The Indiana man who catfished and manipulated a group of Alaska teenagers in 2019 into murdering a vulnerable young woman was sentenced to 99 years in prison on Thursday.
Twenty-five-year-old Darin Schilmiller of Indiana won’t be eligible for parole until he’s served 45 years. Schilmiller pleaded guilty in August to soliciting the murder of 19-year-old Cynthia Hoffman.
Superior Court Judge Andrew Peterson said he reviewed hundreds of pages of evidence that included Schilmiller’s electronic communications with his co-defendant, as well as photos and video the offenders shot, and police interviews. The judge summarized Schilmiller’s actions like this:
“This was intentional, premeditated murder for hire,” Peterson said. “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 said Schilmiller’s actions were shocking, beyond comprehension and showed a total lack of humanity, care and compassion.
Schilmiller and the Alaskan teens’ crimes were not limited to the murder of Hoffman, who had an intellectual disability. Schilmiller is also awaiting sentencing on related federal charges for conspiracy to create child pornography.
Timothy Hoffman is the victim’s father. He made two brief, crude statements to Schilmiller as he was escorted out of the courtroom. Hoffman described himself as a believer in Jesus and forgiveness, but couldn’t bring himself to forgive in this case.
“One down, five to go,” he told reporters afterward, referring to other then-teenagers involved.
One of them, Denali Brehmer, now 23, had been scheduled for sentencing this week, but that has been delayed and currently set for mid-February.
Another, Caleb Leyland, now 24, is scheduled for sentencing June 10. Kayden McIntosh, now 20, has a case pending trial. And two others are in the juvenile justice system, which is not public.
Jeremy Hsieh covers Anchorage with an emphasis on housing, homelessness, infrastructure and development. Reach him at jhsieh@alaskapublic.org or 907-550-8428. Read more about Jeremy here.
