Thomas Stein gets life sentence for killing Kayla Rincon-Miller

Thomas Stein, 18, was sentenced to life in prison on July 10, 2026, for the 2024 murder of 15-year-old Kayla Rincon-Miller in Cape Coral, Florida. A Lee County judge imposed the maximum term after a jury convicted Stein of first-degree murder, with a guaranteed 15-year sentence review because he was 16 when he shot the teen during an attempted robbery.

Key Takeaways

• Stein received life in prison plus 45 additional years on three attempted robbery counts, to run consecutively.
• Kayla Rincon-Miller was killed on March 17, 2024, while walking from a movie theater to McDonald's with two friends.
• Co-defendant Christopher Horne Jr. took a plea deal, received 25 years, and testified that Stein pulled the trigger.
• Judge Nick Thompson denied Stein's request to hug his family before being taken into custody.
• Because Stein was a juvenile at the time of the crime, Florida law guarantees a judicial review of his life sentence after 15 years.

What Happened to Kayla Rincon-Miller?

Kayla Rincon-Miller, 15, had just finished seeing a movie at the Coralwood 10 theater in Cape Coral on the night of March 17, 2024. Shortly before 10 p.m., she and two friends were walking to get food at the McDonald's at 1715 Del Prado Boulevard South.

The girls were near East 20th Street and Southeast 16th Place when a van pulled up and blinded them with its headlights, according to the Cape Coral Police Department. A group jumped out and attempted to rob them. During the chaos, Kayla was shot. She was taken to a local hospital, where she died from her injuries.

Prosecutors said Stein and his friend Christopher Horne randomly targeted the girls as they walked down a dark road alone. Court records and trial testimony placed Stein at the center of the attack.

Why Did the Judge Sentence Thomas Stein to Life?

A jury found Stein guilty in May of first-degree murder and attempted robbery in Kayla's death. In June, his request for a new trial was denied, clearing the way for Friday's sentencing before Judge Nick Thompson in Fort Myers.

Prosecutors asked for the maximum penalty of life in prison. They argued Stein was the driver, had armed the group, made rap videos about committing crimes, and identified the girls as targets. Stein also had prior felony burglary convictions from breaking into cars, prosecutors said.

Stein's defense asked for 25 years in prison, matching the sentence Horne received under a plea deal. Thompson sided with prosecutors, imposing life for the murder. He separately sentenced Stein to 15 years, with a 10-year mandatory minimum, on each of three attempted robbery counts. Those terms run consecutively to one another and to the murder sentence, adding 45 years total.

What Happened in Court When Stein Asked for a Hug?

Before sentencing, a tearful Stein did not ask for a lighter punishment. Instead, he made one request: "If I could just ask you one thing, if before I walk out of the courtroom, if I could give my family a hug, if you'd allow that?"

Thompson immediately denied it. "I can't grant that request in here. You can say goodbye, but you can't have any physical contact," the judge said, according to Court TV. Stein was then led away to begin serving his sentence.

The case has drawn intense local attention since Kayla's death, underscoring how a routine night out ended in tragedy. For more coverage of similar cases, see our True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries section.

What Role Did Christopher Horne Jr. Play?

Horne, Stein's co-defendant, accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. As part of that agreement, he testified against Stein at trial. He and another witness said Stein pulled the trigger in the shooting that killed Kayla, WINK News reported.

Because Stein was 16 at the time of the killing, Florida law guarantees a review of his life sentence after 15 years. That review does not guarantee release, but it does offer a future judicial look at whether the punishment should change. For Kayla's family and the Cape Coral community, Friday's sentence marked the end of a two-year legal fight for accountability.