Denali Dakota Skye Brehmer, an 18-year-old Alaskan, is serving a 99-year prison sentence for killing her “best friend” Cynthia “CeeCee” Hoffman in 2019 after allegedly being catfished by a man who offered her $9 million to commit the murder.
It began with a bizarre online scheme hatched by 21-year-old Darin Schilmiller from Indiana, who posed as a millionaire named “Tyler” on Snapchat and struck up a relationship with Brehmer. Schilmiller offered Brehmer millions of dollars via PayPal if she would rape and murder someone in Alaska. Desperate for the money, Brehmer agreed to the horrific plan.
On June 2, 2019, Brehmer lured the unsuspecting CeeCee, who was developmentally disabled, to a popular trail area near Anchorage under the pretense of going for a hike. Brehmer and her 16-year-old friend Kayden McIntosh then bound CeeCee with duct tape as part of a twisted plot to kill her and send proof to “Tyler.”
When the bound and gagged CeeCee began “freaking out” and threatened to call the police, McIntosh grabbed a gun and shot her in the back of the head, killing her. Brehmer later claimed she “just went along with it” because she panicked.
The teenagers then tried to cover up the murder by burning CeeCee’s belongings and the murder weapon. Brehmer even texted CeeCee’s sister to say they had dropped her off at a local park. But CeeCee’s body was found in the river the next day.
Investigators soon discovered Brehmer had been communicating with the fake “Tyler” millionaire throughout the killing, sending Snapchat photos and videos of the bound and murdered CeeCee. Schilmiller was later arrested and admitted he had targeted CeeCee after learning she and Brehmer had fought over a boy.
Brehmer was given the maximum 99-year sentence for her role in the shocking murder. Her friend Leyland was sentenced to 30 years, while McIntosh awaits his own sentencing.
