A Central Florida man was sentenced to life in prison for murdering his girlfriend's 13-year-old daughter, who went missing and was found dead months later.

Stephan Sterns was sentenced to multiple life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole in the sexual assault and murder of Madeline Soto, part of a plea deal that avoided two public trials and removed the death penalty as a potential penalty.

Stephan Sterns was adjudicated guilty and sentenced to multiple life sentences on Monday for the sexual abuse and murder of 13-year-old Madeline Soto. It came one day before the first of two criminal trials were set to begin.