An Alaskan teen lured her best friend to a wooded area June 2 and shot her in the back of the head at the orders of a man online who said he’d pay $9 million.
According to CNN, Denali Brehmer developed a relationship with Darin Schilmilller, 21, who went by the alias “Tyler.” The Indiana resident reportedly told Brehmer he was a millionaire and would pay her if she killed her friend Cynthia Hoffman and provided video proof of the murder.
Brehmer, 18 and Schilmiller mapped out a plan to rape and murder the 19-year-old victim who also had a learning disability.
On the day in question, Brehmer enlisted the help of Kayden McIntosh, 16 and Caleb Leyland, 19 and two unidentified juveniles. Brehmer deceived Hoffman and said the two would go hiking in Thunderbird Falls. Using a car Leyland borrowed, upon arriving at the wooded location Hoffman’s hands and feet were bound with duct tape as well as her mouth and head.
According to reports, McIntosh used Brehmer’s gun and shot Hoffman once in the back of the head. Her body was placed in the Eklutna River and found June 4.
Phone records prove Brehmer sent videos to Schilmiller as instructed.
Brehmer, McIntosh, and Leyland are all in police custody as well as the two minors. Schilmiller will be arraigned once he’s extradited to Alaska as he’s currently in federal custody for child pornography charges.
Court document outline Schilmiller also instructed Brehmer to sexually assault an 8 or 9-year-old, and a 15-year-old and send videos. Brehmer told authorities she did. The video of the teen was found by law enforcement.
All six defendants face first-degree murder, first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, and two counts of second-degree murder and other charges.
