Cynthia Hoffman murder: Alaska teens in twisted plot were promised US$9 million online to film kill

Two Alaska teens hoping to cash in on a US$9 million offer from a Midwest millionaire brutally killed a developmentally disabled woman on a popular trail outside Anchorage, shooting her in the back of the head and dumping her body in a river, authorities allege. The millionaire’s only demand for the payout was either photos or video of the slaying, according to court documents laying out first-degree murder and other charges against six people in the June 2 death of Cynthia Hoffman. “This is a truly horrific case that is not the norm for our community,” Anchorage Police Chief Justin Doll said. Among those charged is Darin Schilmiller, whom authorities say presented himself as the millionaire “Tyler” from Kansas, using a fake photograph. “He does not look like the young man he portrayed himself to look like, he is not a millionaire and he lives in Indiana,” court documents say. Authorities say Schilmiller, who has been arrested in New Salisbury, Indiana, and will be transferred to Alaska next month, began an online relationship with Denali Brehmer of Anchorage, posing as Tyler. About three weeks before Hoffman was killed, Brehmer and Schilmiller began discussing a plan to rape and murder someone in Alaska, according to court documents. Brendt Christensen, charged with beheading Chinese scholar Zhang Yingying, was obsessed with US serial killer Ted Bundy, court hears “Schilmiller offered Brehmer nine or more million dollars to carry out the murder and to have photographs and/or videos of the murder sent to him,” the documents say. “Brehmer agreed to commit the murder for him.” Brehmer then enlisted the help of four friends, including 19-year-old Caleb Leyland, 16-year-old Kayden McIntosh and two other unnamed juveniles, to plan and carry out the murder at Schilmiller’s direction,” according to the documents. The group met to decide how they would divvy up the money. McIntosh is being tried as an adult in the case. Hoffman was allegedly best friends with Brehmer, and she was chosen by the group as the victim, the documents say. Brehmer and McIntosh used Leyland’s pickup on June 2 to take Brehmer on a hike at Thunderbird Falls, a popular location about 32km north of Anchorage. German serial killer nurse gets life sentence for 85 hospital murders According to court papers, the group went off trail and followed a path to the bank of the Eklutna River, where Hoffman was bound, shot and thrown into the river. Officials said there was no indication Hoffman was sexually assaulted. Officials allege they destroyed some of Hoffman’s clothing, purse and mobile phone, and Brehmer texted Hoffman’s family to let them know they dropped her off at Polar Bear Park in Anchorage. Two days later, both Brehmer and McIntosh were interviewed. McIntosh was arrested, but Brehmer denied any involvement in the death. Police continued to investigate and interviewed her two days later after Snapchat video appeared, in which she appeared to confess, the documents say. “Brehmer ultimately admitted to being solicited by Schilmiller to commit the murder and that the murder was planned once she realised she had been catfished by Schilmiller,” the documents say. Catfishing is when a person creates a fake identity on a social network account to deceive a specific victim. Schilmiller admitted his role in the plot, saying he chose Hoffman as the victim and he told Brehmer to kill her, according to the court documents. ‘Psychopath’ serial killer and mentally disabled wife claim 20 murders in Mexico He also told officials Brehmer communicated with him throughout the murder, and sent Snapchat photographs and videos of Hoffman while bound and then after the murder. He also allegedly told authorities that he and Brehmer discussed killing another person, but the plan was abandoned, and he admitted to blackmailing Brehmer into raping people. Schilmiller and Brehmer were also indicted on federal child pornography and child exploitation charges. Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Bryan Schroder, the US Attorney in Alaska, warned that the case should serve as a warning to parents. “For all the good the internet can do, it can be a very dark place,” he said. “Parents would be wise to monitor the activity of their children online.” Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse

Cynthia Hoffman murder: Alaska teens in twisted plot were promised US$9 million online to film kill

Cynthia Hoffman was lured to a hiking trail northeast of Anchorage where she was bound with duct tape and shot once in the back of the head before being pushed into river First-degree murder and other charges have been laid out against six people in her death

Cynthia Hoffman was lured to a hiking trail northeast of Anchorage where she was bound with duct tape and shot once in the back of the head before being pushed into river

First-degree murder and other charges have been laid out against six people in her death