He engages him. Bianca Devins' alleged killer is a 21-year-old micro-influencer named Brandon Andrew Clark, . The police didn't show Bianca's mother Kim the photo, but said they feared her daughter might be in danger. Did you think it was sincere at all? A very twisted need is being met by continuing to share these and trying to get these to Bianca's family. Women should ignore the abuse, they say. Clarks attorney, a local public defender, has declined to comment. Jericka Duncan: Did Bianca receive justice? He screams dramatically into the camera, you know, "Bianca, why did you make me do this" like it's her fault. He is evil. Officers and investigators needed to verify the condition of the female underneath the tarp, and as such, it was pulled back. Her suspected killer, Brandon Clark, 21, took photos of the crime and posted them online. EJ Dickson: She also had an active presence on 4chan, which is sort of on the darker side of the web I'd go on record to say 4chan is a dangerous place and it's also just an incredibly, incredibly misogynistic space. Source: Instagram/@escty. Frank Williams: It's part of his story, is to play, oh poor me. Now, tragically, #ripbianca. Updated Bianca Devins Instagram An upstate man allegedly slit the throat of a teenage social media influencer he was dating then posted a grisly photo of her lifeless body to Instagram. In response, some social media users led a grassroots effort to replace the death photos with messages of hope. In 2014, a 22-year-old self-identified incel went on a deadly rampage in Isla Vista, California, killing six people. Using a Bluetooth speaker, Clark had programmed his cell phone to play a particular song on repeat. So, you don't know that correct? Bianca Devins sister, Olivia Devins, confirmed on Instagram that Bianca was the victim of the Utica murder. On Monday, police identified the slain girl as Bianca Devins, of Utica, New York, and said that her alleged assailant, Brandon Clark, was being held on a second-degree murder charge. It was at this time that is believed that the male took self-photographs of himself laying across the deceased female. I keep checking her tagged photos on Instagram and theres a new one every five minutes, says Anna Russett, an influencer and creative consultant who estimates she has flagged between 10 and 15 accounts over the past 24 hours. (The corner of Parkway and Oneida) Everyone is welcome to bring candles. The photos have since been taken down from the suspects Instagram page, but have been reposted elsewhere. The man accused of killing Bianca Devins in July 2019 and posting . EJ Dickson: They did it to push the death photos down in the search results. KIM DEVINS [to officer]: It went right to voice mail. You were the best sister anyone couldve ever asked for. Instead of repeatedly sharing and it saving these sick pictures, you report them so they can be taken down. A gamer and online personality or "e-girl" who posted under the account @escty had been found . When I close my eyes, those images haunt me. Bianca Devins was a 17-year-old girl from Utica, New York, who was murdered on July 14 by a suspected killer who was possibly fueled by a jealous rage. Bianca always wanted to help someone. Det. This is real. How a tragic boating crash is connected to the family of Alex Murdaugh, Husband of woman murdered with an ax convicted 40 years after her death, Five deaths with a connection to Alex Murdaugh's family investigated, The Brighton ax murder: A timeline of the 40-year-old cold case. And he wasn't gonna let anybody have her. Once the images were eventually removed from Clark's Instagram page, they continued to recirculate as platforms struggled to keep up. Jericka Duncan: What were you thinking at that moment? Bianca Devins stepmother wrote on Facebook, Bianca was a lot of things to so many people. Quickly reported by viewers, Utica police in New York . The gruesome image, something . I didn't know where Bianca was. Social media is mourning the loss of bianca devins, 17, who was killed over the weekend. Responding officers placed Clark under arrest and found Bianca's body hidden under a tarp. Photos of her dead body have been heartlessly posted and reposted on social media after her alleged murderer Brandon Andrew Clark, who she'd met online, shared. Bianca Devins was a 17-year-old girl from Utica, New York, who was murdered. The horrific images of Bianca's murder that Clark had posted continued to spread on the internet, and a vile campaign of hate was brewing on social media. Steven Crimando: This is a form of psychological terrorism. Frank Williams: And that will go to a student who was going to follow Bianca's ambitions of helping [emotional] helping adolescents with mental health struggles like Bianca had. She had been through hell and back conquering her own mental illness and she won. ), Related Prosecutor Sarah DeMellier: What we see from there is the beginning of the homicide where Brandon reaches into the back. He then took a selfie and posted it to social media with the caption "Ashes to ashes.". It is believed that some sort of argument ensued at the venue that precipitated the following engagement between the two. Nancy Kramer is the executive editor. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. She was murdered on Sunday morning. Supporters gathered to sing "Puff the Magic Dragon," a song her grandfather Frank sang to Bianca as a child; a tradition she continued with her baby sister Maddie. It's heartbreaking. Steven Crimando: Incel is short for involuntary celibate. "Social media was a huge part of Bianca's life," says Kim Devins. Brandon Clark, the 21-year-old suspect in Bianca Devins murder, remains hospitalized in critical condition. !, She added, Imagine sitting there, in disbelief and praying to God that this is all some mistake and that your baby will walk through the door any minute. Where is she!? She wanted to continue her schooling so that she could help people, like her, whom no one else wanted to help. Police said Clark then called 911 on himself and made incriminating statements with respect to the homicide. Photos of Bianca Devins' body were posted to social media after her death. Not long afterwards, on a dirt road near. We just have to find her and we're going to get her help and she's going to be OK. As Bianca's family awaited news of her safety, police dispatch received a call. Bianca sought treatment, says her grandfather Frank Williams, and eventually returned to her role as a devoted big sister to Olivia and Maddy. And during cross examination prosecutor Michael Nolan demolished Clark's argument about his "supposed" legal knowledge. But Bianca's behavior was growing increasingly erratic. On July 13, 2019, she was brutally murdered. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time EJ Dickson: Bianca's family members were being targeted as a result of Bianca's death. Every time the photo was removed another one would appear in its place, says reporter EJ Dickson. #ripbianca., READ NEXT: 26-Year-Old Woman Murdered During Her Lunch Break, Bianca Devins: Photos of Utica Teens Body Posted on Instagram After Murder, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Jericka Duncan: Describe for me, where was Brandon? Though Clark did not identify as an incel, he was celebrated by this dark community for what he did to Bianca. So, no matter what she [Bianca] said, she was gonna wind up dead that night. And he hides it at the right side of of the car. He had the phone staged. That thinking changed when Brandon Clark, who had been out with Bianca the night she died, called 911. More evidence, investigators say, that this was not a crime of passion. When Rolling Stonenoted that a photo of Devins deceased with her tagged in it had been posted seven minutes ago and was clearly visible in her tagged feed, the spokesperson said, Were looking into the tagged photos now and will keep you posted., For now, it seems, Instagram is largely relying on good samaritans such as Russett and McMillan reporting the images, as well as people trying to flood Devins profile and hashtags memorializing her with images of puppies, kittens, and pastel pink clouds to block the gruesome images. The belief is that she kissed somebody at the concert and thats what upset him, Oneieda County District Attorney Scott McNamara told WKTV. Kim Devins: She really could just escape her own mental struggles, what was going on in her head and escape into, you know, a different world online. After attempting to injure himself, he laid down across a green in color tarp that was on the ground some distance away. Judy Tygard is the executive producer. The day after the murder of Bianca Devins, prosecutors Sarah DeMellier and Michael Nolan went down to the Utica Police Department. I will FOREVER have those images in my mind when I think of her. If she had just been able to get out of that car. Bianca Michelle Devins (October 2, 2001 - July 14, 2019) was an American teenager from Utica, New York, who was murdered by a male acquaintance, Brandon Andrew Clark, on July 14, 2019. Steven Crimando: The incel feels badly cheated to the point where it becomes just an obsessive thought that I need to strike back for the unfairness. She was murdered by Brandon Clark while attending a concert with him. EJ Dickson: So, Bianca's supporters tried to combat people trolling the hashtag by posting beautiful images of clouds, bunnies, ribbons or fan art of Bianca . Michael Curley: Brandon had this planned. Det. Even as investigators questioned what had happened after that and where nothing could have prepared them for what they would soon uncover. Bryan Coromato: When I arrived on scene, Brandon was actually just being wheeled out to the ambulance. Kim Devins: My last memory of Bianca is her full of life, so excited. Prosecutor Michael Nolan: [pointing to the list]: Set up speaker, and Last song? An image of Bianca's body first appeared on the social media platform Discord on July 14, 2019. And that's not all. Prosecutor Sarah DeMellier: We believe that when this relationship came to an end was when he was going to kill her. Bianca Devins, a 17-year-old social media influencer, was found dead on Sunday in upstate New York, police said. They left the venue and proceeded back to Utica sometime after 10:00PM. He had the video staged. It just didn't make sense that he would have hurt her. An officer pulled up, and he observes Brandon. Prosecutor Sarah DeMellier: Bianca appears to be sleeping. . Kim Devins: When Brandon came around, and he came around pretty often, he just looked like a goofy nerdy, boy next door. In addition to pushing for a new law in Bianca's name, her grandfather, Frank Williams, and mother Kim Devins announced a scholarship in her memory. Just before dawn, as they headed back to Utica, Clark made an ominous post on social media. Despite reports that Devins only met and knew her suspected killer online, Devins sister says Biancas family had also met him in real life and called the suspect a family friend. And in that post, he says, "Here comes Hell. Im deeply sorry something like this came from my family and my heart goes out for the family of the victim, but think about when his little sister and brothers find out what a disgusting thing hes done, and get blamed for it. Kim Devins: I was so confused. EJ Dickson: Unfortunately, extremely violent and disturbing images can circulate wildly on social media, and a lot of social media platforms don't have the infrastructure in place to prevent that from happening. Utica Police said they received numerous calls about 7:20 a.m. on Sunday, July 14, that led them to the crime scene. She worked as a model and was an e-girl, who frequently posted photos on Instagram and Tumblr about video games and anime. It seems like all of the reported posts are eventually taken down. The fact that her suspected killer, 21-year-old Brandon Clark who was charged with second degree murder took photos of Devins dead body and posted them on Instagram and Discord, made her death all the more horrific, as did the fact that both Clarks account and the images of her dead body were viewable for hours after they were initially posted. And I was honestly afraid to, like, leave my house. Prosecutor Sarah DeMellier: We see that he wakes Bianca up. We had to work backwards to figure out why this happened. Your prayers help to strengthen us through this difficult time. Bryan Coromato: People didn't know if it was real or not. Brandon Clark takes the stand at his trial for the murder of Bianca Devins. Bianca Devins, 17, was killed in Utica, New York, on Sunday. Police confirmed the photos were posted by Clark. He was just kind of like a normal one of these weird people, you know, one of these weird guys in the community. Put the knife down! I hate knowing youre not going to ever come back home. The influencer, who was 17 at the time, was murdered by Brandon Clark in July 2019 in his car after returning from a concert in New York City. OFFICER: Where's the girl!? Months later he took the stand to plead his case. Bianca Devins was murdered 2 years ago, and graphic images of her body circulated on social media. BRANDON CLARK: No, I'm not going to stay on the line with you. OFFICER [to Kim Devins]: He's not telling us where he is. The response to Bianca's murder by the incel community served as a wake-up call for friends like Elizabeth and other young women in their online world who realized they too could be targets. The. And then around 13, Bianca started showing signs of depression. Police said a sharp object was used in the killing, but did not provide any other details, saying the homicide remains under investigation. The 100 Best Albums of 2022. 4 "A very twisted need is being met by continuing to share these and trying to get these [images] to Bianca's family," he tells CBS News national correspondent Jericka Duncan. It's like 6 in the morning and I am currently editing this, but I just wanted to let you know that I am so funny. Brandon Clark, a Cicero native, appeared in court to be sentenced Tuesday morning after pleading guilty to second-degree murder more than a year ago. Bianca Devins, surrounded by hearts, in an image she posted on Instagram in May By Kelly-Leigh Cooper BBC News Like many other teenagers her age, Bianca Devins lived her life online. "He was also alluding to the fact that he was going to . "This is a collection of different communications received by Bianca's mom and obviously every one of them meant to be incredibly cruel and incredibly hurtful," behavioral scientist Steven Crimando, tells CBS News' Jericka Duncan. Prosecutor Sarah DeMellier: it wasn't just Bianca and Brandon, that in fact they were accompanied by another person, another guy. You will always remain in our hearts,we love you enormously and we will never forget you.This account is in her memory. One tweet that Russett says she flagged at 8:00 p.m. Monday night is still publicly available as of press time. "Social media was a huge part of Bianca's life," says Bianca's mother Kim Devins." Investigators learned that after Clark and Bianca left the concert, she texted Alex to say, " I think he saw me kiss you.". Kim Devins: I want Bianca to be remembered for her smile, for her bright spirit, for her huge caring heart. In fact, this violent rhetoric has led to murder. Brandon Clark, who had been out with Bianca Devins the night she died, called 911. Investigator Michael Curley: We learned that Brandon is meticulous in his categorization, itemization of things that he wants to do. He was then transported to St. Elizabeths Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. EJ Dickson: She was extremely prevalent on social media. Theyre kids.. And that's who Brandon is, he is a murderer. Clark was officially charged with second-degree murder and pleaded not guilty. This is a real issue, and we cannot ignore it., Rob Gavagan tweeted, Its disgusting how much harder women have it in relationships. @instagram literally reported an account that was posting pictures of #BiancaDevins AFTER she was murdered and this doesnt violate your guidelines??? Its just so wrong and I dont understand why people are reposting it, says MacMillan. Prosecutor Sarah DeMellier: And she basically says, "Are you ready to take me home yet?" And it's almost a Japanese dark version of "Romeo and Juliet" does he have some very skewed picture that his relationship with Bianca is a star-crossed lover scenario. Kim says there were no glaring red flags about Clark, so when Bianca told her mother he was taking her to that concert in New York City, Kim thought nothing of it. Friends have also said she was active in gaming and other online communities, including on gamer Discord chats and on 4Chan. Kim Devins: Bianca was very smart. Frank Williams [standing outside the courtroom post sentencing]: Our deepest thoughts now are with Bianca, our angel. Kim Devins: It's horrifying. Before sentencing, Clark changed his mind yet again and wanted to go to trial. Behavioral scientist Stephen Crimando believes the individuals most likely responsible for the attacks on Bianca's family belong to a community of online men called "incels.". She was young and beautiful and so full of live. Police said in a statement, On Sunday, July 14, 2019 at approximately 7:20AM Oneida County Dispatch received numerous calls informing them that a male individual had posted to a social media site that he had killed his girlfriend, and was threatening to harm himself. How about we have some f*cking consideration FOR HER!! MICHAEL NOLAN: And it was your intention to take this matter to trial? The judge also appeared unmoved by Clark's apology, and gave him the maximum sentence for murdering Bianca 25 years to life. Det. Bianca Devins . Since then, the intelligence community believes there have been more than a dozen mass killings in North America resulting in 50 deaths attributed to incel ideology. Police body cameras were rolling as officers arrived at 17-year-old Bianca Devins' home to perform a welfare check. In the days following Bianca's murder, downtown Utica was lit up in pink in her honor, and a candlelight vigil was held to celebrate her life. Online trolls also relentlessly sent her family the images along with cruel memes and hateful messages blaming Bianca for what happened. It's just not good enough for him. According to police, On Saturday July 13th, 2019 the two had planned to go to a concert together in New York City. The defense was considering an Extreme Emotional Disturbance defense, but authorities and Bianca's family were not buying it. Elizabeth: We all just assumed that he was making a joke and just trying to scare us or something. Jul 15, 2019 Putting this here to clear up some misinformation. But despite their relief, Bianca's family knows their fight may not be over. Kim Devins: I took a little comfort in knowing that she would be with Brandon 'cause I trusted him. "It actually furthers the physical crime.". The officer approached this male, and almost immediately, he began to stab himself in the neck with a knife. Family members and friends attend a candlelight vigil in memory of Bianca. Russett says there are steps that Instagram could potentially take to at least make it more difficult for people to do this, such as disabling Devins Instagram page from being tagged in other photos and videos. Just so wrong and I dont understand why people are reposting it, says MacMillan killing people! Police body cameras were rolling as officers arrived at 17-year-old Bianca Devins murdered. That Bianca was a huge part of his story, is to,! 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