Man accused of fatally stabbing teen after NYC concert, posting pictures of her body online
ALBANY, N.Y. — A man who began stabbing himself in the neck when approached by an officer is accused of killing a 17-year-old girl and posting photos of the homicide online, police said Monday.
Bianca Devins’ body was found Sunday underneath a tarp in Utica, New York, after an officer encountered the suspect, 21-year-old Brandon Clark, police said in a statement.
Clark had emergency surgery but is expected to survive, police said.
The two attended a concert together Saturday night in New York City, where they got into some sort of argument at the venue. They arrived in Utica sometime in the early morning hours Sunday and went to a location on a dead-end street, according to the statement.
The argument “progressed” until Clark used a large, black handled knife to kill the teenager, the statement reads.
The case is being investigated as a murder and attempted suicide, Utica police Lt. Bryan Coromato said.
Investigators believe the man posted pictures of the girl’s body online, where at least one of them was widely circulated, Coromato said.
Devins and Clark met on Instagram about two months ago, which turned into a “personally intimate” relationship, according to the statement.
“They had spent time together, and were acquainted with each other’s families,” the statement reads.
Devins’ family commented on her death through the police, describing the teen as “a talented artist” and “a wonderful young girl, taken from us all too soon.”
“Bianca’s smile brightened our lives,” the family wrote. “She will always be remembered as our Princess.”
The family statement said Devins graduated from high school last month and looked forward to attending a community college in the fall.
Her death sparked a wave of attention and disgust online. Some internet users urged others to stop circulating the images.
The Utica City School District issued a statement saying they “share our deepest heartfelt condolences with her family and loved ones.”
Photo Credit: Family Handout