She killed her ‘best friend’ after being provided $9M by a person she met on-line in a weird catfishing scheme | EUROtoday

Tempted by the false promise of $9 million by a person she met on-line, Denali Dakota Skye Brehmer lured her so-called greatest good friend into the Alaskan wilderness the place {the teenager} was sure with duct tape and shot within the head as a part of a brutal homicide plot.

What started with a weird on-line catfishing scheme, ended within the loss of life of Cynthia “CeeCee ” Hoffman, 19, who was developmentally disabled.

A person from Indiana, Darin Schilmiller, then 21, posed as a millionaire from Kansas referred to as  “Tyler” on Snapchat.  He struck up a relationship with Brehmer, who was 18 years previous on the time, and provided to ship her hundreds of thousands of {dollars} by way of PayPal for the “rape and murder of someone in Alaska”.

Brehmer agreed. She enlisted different pals into the plot after which on June 2, 2019, they carried out the homicide of CeeCee close to Thunderbird Falls, a preferred path space simply north of Anchorage. Her loss of life was captured in pictures and video that have been despatched again to “Tyler” on Snapchat as proof.

In February 2023, Brehmer pleaded responsible to first-degree homicide. Her pals have been additionally charged within the homicide: 16-year-old Kayden McIntosh pulled the set off, and 19-year-old Caleb Leyland, who supplied the car to hold out the plot.

Now, for the primary time, Brehmer is talking publicly concerning the homicide within the third episode “Catfishing for Murder” of Court TV’s new restricted sequence Interview With a Killer.

“I’ve already admitted guilt so now I’m ready to fully take responsibility for what I’ve done,” Brehmer says within the interview on the Hiland Mountain Correctional Center.

But as she’s confronted about what occurred that fateful day, her story begins to vary.

Brehmer acknowledges that the homicide was considerably premeditated, however then blames it on panic when a sure and gagged CeeCee started “freaking out” about going to the cops which led to McIntosh grabbing the gun.

“I just went along with it,” Brehmer says calmly within the interview. “Because… problem solved, right?”

A catfish homicide

On June 2, 2019, CeeCee – who considered Brehmer as a greatest good friend – was invited to Thunderbird Falls for what was alleged to be a hike. Brehmer later stated within the interview {that a} “hike” meant they have been going off to get excessive.

Brehmer and McIntosh, who have been the final two individuals to ever see CeeCee alive, have been hanging out along with her within the woods when the “three of them agreed to duct tape each other and take photographs,” McIntosh advised detectives, in response to the felony grievance. It’s unclear why they determined to do that.

But then CeeCee, whose wrists and ft have been sure with duct tape, which additionally lined her mouth, “started panicking,” in response to the grievance.

When they eliminated the duct tape from CeeCee’s mouth, she advised them she was going to name the police and inform them that they’d kidnapped her and sexually assaulted her, in response to the grievance.

McIntosh then grabbed the 9mm gun that Brehmer had in her hand and shot CeeCee behind the pinnacle, he advised police.

Brehmer advised police on the time that she noticed CeeCee twitching earlier than McIntosh pushed her physique into the river, in response to the grievance.

But within the new interview with Court TV, Brehmer stated the capturing occurred very abruptly as a result of they’d panicked when CeeCee threatened to name the police, regardless of not having her telephone along with her as a result of McIntosh had already taken it.

Brehmer and McIntosh then tried to cowl up CeeCee’s loss of life by burning her clothes, purse and mobile phone, together with the gun, in response to the grievance.

McIntosh then instructed Brehmer to textual content CeeCee’s sister and inform them they’d dropped her off at an area park. Brehmer advised police that she did as she was advised as a result of she was frightened of McIntosh.

CeeCee’s sure physique was discovered within the river on June 4, a day after she was reported lacking.

The faux millionaire who supposedly inspired homicide

Three weeks earlier than CeeCee was killed, Brehmer and “Tyler,” who met on Snapchat, started speaking on the app about their plans to rape and homicide somebody in Alaska.

The Anchorage Police Department later realized that “Tyler” was really Darin Schilmiller of Indiana who had posed because the millionaire on-line with faux photos as a part of the catfishing scheme through which he provided to pay Brehmer “$9 million or more to commit the murder and send him videos and/or photographs of the murder,” in response to a press release launched on the time.

Brehmer requested a few of her pals to assist and provided them an unknown quantity of the so-called prize cash for his or her half within the planning of the homicide, in response to police.

Police stated Schilmiller later admitted to concentrating on CeeCee after he realized that she and Brehmer had gotten right into a battle over a boy.

“Initially, when we all came up with it, I agreed and said yeah because I was mad at her and she was mad at me and I was just over her s***,” Brehmer says within the interview concerning the battle they’d over a boy named Zack. “I wanted to make amends, I did want to make amends but she needed payback for what she did with Zack.”

When requested within the documentary if she deserved payback along with her life, a defeated Brehmer sighs  and says, “no,” including “that’s on me.”

Brehmer was finally arrested, and as soon as she realized she had been catfished or tricked by Schilmiller, in any other case often known as “Tyler,” she advised authorities that she had been solicited by him.

She was given the utmost sentence for her position within the killing, in response to the Alaska Department of Law.

“She may not have pulled the trigger, but this never would have happened it if it weren’t for [her]” Patrick McKay, Anchorage assistant district lawyer, stated of Brehmer throughout sentencing.

“She executed Cynthia Hoffman in a murder-for-hire plot. She conspired with numerous other individuals in and outside of Alaska, including juveniles, forever altering everybody’s life.”

Schilmiller, who posed as “Tyler” on-line, was additionally sentenced to 99 years in jail for his position within the homicide.

He admitted to federal brokers and the Indiana State Police he selected CeeCee  because the sufferer after he heard concerning the battle and advised Brehmer to kill her, courtroom paperwork stated.

He stated Brehmer communicated with him all through the killing and despatched Snapchat pictures and movies of CeeCee whereas sure and after she was killed.

Prosecutors stated that Schilmiller had additionally solicited Brehmer to attempt to acquire youngster pornography, which led to federal expenses in opposition to Brehmer.

Leyland pleaded responsible to second-degree homicide in November 2023 and in August 2024, he was sentenced to 30 years in jail.

McIntosh, who was 16 on the time, was charged with homicide for capturing CeeCee within the head. His sentencing is about for November 14.

Another tragic loss of life

Every 12 months on the anniversary of CeeCee’s loss of life, her father had organized a celebration bike journey.

Timothy Hoffman, 58, was one of many individuals on the two June occasion this 12 months as family and friends gathered to recollect CeeCee. However, he misplaced management of his bike and was killed within the crash.

That journey was the primary time his spouse, CeeCee’s mom Barbara “Jeanie” Hoffman, had gone with him to the memotial occasion.

She survived the crash however has endured a number of surgical procedures after struggling a fractured cranium, damaged again, and damaged bones, a member of the family advised the Anchorage Daily News.

The Hoffman household has seen their share of tragedies, however Hoffman’s brother Donald Hoffman Jr has vowed to proceed to seek for justice for CeeCee.

In an interview with Court TV, he says that Brehmer doesn’t should ever get out of jail.

“As much as you guide your children, there are a lot of unsavory people in the world. We see the end result. My niece is not here no more. She’s dead, shot in the back of the head,” he stated. “And for what? She was led there, she went willingly, thinking this was all a game. It’s just like the wolf leading the lamb to the slaughter.”

“I think she has no conscience,” he added about Brehmer. “She’s evil. She murdered my niece without blinking an eye. And if she could’ve gotten away with it, she would’ve.”

Interview With a Killer airs Sunday nights at 8 pm ET on Court TV.