The Lee County Grand Jury returned first degree murder indictments against two teens charged in the shooting death of 15-year-old Kayla Rincon-Miller.

Thomas Stein, 16, and Christopher Devon Horne, Jr., 16, will be tried as adults.

They were both also indicted on three counts of attempted robbery – possession of a firearm.

“My heart goes out to the parents and family of the victim in this case,” State Attorney Fox said in a release. “I hope today’s Grand Jury Indictments and the continuing forward movement in this case, provide them some strength after the sudden loss of their child. Thank you to the Lee County Grand Jury for their focus during the presentation of this case. I also want to recognize the diligent and detailed investigative work of the Cape Coral Police Department into the multiple layers of this crime. This was a 15-year-old girl just trying to have fun with her friends. Her hopes and dreams never to be realized, after her life was ended during a robbery.”

Earlier this year, the State Attorney’s Office direct filed the cases against Stein and Horne, which took the cases from juvenile court and into adult court. This allows for adult sanctions in the case.

The SAO stated the maximum penalty the young men will face with the new charges in the indictment is life in prison. Due to being juveniles, they are not eligible for the death penalty.

The indictments against both Stein and Horne read in part: “On or about March 17, 2024, in Lee County, Florida, did unlawfully, from a premeditated design to effect the death of a human being, or while engaged in the perpetration of, or in the attempt to perpetrate a robbery with a deadly weapon, to wit: a firearm, kill and murder the victim, a human being, by actually possessing a firearm, and shooting her with a firearm, and during the commission of said offense caused the death of the victim.”

Horne Jr. was arrested on April 17, a month to the date of Rincon-Miller’s murder. Stein was arrested March 19.

According to the Cape Coral Police Department, which was the investigating entity, Rincon-Miller was shot while walking to get food with two friends after seeing a movie at the Coralwood Mall on March 17.

The incident occurred after a car pulled up behind the girls and blinded them with its lights on. An occupant or occupants jumped out and tried to rob the trio before one fired, striking Kayla in the chest. The other two girls were not injured.

The car then fled southbound on Southeast 16th Place.

Rincon-Miller was conscious and alert when police arrived. Despite lifesaving efforts by arriving officers and medical personnel, including the application a military-grade compress, she died after being trauma-alerted to the hospital.

Stein and Horne remain in the Lee County Jail.

Assistant State Attorneys Sara Miller and Andreas Gardiner, both, of the State Attorney’s Office Homicide Unit, are prosecuting the case.