JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A 15-year-old girl charged along with her 22-year-old boyfriend in the murder of a Melrose man was returned from Texas overnight and booked into the Putnam County Jail early Friday morning.

Morgan Amanda Leppert was reported missing April 22 and believed to be with Toby Lee Lowry when deputies found the body of 66-year-old James Stewart on May 1.

When deputies found the dead man's telephone number in Leppert's cell phone records and the couple was spotted headed west on Interstate 10 in Stewart's stolen pickup truck, a nationwide Amber Alert was issued.

Leppert and Lowry were arrested in El Paso, Texas, two days after Stewart’s beaten, stabbed and suffocated body was found in his home. After being questioned by investigators, both were charged with murder.

Lowry was extradited from Texas on May 10 and booked on charges of murder, car theft, interference with custody of a child and panhandling.

Leppert remained in the custody of juvenile justice authorities in Texas until Thursday.

After appearing before a judge Friday morning to hear the murder charge against her, Leppert was turned over to the custody of Florida's Department of Juvenile Justice.

“Morgan Leppert is back in Putnam County. She came in last night, was brought over to us this morning. We booked her at about 6:30 a.m. in the jail and took her straight down to Judge Miller’s courtroom, where they did first appearance for her and she’s been now given back over to the Department of Juvenile Justice. She’ll be held there until the next phase.

“Basically the case now has been turned over to the state attorney’s office. We’re still writing reports, obviously, and putting the last pieces together. The vehicle has been delivered to Jacksonville. It’s at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement being processed. So, we’re tying up those kind of loose ends but the case is actually in the hands of the state attorney’s office right now,” Riddick said.

Prosecutors expect that Leppert will be tried as an adult.