Update 5/6/25
Cape Coral Police sent Fox 4 this statement:
The police department works closely with the State Attorney’s Office in developing probable cause and making arrests based on criminal investigations. Once an arrest is made, all prosecution-related decisions, including the filing of formal charges, plea negotiations, dropping of charges, and courtroom litigation, are solely deferred to the State Attorney’s Office. Our role ends at the investigative and arrest phase, while the State Attorney’s Office handles all legal proceedings moving forward.
Hear what Shanice Stewart and Varaka Stewart told Fox 4's Bella Line about the dropped charges:
Update 9:16 pm
Fox 4's Bella Line met with Shanice Stewart and Varaka Stewart.
“I knew I was free from the get go because I never threatened her. Not one time did I ever threaten this lady," said Varaka Stewart.
Both Varaka and Shanice said it's because of a recording they turned over to the State Attorney's Office that they say proves what really happened when they met with Stein's mother.
“It was like really traumatizing to me then they keep telling me I am going to prison. Prison for what? I didn’t do anything," said Shanice Stewart.
Update 6:35 pm
The State Attorney's Office spokesperson released this statement to Fox 4 about the charges being dropped:
“During the investigation by the State Attorney’s Office, new evidence came to light, resulting in the Nolle Prosse in the tampering case. There are no changes to the murder case.”
Original Story
The State Attorney's Office has dropped charges against the family of teenage murder suspect, Christopher Horne.
Horne is one of two teenagers charged with killing Kayla Rincon-Miller during a robbery in March of 2024. The other teenager charged is Thomas Stein.
Christopher Horne Sr, Shanice Stewart, and Varaka Stewart were arrested about two months after the murder and charged with tampering with a witness.
Cape Coral Police say the family members threatened Stein's mother to keep her quiet so she would not cooperate with police.
In a July court appearance, Horne Jr.'s mother, Shanice Stewart, said Horne's dad had a recording on his phone of Stein's mother saying her son killed Rincon-Miller. She claims Stein's mother also admitted to getting rid of the gun.
The phone and how to unlock it, was the subject of several court appearances last summer and fall.
But on May 2 and 5, the State Attorney's Office filed paperwork to drop the charges against all three family members.
