Jury seated in Tahoe child killing case

Sandra Chereb

Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2001 | 7:03 a.m.

MINDEN, Nev. - A jury was seated Wednesday in the trial of a man authorities say kidnapped, raped and killed a 9-year-old Lake Tahoe girl after using his son to lure the victim.

Thomas Soria Sr., a former computer technician, faces a potential death penalty if convicted of the March 19 abduction and killing of Krystal Steadman.

The blonde-haired fourth-grader disappeared from a Stateline apartment complex where she and her mother were visiting and where Soria lived with his son, Thomas Soria Jr.

Krystal's body was found the next day down an embankment along U.S. 50, about 20 miles from where she was last seen playing in the parking lot of the complex. Authorities said her throat was slashed.

The younger Soria, now 20, worked part time at a youth club at the complex and was seen playing with the little girl the day she disappeared.

He pleaded guilty to kidnapping and murder to avoid a possible death sentence and will testify against his father. At his sentencing, he admitted to luring Krystal into the Soria apartment at his father's request.

Michael Roeser and John Springgate, Soria Sr.'s defense lawyers, contend the younger Soria, not their client, is responsible for the killing.

The younger Soria also told authorities his father sexually abused him from an early age and later used him to bait girls and young women for his father to have sex with, according to court records.

Thomas Soria Jr. will take the witness stand without the jury present during a hearing Thursday. Douglas County District Judge David Gamble will decide at that time whether he will be allowed to testify during trial about other alleged acts for which is father has not been charged.

Prosecutors say the elder Soria kept a computer file describing fantasies of sexually assaulting, torturing and killing women and girls.

Deputy District Attorney Tom Perkins said the file contains "striking similarities" to the events leading to the Lake Tahoe girl's death.

Soria Sr. also faces a separate trial later this year for the alleged sexual assault of a 15-year-old South Lake Tahoe girl. Court documents allege that assault occurred in October 1999 after Soria Sr. and his son convinced the girl the elder man would die if she didn't have sex with him.