Two 16-year-old murderers who compared their crime to the film Scream were found guilty after police recovered footage of them confessing.
Torey Adamcik and Brian Draper were dubbed the 'Scream killers' following the events that unfolded on the night of 22 September, 2006, when they entered the Idaho home where Cassie Jo Stoddart was staying to carry out a brutal killing.
The pair had bonded over their interest in films, with the 1996 horror Scream being among their favourites, and eventually they decided to make their own movie in which they planned to target their own classmates.
They filmed themselves plotting their first murder, with a transcript printed by Parkaman Magazine citing Draper saying: "We found our victim, and sad as it may be, she’s our friend, but you know what? We all have to make sacrifices."
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The pair declared they were going to go after Stoddart, who they knew was going to be house sitting for her relatives the following night.
In the footage, Draper said: “We’re gonna go down in history. We’re gonna be just like Scream except real life."
Stoddart invited Draper and Adamcik along with her boyfriend to the home to watch a film, but the two boys soon left with the claim they were going to go to the local cinema.
Before they left the home, one of the boys went to the basement to unlock the door, which they then used to sneak back into the house, this time dressed in dark clothes and white masks.
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When they knew Stoddart was alone, they went upstairs and stabbed her approximately 30 times before fleeing the scene.
Afterwards, Draper was filmed describing how he'd 'stabbed' Stoddart.
The pair were interviewed after Stoddart's boyfriend told police they were among the last people to see her alive, and when they failed to describe the plot of the film they'd allegedly seen at the cinema, they broke down.
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Draper reportedly told police the killing was supposed to be a joke, and blamed Adamcik for starting to stab Stoddart.
He then led police to the location were the teens had disposed of their clothes, weapons and camera.
They had attempted to burn the footage which proved their involvement, but investigators were able to recover the video and use it as evidence to charge the teens with murder.
Despite only being 16, both Draper and Adamcik were charged as adults and found guilty of homicide and conspiracy to commit murder.
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They were both sentenced to life in prison.
Topics: Crime, True crime, US News
Emily Brown