telling jurors that in the days leading up to the toddler’s death, the victim’s mother had been having relationship issues, taking a spate of narcotic drugs, and later told police a bizarre array of stories.

At one point during an interview with police, Simon explained that she stopped at a secluded dumpster in the middle of the night shortly after her son’s disappearance because she was throwing away “spoiled shrimp pasta.”

As previously reported, Leilani Simon in December 2022 was indicted on 19 criminal counts, including malice murder, felony murder, concealing the death of another, and making false statements to police in the slaying of young Quinton Simon. Authorities allege that Simon on Oct. 5, 2022, intentionally killed her son with an unknown object “that when used offensively against a person did result in serious bodily injury,” and “cause Quinton’s death.”

The felony murder charges stem from accusations that Simon killed Quinton while also committing felonious acts of aggravated assault and first-degree cruelty to a child by “maliciously” causing Quinton “cruel and excessive physical pain” in a manner that was unknown to the grand jury at the time of the indictment.

A man shot his girlfriend in his pickup truck and then tried to put her body in a dumpster, but after a couple of attempts he quit, left her next to the dumpster, and drove to a psychiatric hospital to admit himself, according to cops in the city of Millcreek, Utah.

Officers said that the incident is the “culmination of an elongated violent domestic violence history” between the defendant, Fred Jason Edwards, 46, and victim, Esperanza Chavez, 25.

According to a press release obtained by Law&Crime, officers received a call Saturday at 6:20 a.m. regarding a body found near a dumpster at 3994 South 300 West. They found Chavez dead at the scene.

“Detectives initiated their investigation, canvassing the area for surveillance footage,” they wrote. “A business in the vicinity provided crucial footage showing a black truck arriving at 12:28 am today. The male figure was observed pulling a body from the vehicle. Attempts were made to dispose of the body in the dumpster, however the suspect left the scene, leaving the victim beside the dumpster.”

A 38-year-old mother in Arizona has been arrested for allegedly killing her young daughter, whose body was found stuffed in a plastic tote bag that had been discarded in a dumpster on Christmas Eve. Sophia Simmons was taken into custody on Monday and charged with one count each of first-degree murder, child abuse, and tampering with evidence, authorities announced.

According to a news release from the Phoenix Police Department, officers at about 8 p.m. on Sunday responded to the area of 31st Avenue and Thomas Road in regards to a body being found in a dumpster behind a local business. Upon arriving at the scene, first responders said they quickly discovered the body of a young “school-aged” girl inside the dumpster.

One day later, a tipster called police and indicated that the mother of the young girl — whom the caller identified as Simmons — was the individual responsible for inflicting the fatal injuries on the little girl and then placing her body in the dumpster.

Court documents obtained by Phoenix CBS affiliate KTVK provided additional details about the crimes with which authorities have charged Simmons.

According to the report, investigators with the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner removed the body of a child believed to be between age 5 and 7 from the dumpster. The victim appeared to have suffered from a spate of different injuries to her torso, arms, and legs. The injuries were reportedly in different stages of healing, with some being very recent, which authorities said was a clear sign of ongoing physical abuse.