American Monster is focusing on the murder of Brittany Steier, a young mother of two children, who was shot dead by the children’s father, Edward “June” Harris, at his home in Crawfordville, Florida.
On July 18, 2020, Steier went to Harris’s home to pick up the two kids. He shot the 31-year-old three times, including twice at close range.
Steier had been holding her one-year-old baby when she was shot, and when the cops arrived, they found the child covered in their mother’s blood.
The responding deputies from Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office also spotted Harris fleeing the scene in his car, which led to a high-speed chase through Crawfordville.
The chase reached speeds up to 100 mph, and at one stage, Harris even forced another vehicle off the road.
However, the killer eventually stopped the vehicle and was taken into custody.
Edward Harris was accused of previously threatening to kill Brittany Steier
Harris had a history of violence directed toward Steier. Six months before the murder, he was arrested on charges of false imprisonment and aggravated assault. He allegedly threatened to kill Steier and refused to let her leave the residence where they had previously stayed together.
Watch the Latest on our YouTube ChannelHe reportedly paced up and down the room with a revolver and told Steier, “I’m going to put two bullets in your head and then I’m going to kill myself.”
Steier spent hours pleading with the violent thug before he agreed to let her go. Harris pleaded not guilty and requested a trial by jury, but the charges were dropped a short time later.
Edward Harris found guilty in trial for Brittany Steier murder
In December 2022, Harris underwent a two-day trial for first-degree murder and was found guilty. He was also convicted of child neglect, fleeing a crime scene, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Steier’s sister, Christy Bertera, and her husband, Jeff, adopted the two young children, adding to their own family of three children.
Bertera described her sister as “full of light and love and compassion” and said she wanted “her to be remembered for the amount of love that she showed” her children.
Steier’s murder came during a spike in the rate of murder and domestic violence across Wakulla County and North Florida occurring during the 2020 COVID pandemic, leading to alarm across the region.
There are local organizations that focus on assisting people in abusive relationships. Anyone who feels threatened or intimidated in a relationship can contact the Refuge House 24-hour hotline at 850-681-2111 or follow the link to visit their website.
American Monster airs Sundays at 9/8c on Investigation Discovery.