In August 2016, Katie Pladl’s reunion with her biological father set the stage for a series of events that ended in bloodshed across three states.
What began as a daughter’s search for her roots turned into a disturbing tale of manipulation, incest, and ultimately murder.
By 2018, Steven Pladl’s obsession with his biological daughter evolved into a calculated killing spree that left four dead including a seven-month-old.
Let’s get into it
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| Katie Pladl |
Background of the Case
This true crime story began in 1995 when Steven Pladl, then 20, met 15-year-old Alyssa Garcia through an online chatroom.
Within days of meeting, he convinced Garcia to flee her family home and live with him in New York, where their illicit relationship continued.
By the time Garcia turned 16, she was pregnant with their first child, and by 17, she gave birth to a baby girl they named Denise.
According to Wikipedia, Garcia claimed that Steven had been physically abusing their daughter.
She accused him of disturbing violence including pinching the baby until her skin turned black and blue, and in one horrifying incident, stuffing her into a cooler until she nearly suffocated.
Fearing for her daughter’s safety, Alyssa Garcia decided to put their eight-month-old daughter up for adoption.
Soon, Anthony Fusco and his wife Kelly, who lived in Dover, New York, adopted and renamed the child Katie Rose.
Katie’s childhood progressed normally under their care but at 18, she decided to reconnect with her biological parents through Facebook.
After reconnecting with them, Katie moved to Knightdale, North Carolina, where Steven and Alyssa lived with their two younger children.
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| Steven and Katie Pladl |
The Incestuous Relationship
What began as a family reunion in August 2016 quickly evolved into a disturbing manipulation of trust.
At the time, Steven and Alyssa Pladl’s marriage was already strained, with the couple sleeping in separate bedrooms when Katie moved in.
Within months of Katie’s arrival, Alyssa moved out of their home, and soon Steven Pladl began a sexual relationship with his daughter
In May 2017, Alyssa discovered the incestuous relationship between Steven and Katie.
She confronted Steven about the relationship, and he admitted to it.
To her shock, she also learned that Katie was pregnant.
As a result, Alyssa Garcia immediately reported Steven to the local police department.
Despite mounting legal pressures, Steven and Katie married on July 20, 2017, formalizing their relationship.
They traveled to Parkton, Maryland, where they got a marriage certificate after lying about their biological connection.
According to Wikipedia, both Steven’s mother and Katie’s adoptive parents had no issues with the relationship and even attended the wedding ceremony.
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| Steven’s mother and Katie’s adoptive parent with the couple on their wedding day |
Soon after their wedding, Katie gave birth to their son, Bennett Kieron Pladl.
The arrival of the infant complicated the whole case.
By January 2018, both Steven and Katie were arrested and charged with incest, adultery, and contributing to delinquency.
Eventually, they were both released on bond after their defense attorneys argued that, as adults, they had the right to make their own decisions.
However, when they were released, a judge put strict orders in place, banning any contact between Steven and Katie.
Custody of baby Bennett was awarded to Steven’s mother in Knightdale, North Carolina.
Katie returned to New York to live with her adoptive parents, where she began to understand the full impact of the relationship’s power dynamics.
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| Katie Pladl and her son |
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| Steven and Katie Pladl |
The Unbelievable Crime
By April 2018, Katie decided to end the relationship and told Steven over the phone.
After Katie’s phone call, Steven Pladl’s actions turned deadly immediately.
On April 11, 2018, Steven picked up his seven-month-old son Bennett from his mother’s home in Knightdale, North Carolina.
According to the police reports, he told his mother he was taking the infant to New York, but that was a lie.
Instead, Steven returned to his home where he strangled his infant son to death, before carefully placing the body in a closet.
The next day, April 12, 2018, Steven tracked down Katie and her adoptive father Anthony, and opened fire on their vehicle, killing them both instantly.
After the shootings, Steven called his mother and confessed to all three murders.
He then drove 18 miles to Dover, New York, where police officers later found him dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his parked minivan.
“In my 30 years of law enforcement, this ranks as one of the most disturbing cases we’ve encountered. The premeditated nature of these crimes, spanning multiple jurisdictions, demonstrates a level of calculation that’s particularly troubling,” said Knightdale Police Chief Lawrence Capps during a press conference
Top-rated Defense attorney Rick Friedman II, who had represented Steven in the incest case, expressed shock at the outcome.
“This is a terrible tragedy that nobody foresaw. If any legal professional involved had anticipated this level of violence, different decisions would have been made regarding bond,” he said.
The case led to significant changes in how law enforcement handles family reunification cases
It also prompted several states to review their protocols for monitoring individuals charged with incest.
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