Thomas Stein Case Verdict: Stein Convicted in Kayla Rincon-Miller Death

Thomas Roy Stein was convicted in the thomas stein case of first-degree murder with a firearm and three counts of attempted robbery in the death of 15-year-old Kayla Rincon-Miller. A jury reached the verdict in 2026, and Stein is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10.

Prosecutors said Rincon-Miller had been walking with two friends on March 17, 2024, after they all saw a movie. The group was headed toward McDonald’s when police said a silver SUV drove toward them and blinded them with high beams.

March 17, 2024 Shooting

The two surviving victims said two men got out of the car with guns and demanded their bags. The girls said they heard gunshots and then realized Rincon-Miller was lying on the ground.

Police said surveillance video showed the vehicle make a U-turn before the shooting and aim for the group. Police later tracked the rental vehicle to Stein’s home, where it had been rented in his mother’s name.

Stein Police Interview

During questioning, Stein told police that “he learned of the investigation through Instagram and explained that he believed the homicide was a ‘setup,’” then asked for an attorney and the interview ended.

That account sits alongside the state’s theory that Stein supplied the car, weapons and the escape in Rincon-Miller’s death. His co-defendant, Christopher Horne Jr., pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and three counts of attempted robbery, and under a negotiated plea agreement he will be sentenced to 25 years behind bars.

July 10 Sentencing

Stein now faces sentencing on July 10, with the jury verdict setting up the final court step in the case. Horne’s sentencing is scheduled for May 19, and the plea deal is contingent on his cooperation with the prosecution in Stein’s case.