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Life Sentence for Florida Teen's Killer
11 Jul
Summary
- Thomas Stein sentenced to life for murder of Kayla Rincon-Miller.
- Stein also received 45 years for attempted robbery charges.
- Judge denied Stein's request for a final hug from his family.
Thomas Stein, 18, received a life sentence on July 10, 2026, for the felony count of first-degree murder in the shooting death of 15-year-old Kayla Rincon-Miller. The incident occurred in March 2024 when Stein and an accomplice, Christopher Horne Jr., targeted Rincon-Miller and her friends. Stein also received 45 consecutive years for three counts of attempted robbery with a firearm.
Stein was convicted of the charges in May 2026 after a week-long jury trial. Rincon-Miller was fatally shot while walking with friends from a movie theater to McDonald's in Cape Coral, Florida. Stein maintained he did not pull the trigger but admitted his role in the events that led to the tragedy.
During his sentencing, Stein asked the judge for permission to hug his family one last time, a request that was denied. He expressed regret for his actions, stating that his decision to drive the vehicle used in the crime was an act of selfishness. Rincon-Miller's friends, Louann Dejaie and Emma Wright, shared their trauma and grief in court.
