Nearly two weeks after 19-year-old Cynthia Hoffman's body was found on the bank of a river, authorities say five friends and a man in another state orchestrated her murder. According to the Alaska Department of Law, Hoffman was shot in the back of the head on June 4. Five teenagers -- including two minors-- and a 21-year-old man have been charged in her death.
On Monday, an Anchorage grand jury indicted Darin Schilmiller, 21, on charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and two counts of second-degree murder.
Authorities say Schilmiller, of Indiana, posed as a millionaire and offered at least $9 million to his online girlfriend, Denali Brehmer, 18, to kill a teen in Alaska. WLKY, the CBS affiliate in Louisville, Kentucky, said Schilmiller asked Brehmer to send him pictures and videos of the crime.
According to court documents obtained by WLKY, Schilmiller also told Brehmer to sexually assault a child and a teenager.
The U.S. District Court unsealed a criminal complained in a child porn case against Schilmiller on Tuesday, according to the Anchorage Daily News. The outlet said videos and text messages implicate Brehmer in the sexual abuse of at least two girls.
The Daily News said it's not clear if Brehmer faces separate charges for the alleged child pornography and sexual abuse described in the complaint. The U.S. Attorney in Anchorage said the investigation is ongoing.
The Washington Post said Hoffman and Brehmer were reportedly best friends. The Post said authorities believe Brehmer, 18, orchestrated the teen's murder and recruited the four other teens to help.
The Post reported Hoffman's family said Hoffman had a developmental disability that "just made her want to have friends."
KTVA, the CBS affiliate in Anchorage, said the adult suspects are in the custody of the Department of Corrections and were arraigned Tuesday. According to law enforcement, the juveniles reportedly involved in the murder are also in custody, but officials did not provide an update on them.
Schilmiller will be extradited to Alaska to face charges.
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