A 17-year-old, a recent high school graduate and a gamer, was found dead on Sunday with extensive injuries to her neck.
The suspect of her murder has also shared the graphic photos of her dead body online, the Utica Police Department said.
The victim is identified as Bianca Devins who grew her following across various apps where she shared her photos along with details about her life.
The department on Sunday said that around 7:20 am, the police responded to many 911 calls in Utica, New York, about a suicidal man who claimed to have killed a woman.
When officers arrived at the spot, the man then started to stab his neck with a knife, police said.
After that, the suspect then laid down on a cover on the ground. Police said the officer saw brown hair bulging from beneath the cover, and the suspect confirmed it belonged to the woman he said he injured.
Clark was immediately sent to the hospital and had emergency surgery, but was expected to survive, police said.
The police said in a statement that the dead body of Bianca Devins was found on Sunday underneath a tarp in Utica, New York after an officer come across the suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Clark.
The pair are said to meet two months ago on Instagram after which their relationship grew into a close one.
On Saturday night, the two attended a concert together in New York City, where they got into some sort of fight at the spot. After some time, they arrived in Utica in the early morning on Sunday, and went to a location on a dead-end street, as per to the statement.
Their argument then proceeded further until Clark used a large, black-handled knife to kill Bianca.
The case is now being investigated as murder as well as attempted suicide, Utica police Lt. Bryan Coronato said.
Police said that “it is believed that he took and distributed photographs of the killing on the Discord platform (a text and video chat app for gamers).”
There were several members of Discord who viewed the images and posts and immediately contacted the Utica Police Department.
A Discord spokesperson told a news agency, “We are shocked and deeply saddened by this terrible situation. We are working closely with law enforcement to provide any assistance we can. In the meantime, our hearts go out to Bianca’s family and loved ones,”
After Devins and Clark met on Instagram, their relationship turned into a “personally intimate” relationship, as per to the statement.
“They had spent time together, and were acquainted with each other’s families,” the statement read.
Devins’ family also commented on her death through the police, describing Bianca as “a talented artist” as well as “a wonderful young girl, taken from us all too soon.”
The family wrote, “Bianca’s smile brightened our lives. She will always be remembered as our Princess.”
City of Utica, NY Police Department released the statement from the Family of Bianca Devins on 15 July 2019. The statement reads, “We are very grateful for the outpouring of love and sympathy we have received from our Friends, Family, Bianca’s Friends, and the whole community. Your prayers help to strengthen us through this difficult time.
Bianca, age 17, was a talented artist, a loving sister, daughter, and cousin, and a wonderful young girl, taken from us all too soon. She is now looking down on us, as she joins her cat, Belle, in heaven. Bianca’s smile brightened our lives. She will always be remembered as our Princess.
Bianca graduated from T. R. Proctor High School this past June and was looking forward to attending MVCC in the fall.”
