A New York man accused of killing 17-year-old Bianca Devins and posting photos of her dead body online has pleaded not guilty to her murder.
Brandon Clark, 21, pleaded not guilty on Monday to a felony charge of second-degree murder in the teen’s gruesome death earlier this month, according to The Associated Press. Bianca’s family and friends reportedly attended the hearing in an Oneida County courtroom.
Police said Bianca and Clark, both from the Utica area, got into an argument while attending a concert in New York City the night of July 14. The two knew each other in real life, according to friends and family, but were also in a chatroom with others on Discord, an encrypted messaging app for gamers.
Prosecutors and police allege Clark used a large knife to slash Bianca’s neck in Utica early the next morning, then stabbed himself in the neck and took selfies while lying on the tarp covering her body near the car as police approached. Clark underwent surgery for his injuries and is now being held at Oneida County Jail, police told HuffPost.
Images of Bianca’s death were posted on a Discord account with a username associated with Clark, and the 21-year-old allegedly also posted them on his personal social media accounts, leading to the graphic photos being shared on multiple social media platforms. Sources who knew both Bianca and Clark told HuffPost that Clark posted photos of the teen’s body on his Snapchat and Instagram accounts.
Police have not yet declared a motive in the killing, though HuffPost’s review of chat logs and interviews with friends show that Bianca told a friend the night of the concert that Clark grew angry after she kissed another man she was interested in while Clark was there.
Devins graduated from Thomas R. Proctor High School and planned to study psychology at Mohawk Valley Community College in the fall so she could help adolescents with mental illnesses, according to an online obituary.
Clark’s lawyer declined to publicly discuss the case’s details to the AP and said that the investigation is continuing. Discord previously said the app is cooperating in the investigation.
If you, or someone you know, is in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. If you are not in immediate danger, you can contact:
- The Freephone 24 hour National Domestic Violence Helpline (run in partnership by Women’s Aid and Refuge): 0808 2000 247
- In Scotland, contact Scotland’s 24 hour Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline: 0800 027 1234
- In Northern Ireland, contact the 24 hour Domestic & Sexual Violence Helpline: 0808 802 1414
- In Wales, contact the 24 hour Life Fear Free Helpline on 0808 80 10 800.
- National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0800 999 5428
- Men’s Advice Line: 0808 801 0327
- Respect helpline (for anyone worried about their own behaviour): 0808 802 0321