Midwest
Teen killed in 'catfish' murder-for-hire plot planned by 'worst offender' seeking videos of death, child porn
WARNING: DISTURBING CONTENT
The mastermind of a vicious “catfish” murder-for-hire scheme that baited teens into “assassinating” a “vulnerable” 19-year-old woman cried in court when the judge sentenced him to 99 years in prison.
Darin Schilmiller faced five to 99 years in prison, but his waterworks didn’t faze Alaska Superior Court Judge Andrew Peterson, who opted for the harshest punishment because he’s “a worst offender.”
“You plotted with other co-defendants to kill somebody you never met, for no reason other than the sheer thrill of controlling others and seeing it be done,” Peterson told Schilmiller during last week’s sentencing for Cynthia “CeeCee” Hoffman’s murder.
“One down,” Hoffman’s dad, Timothy Hoffman, said after the sentencing, according to “Inside Edition.”
ALASKAN TEENS CHARGED WITH MURDER AFTER PHONY MULTI-MILLIONAIRE OFFERS $9M FOR PROOF OF SLAYING
Cynthia Hoffman, 19, was killed in 2019 as part of a “catfish” murder-for-hire plot in which an Indiana man dangled fake millions for a video of someone’s murder. Alaskan teens took the bait. (Family handout)
Schilmiller was a 19-year-old Indiana resident in 2019 when he concocted his twisted plot to get videos of child pornography and a “real-life” murder, according to court filings.
He posed as a 20-year-old, handsome Kansas man named “Tyler,” used a bogus picture online and offered to pay millions of dollars to whoever sent him these videos, court documents say.
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Police said a group of Alaska teens took the bait and pretended to befriend Hoffman, who was described as vulnerable and developmentally disabled, and took her on a nature hike in rural Anchorage, Alaska, “Inside Edition” reported.
That’s where they bound her arms and legs with duct tape, shot her in the back of the head and pushed her body in a creek, according to court documents.
Then they burned all her belongings, including her clothes and ID.
Darin Schilmiller, now 25 (far left in yellow), was sentenced to 99 years in prison. (Patty Sullivan/Alaska Department of Law)
Hoffman’s father remembered how happy his daughter was the day the murderous group’s ringleader, Denali Brehmer, pretended to be her best friend.
“She came home and bragged, ‘Dad, I finally have a friend,” he testified through tears.
Brehmer, now 23, pleaded guilty last February to first-degree murder and admitted to coordinating “CeeCee’s” death, according to court filings.
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Brehmer and Hoffman went into the wooded area in rural Anchorage with Caleb Leyland, now 24, and Kayden McIntosh, now 20, who were all charged in Hoffman’s murder.
Leyland pleaded guilty in November to second-degree murder, and McIntosh, who allegedly pulled the trigger, pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
Brehmer’s sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 12, and Leyland’s sentencing is scheduled for June 10. McIntosh’s trial date hasn’t been set yet.
Denali Brehmer, 18, Kayden McIntosh, 16, Caleb Leyland, 19, and two other unnamed juveniles were arraigned in the June 2, 2019, slaying of 19-year-old Cynthia Hoffman. (Bill Roth/Anchorage Daily News via AP)
Anchorage police Detective Leonard Torres testified that Brehmer was the “main perpetrator” during his testimony, according to “Inside Edition.”
She was “the one that was able to come up with the plan and manipulate everybody else into following it,” he said.
The disturbing plot that started it all
Before any of the Alaskan teens entered the picture, there was Schilmiller and his sickening plot “for thrills” and an urge to satisfy a sexual fetish, federal court documents say.
He offered Brehmer make-believe millions of dollars that he claimed he won in the lottery to film sexual assaults of girls – one who was 8 or 9 years old at the time, and the other victim was 15.
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Schilmiller gave specific instructions to Brehmer on what he wanted and how to pose the victims in text exchanges, which were detailed in the court documents (but not included in this report due to the graphic nature).
The child pornography aspect of the case was handled by the FBI and federal prosecutors, in conjunction with Anchorage police, because the crime crossed over several state lines.
During the investigation into Hoffman’s murder, investigators uncovered texts as well as the pictures and videos of the underage victims in June 2019.
That quickly led to Schilmiller’s and Brehmer’s arrests, which were announced by the FBI’s Anchorage 0ffice on June 19, 2019.
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Minneapolis, MN
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What exactly is a data center and why are so many being proposed across Minnesota? Professor Manjeet Rege, chair of Software Engineering and Data Science and director of the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence at the University of St. Thomas, joins us to explain how these massive facilities store and process the world’s data and what the economic, environmental, and infrastructure questions are as Minnesota considers hosting more of them.
Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis Colts’ Best and Worst Free-Agent Signings of Last Decade
The Indianapolis Colts under general manager Chris Ballard have generally been extremely cautious in free agency. They rarely bring in outside playmakers, a strategy that hasn’t paid off over the past decade.
Still, since 2017, Indianapolis has made several impactful outside additions. Some have paid off handsomely, and others have fallen flat. Let’s take a look at Indy’s best and worst signings over the past decade.
Best Signings
DE Justin Houston
Houston signed with the Colts as a free agent in March 2019 on a two-year, $24 million contract after eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he established himself as one of the league’s premier pass rushers.
Houston is the last Colts pass rusher to record double-digit sacks, doing so in 2019 (11 sacks).
QB Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones played better football than any Colts quarterback since Philip Rivers in 2020. He certainly was worth his $17 million price tag, and it’s fair to say he was one of the best Colts free agent signings of the Chris Ballard era.
Jones was transition tagged by the Colts earlier this week, becoming the second quarterback in NFL history to be placed under the transition tag.
QB Philip Rivers
Speaking of Rivers, he deserves a spot on this list. In his 2020 campaign, Rivers threw for 4,169 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He led the Colts to their last playoff appearance and nearly upset the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
TE Eric Ebron
Miami Dolphins At Indianapolis Colts In Nfl Week 10 At Lucas Oil Stadium In Indianapolis Sunday Nov 10 2019 | Jenna Watson/IndyStar, Indianapolis Star via Imagn Content Services, LLC
Ebron struggled with drops throughout his career, but his one season paired with Andrew Luck was special. In 2018, Ebron hauled in 66 receptions for 750 yards and 13 touchdowns. Each of those numbers was a career high.
In 2019, Ebron’s production fell off a cliff. He only caught 31 passes for 375 yards and three touchdowns from Jacoby Brissett and Brian Hoyer. Still, Ebron deserves recognition for his one decent year in Indy.
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Worst Signings
CB Xavien Howard
Howard was brought in weeks before the 2025 season, and after a month in Indy, he abruptly retired. The former All-Pro corner struggled mightily during his brief Colts tenure. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed a 139.2 passer rating and 16 receptions while earning a 36.1 overall grade.
Once Puka Nacua went for 13 receptions and 170 yards while matched up against Howard, the 10-year veteran knew it was time to hang up the cleats for good.
K Matt Gay
Ballard rarely gives out money, but in 2023, he thought it would be wise to sign Matt Gay to the largest free-agent kicker contract of all time (four years, $22.5 million). Gay stayed for two seasons before the team cut him last spring.
During his time in Indianapolis, Gay converted 82.1% of his field goal attempts (64 of 78). When kicking from 50 yards and beyond, Gay had a 50% success rate (11 of 22).
DT Raekwon Davis
The Colts signed Davis as a cheap depth piece at defensive tackle, but he never truly became anything special. He appeared in 17 games in 2024, recording 15 total tackles.
The Colts gave Davis a two-year, $14 million deal only to cut him before his second season in Indy.
WR Devin Funchess
Ballard signed Funchess to a one-year deal worth up to $13 million back in 2019, months before Luck retired. Funchess missed most of the season with a broken collarbone that he suffered in Week 1 after hauling in three receptions for 32 yards.
Funchess’s lack of success in Indy wasn’t his fault, but it was another signing down the drain for Ballard’s front office.
Cleveland, OH
Medical examiner releases new details about bodies of 2 young girls found in suitcases near Cleveland school
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner released new information about the bodies of two young girls found in suitcases in Cleveland’s South Collinwood neighborhood.
On Wednesday morning, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner confirmed through DNA that the two girls are half-siblings.
At this time, they have not been positively identified, and no further information is available while the investigation is ongoing.
In a news conference on Tuesday, Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd confirmed the bodies of two young girls were found in suitcases on the city’s East Side on Monday evening.
Cleveland police were called just after 6 p.m. to a field in the area of East 163rd and Midland Avenue for a suspected dead body.
According to police sources, a man was walking his dog in the area, for the first time in a while, due to the snow, and the dog hit on the scent.
The man immediately called 911.
“The officers responded out and located a deceased individual that was in a shallow grave inside of a suitcase,” said Chief Todd.
When officers and homicide detectives got to the scene, Todd said they found the second body nearby.
According to the chief, both suitcases were partially buried in shallow graves. She said the victims had been there quite some time.
“It is traumatic for everyone. It is traumatic for those who live in the area to know that this was right there at their doorstep,” said Todd.
Authorities said one victim is believed to be 8-and-a-half to 13 years old and the other is believed to be 10-and-a-half to 14 years old.
“Locally, we have no reports of missing children to match these identifications. We are checking statewide as well. We have assistance from our state, federal and local partners,” said Todd.
Detectives are checking with state and federal partners as well.
This crime scene is located near Ginn Academy in the city’s South Collinwood neighborhood.
Police said the investigation remains in its very early stages and there is no indication of an ongoing threat to public safety.
If anyone has any information, they are asked to call the Cleveland Police Homicide Unit at 216-623-5464.
Tips can remain anonymous.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.
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