‘Godless demons’ provoke teen suicide in twisted online ‘sextortion’ scheme

Fifteen-year-old Bryce Tate shot and killed himself in his West Virginia home as a result of falling victim to a cruel “sextortionist” who told him his life was “already over.”

Three hours before his death on Nov. 6, Bryce was texted from the number of a person he believed to be a local 17-year-old girl as part of a sextortion scheme, according to the New York Post.

“They knew which gym he worked out at, they knew a couple of his best friends and name-dropped them,” Bryce’s father, Adam Tate said. “They knew he played basketball for Nitro High School. They built his trust to where he believed that this was truly somebody in this area.”  

Sextortion is a crime in which an offender pretends to be someone they’re not and manipulates victims into sending provocative or intimate images, then threatens to publicly share the sensitive images unless they receive something in return, usually money.

It’s one of many reasons policymakers in the U.S. and abroad are introducing and passing laws to restrict social media use by age, where such crimes often occur. On Wednesday, Australia’s new law banning social media use under age 16 took effect.

Sextortionists usually work quickly to induce overwhelming panic in young victims, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release regarding Bryce’s death. 

In the messages, the “girl” sent flirtatious photos, most likely photos of another sextortion victim, and asked for provocative photos in return. After the photos were sent, the predator threatened to share them with Bryce’s family and friends unless he sent them $500.  

With only $30 in his account, Bryce couldn’t pay the ransom and resorted to the other solution the attackers suggested: suicide. The Post reported the scammers told Bryce his life was already over, so he might as well do it himself.  

In the 20 minutes leading up to his death, Bryce received 120 messages – a tactic sextortionists use to apply extreme pressure to an already stressful situation.  

“They say it’s suicide, but in my book it is 100% murder,” his father said. “They’re godless demons, in my opinion. Just cowards, awful individuals, worse than criminals.” 

Bryce’s case resembles the characteristics of the criminal organization labeled “764,” which is a group of extremists that often extorts teens, according to the FBI. 

FBI Pittsburgh “adopted” Bryce’s case and is still actively investigating.