Press Release
Denali Brehmer Pleads Guilty to Murdering Cynthia Hoffman at Thunderbird Falls
February 15, 2023
(Anchorage, AK) – Today, 22-year-old Denali Brehmer pleaded guilty to murder in the first degree. Anchorage Superior Court Judge Andrew Peterson accepted Brehmer’s guilty plea.
The charges stem from the June 2, 2019, murder of 19-year-old Cynthia Hoffman near Thunderbird Falls in Chugiak, Alaska. Brehmer admitted the facts contained in the complaint initially filed in the case. The case was investigated by the Anchorage Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of multiple other State and federal law enforcement agencies.
The murder of Hoffman involved a group of three young adults who are accused of being “catfished” by an Indiana resident to commit the crime for money.
The court will determine Brehmer’s sentence at a hearing. There is no agreement between the parties regarding a specific term of imprisonment. Judge Peterson may sentence Brehmer to a term of imprisonment of no less than 30 years and no more than 99 years.
Sentencing is scheduled to begin Aug. 22, in front of Judge Peterson in Anchorage and is anticipated to last three days.
The charges of conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree, solicitation of murder in the first degree, tampering with physical evidence and two charges of murder in the second degree were dismissed.
Photo by Patty Sullivan: Left to right: Judicial Services Officer; Defendant Denali Brehmer; Defense Attorney Emily Cooper; Assistant District Attorney Patrick McKay, Jr., and Assistant District Attorney Whitney Bostick.
CONTACT: Anchorage Assistant District Attorney Patrick J. McKay, Jr., at (907) 269-6300 or patrick.mckay@alaska.gov.
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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at patty.sullivan@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.