A couple kidnapped a man in Key West and held him hostage, police say
A couple kidnapped a man last month in the Keys and held him hostage for about 30 hours while threatening him with a knife, police said.
Steven Randell Solstad, 31, and Madison Ambria Megerle, 22, both face charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault, robbery, grand theft and grand theft of a motor vehicle, police said.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Adam Linhardt said they were arrested in Palm Beach County last month.
Linhardt called the pair a Key West couple, but Solstad is listed with an address in Homestead and Megerle has a Lake Worth address in her booking record.
Megerle was moved to Monroe County on Friday. On Tuesday, she was in the county jail on Stock Island on a $500,000 bond. Solstad is in jail in Palm Beach County, where he is facing a possession of a stolen vehicle charge.
“Solstad will be moved to the jail in Monroe County when his case in Palm Beach County is resolved,” said Linhardt.
It was unclear whether either Solstad or Megerle have legal representation.
A 50-year-old man told police that on Feb. 2 he went to smoke marijuana at Solstad’s home in Key West but believes he was drugged and fell asleep in his car.
Solstad and Megerle got into his Nissan Versa, forced him into the passenger seat and began driving around Key West and Stock Island while punching him, threatening his life and demanding he give them money, police said.
The man said he gave them all he had on him, which was $150.
Solstad had a carpenter’s razor knife and held the man hostage in the car, police said.
The couple made several stops where other people also threatened the 50-year-old and demanded he give them money, police said.
The couple also drove the man to a bank on North Roosevelt Boulevard, but the ATM wouldn’t let him withdraw money without identification, Linhardt said.
“Security camera footage at the bank was one of several security cameras that helped detectives build their case against the two defendants,” he said.
They then took the man to his home and began stealing his belongings, including an iPad, several smartphones and clothing, police said. The 50-year-old said they kept him there for about 24 hours.
“All the while, the victim stated they forced him to do drugs, which kept him incapacitated,” Linhardt said.
Detectives learned Solstad and Megerle may be in Palm Beach County, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office found the Nissan Versa and the two suspects, he said.
This story was originally published March 9, 2021 at 5:02 PM.
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