16-Year-Old Charged with Murdering 19-Year-Old Cynthia Hoffman at Thunderbird Falls

A 16-year-old teen has been taken into custody and charged with Murder I and Evidence Tampering in the death of 19-year-old Cynthia Hoffman, who was reported missing by her family on Monday morning.

The family received information that would ultimately prove to be false, that Hoffman had been seen at the Polar Bear Playground at Russian Jack Springs at approximately 4 pm wearing “wearing blue jeans, a hoodie, and tennis shoes,” APD revealed.

According to the report, the family received a text from Hoffman’s phone reporting that she had just been dropped Hoffman off at the park. Brehmer continued texting Hoffman’s father in a series of tweets, saying:

“Is she okay?”
“I hope she comes home safely she’s my best friend”
“I’m starting to get worried”

“I don’t trust what she said about that guy…. I love her too I want the best for her and want her to come back”
“She won’t answer me”
“I think she’s ignoring everyone”

“I know she will come home safe”

Brehmer sent these texts all the while knowing Hoffman was already dead.

The family utilized that information in the missing persons filing. That information they would find was planted to throw police off track.


But, that female, now identified as Denali Brehmer, would later tell a family member that Hoffman may have been shot and pushed into the river. That family member was interviewed by police on Monday and said that they had not seen Brehmer since that time and had no further information.

On Tuesday, police made contact with Brehmer and the 16-year-old teen who APD identified as 16-year-old Kayden Mcintosh. During the interviews, APD would discover the circumstances in the case.

See also  Reps. Huffman, Schiff Introduce Bill to Address Crisis of Missing & Murdered Indigenous People, Promote Communication Between Tribal & State/Local Law Enforcement

They found that Hoffman, Brehmer, and Mcintosh went to the Thunderbird Falls Trail and went to the riverbank where Hoffman’s belongings were taken from her and she was bound with duct tape. Brehmer had held a gun to Hoffman’s head before Mcintosh took the 9mm pistol from her and shot Hoffman.

At some point, Hoffman was shot in the back of the head by Mcintosh and her body was pushed from the bank and into the river, APD found. After the murder, Mcintosh and Brehmer drove to the Polar Bear Park where they texted the family and told them that she had been dropped off at the park then drove to the Lions Park where they burned the victim’s belongings.

Now knowing that the Polar Bear Park location was fake, responded to the Thunderbird Falls Trail where they located Hoffman’s remains along the riverbank.

After the interview, Brehmer was released while Mcintosh was arrested on Murder I and Evidence Tampering charges.

APD says that more charges are possible as the investigation progresses.