An online stranger promised her millions of dollars. All he wanted in return was proof that she'd killed someone. She chose her best friend.
The Online Scheme
In 2019, 18-year-old Denali Brehmer of Anchorage, Alaska, began an online relationship with someone using the name "Tyler," who claimed to live in Kansas. In reality, investigators later determined, the person behind the account was Darin Schilmiller, a 21-year-old man from Indiana. Schilmiller offered Brehmer millions of dollars in exchange for her committing a murder and documenting it with photos and video. Schilmiller separately directed Brehmer to commit additional crimes involving minors, which became part of the resulting charges against her; we are not detailing those further.
The Murder
Brehmer recruited several others, including two minors, to help plan and carry out the killing, choosing her close friend, 19-year-old Cynthia Hoffman, as the victim. On June 2, 2019, Brehmer and an accomplice brought Hoffman to a trail near the Eklutna River, where Hoffman was restrained and killed. Brehmer photographed and recorded parts of the crime to send to "Tyler," then sent a false text message to Hoffman's family claiming she had dropped Hoffman off safely, and destroyed some of Hoffman's belongings.
The Investigation
Hoffman was reported missing the next day, and her body was found on June 4, 2019. A search of Brehmer's phone during the investigation uncovered evidence tying her to "Tyler" and to Schilmiller, ultimately identifying him as the person who had orchestrated the plot. All individuals involved, including Brehmer and her accomplices, were charged, several with first-degree murder.
Convictions
In February 2023, Denali Brehmer pleaded guilty to first-degree murder.
FAQ
Why did Denali Brehmer kill her friend?
She had been manipulated by an online predator who promised her millions of dollars in exchange for murdering someone and documenting it.
Who was "Tyler"?
Darin Schilmiller, a 21-year-old man from Indiana who had built a fake online identity to manipulate Brehmer.
What happened to Denali Brehmer?
She pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in February 2023.