Anchorage, AK – An Alaska man who pulled the trigger in a shocking 2019 catfishing murder plot will spend most of his life in prison after a judge handed down a severe sentence that closes one of the state’s most disturbing criminal cases.
Kayden McIntosh, now 22, was sentenced to 85 years with 15 suspended, ensuring he will serve 70 years behind bars for killing 19-year-old Cynthia Hoffman after he was duped into believing he would receive $9 million for the murder.
Details of the Sentencing
During Friday’s hearing, Anchorage Superior Court Judge Andrew Peterson emphasized that the killing was planned, deliberate, and devoid of impulse.
“There was no rash or spontaneous decision or action in this case… but rather a cold, calculated murder,” the judge said.
McIntosh pleaded guilty last year to second-degree murder, a charge that carried a sentencing range of 30 to 85 years. The victim’s family had hoped for the maximum but said the sentence ultimately delivered justice.
“He’s going to be an old man when he gets out,” said Hoffman’s uncle Don Hoffman.
How a Catfish Orchestrated a Killing
At the center of the conspiracy was Darin Schilmiller, now 27, who posed online as a wealthy man named “Tyler.” Schilmiller promised Denali Dakota Skye Brehmer, then 18, a staggering $9 million if she kidnapped and murdered Hoffman and sent him photographic proof.
In reality, Schilmiller lived unemployed in his grandparents’ basement in Indiana.
He is serving 99 years for solicitation to commit murder and a related federal charge involving child sexual abuse material.
The Events Leading to Hoffman’s Death
Prosecutors said Brehmer, who Hoffman believed was her best friend, lured her on a hike near Thunderbird Falls on June 2, 2019.
There:
- Hoffman was bound with duct tape
- McIntosh shot her once in the head
- Her body was thrown into the river
Investigators said McIntosh confessed early on, claiming he “blacked out” during the killing but remembered pulling the trigger.
Other Defendants and Their Sentences
McIntosh was the last of six defendants to be sentenced. Others include:
- Denali Brehmer, who pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and received 99 years
- Caleb Allen Russell Leyland, now 26, who supplied the vehicle and was sentenced to 40 years with 10 suspended
- Two additional defendants went through the juvenile system
Prosecutors said Leyland was motivated by the promise of $500,000 from the same nonexistent payout that Schilmiller dangled before the group.
“He gave that assistance knowing what’s going to happen,” Assistant District Attorney Patrick McKay said. “This was a premeditated contract killing.”
Family’s Grief and a Second Tragedy
The Hoffman family delivered emotional victim statements during sentencing.
In a tragic coincidence, Cynthia’s father died in a motorcycle accident on June 2, 2024 — exactly five years after his daughter’s murder.
“My niece’s life’s been taken, her father followed five years later… he died of a broken heart,” said uncle Robert Hoffman.
Defendant Apologies and Courtroom Reflections
Both McIntosh and Leyland apologised in court, acknowledging they could never undo their actions.
McIntosh addressed the victim’s family directly:
“I know that doesn’t cut it. I don’t expect you to forgive me. I’m trying to take accountability for this.”
Leyland also expressed remorse, saying he wished he could reverse his decisions and prevent the killing.
A Case That Shook Alaska
The Hoffman case captured national attention due to its unusual blend of manipulation, greed, and online deception. What began as a fake online persona escalated into a contract killing, driven by vulnerable teenagers who believed they were participating in a multimillion-dollar murder-for-hire scheme.
The sentencing of McIntosh brings a final conclusion to the criminal proceedings, but the emotional toll for those involved — especially the Hoffman family — remains immeasurable.
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