Kriti Mehrotra
CBS’ ’48 Hours: The Online Life & Death of Bianca Devins’ is a special that explores the horrific 2019 homicide of 17-year-old Bianca Michelle Devins at the hands of a man she considered a friend. Unfortunately, not only did the then-21-year-old Brandon Andrew Clark nearly decapitate her, but he also shared images of the gory crime and his feelings afterward online. In the disorder that ensued, details about his past and obsessive inclinations also came to light.
Who is Brandon Clark?
Born on October 6, 1997, Brandon Clark grew up in unstable environments, which seemingly played a role in his overall development. His father often abused his mother when he was a youngster, once holding her hostage at knife-point for 10 hours because he believed she was unfaithful. This case took place and was reported when he was 12 years old, leading his father to serve time in prison. Brandon’s mother was caught and incarcerated on unrelated charges shortly after, thus leaving him in foster care. The teen then started showing signs of obsessive behavior.
Brandon initially fixated on games or Japanese manga, yet as expected, it eventually grew into girls. Fast-forwarding a few years, and in 2019, Bianca Devins, a 17-year-old Instagram personality, caught his eye. The two first spoke on the platform in April before meeting and forging a friendship. He wanted more and often referred to himself as her boyfriend, but she made it clear that she was focused on her future and believed that he was okay with the situation as well. However, that was not at all the case, which his actions in his Black SUV on July 13/14, 2019, proved.
After all, the Lyft driver killed Bianca after they argued about her kissing a male friend and then uploaded several pictures of the same on Instagram and Discord while implying that he’d take his own life next. When officials arrived at the crime scene, a dead-end street, after 7:20 a.m., he stabbed himself in the neck but was disarmed quickly. Brandon was soon charged, especially since his online footprint also hinted that he was maybe obsessed with Bianca and killing her. In May and June 2019, he’d looked up ways to choke or hang, along with information on the carotid artery.
Brandon Clark is Behind Bars
Brandon Andrew Clark pleaded not guilty to the charge of second-degree murder in late July 2019. Except, in February 2020, he changed his plea to guilty before his trial began. In exchange for this, a first-degree charge of promoting prison contraband was dismissed, which had initially stemmed from corrections officers allegedly finding a toothbrush turned shiv in his country jail cell. Brandon’s sentencing was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, during which he tried to withdraw his plea. A judge denied this motion due to his prior admission of committing the homicide.
When Brandon had accepted the deal in court, he’d said, “I know she didn’t deserve what happened to her. And I think that I need to realize that what I did I can’t undo, as much as I want to, and I need to face it. And I apologize to all the people that knew and loved her. I apologize to everybody affected by this.” Ultimately, on March 16, 2021, he was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Therefore, today, the 26-year-old is incarcerated at the maximum-security Attica Correctional Facility on Exchange Street Road, where he’s expected to remain right until his parole eligibility date of July 10, 2044.
Read More: Bianca Devins Murder: How Did She Die? Who Killed Her?
