10 Influencers Who Committed Murder

10 Influencers Who Turned To Murder

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re examining our picks for 10 Influencers Who Turned To Murder.

For this list, we’ll be looking at people with large followings on various social media platforms who committed murder or whose reckless actions led to fatalities.

Have you heard any of these cases before?

Kelsey Turner

If you’re not familiar with the name Kelsey Turner, she was an Instagram and magazine model, also known as “Badd Barbie”. She and child psychiatrist Thomas Burchard connected via socials. However, after years of funding her lifestyle, Burchard wanted to end their relationship. This, along with text messages Turner found on his phone about discussions of having her kids taken out of her care, caused her, her boyfriend Jon Logan Kennison, and her roommate Diana Peña to fatally act in 2019. They violently attacked the doctor and left the 71-year-old in the boot of Turner’s car. In 2023, Turner accepted an Alford guilty plea and received a sentence of 10 to 25 years, while Kennison got 18 to 45 years. Peña provided evidence against Turner and pleaded guilty to accessory.

Claire Miller

Specializing in lip-synching videos and skits on TikTok, teenager Claire Miller had a respectable following on the platform. But that would all change after what happened on February 22nd, 2021. In the early morning, Miller fatally stabbed her disabled sister, Helen, at their family home in Pennsylvania. She then called the police and admitted her terrible crime. After they arrived at the scene, they arrested the teenager. Disturbingly, thousands of followers flocked to Miller’s TikTok account and subscribed before it was removed. In 2023, Miller, after waiving her rights to a trial, pleaded “guilty but mentally ill” to the crime. As such, she was sentenced to jail for 12 and a half to 40 years.

Taleb Hussain

Better known as Lemz, Taleb Hussain is a rapper who's brought in millions of views for his music videos through the YouTube channel Link Up TV. But he’s been inactive for several years. And the reason for that? Hussain's currently serving a 26-year sentence for killing 30-year-old Przemyslaw Golimowski over a reported drug dispute. He, Delpierro Mothersill, Damien Rooney, Philip Mendy, and Jamal Jeng went after Golimowski after he was said to have stolen from and struck Mothersill. In 2018, the five broke into Golimowski's home in Bedford, England, and fatally attacked him as he slept. In 2019, Hussain, who had been convicted of dealing in 2012, was sentenced for Golimowski’s slaying alongside Mothersill and Rooney. Mendy and Jeng were sentenced to manslaughter and received 12-year sentences.

Cameron Herrin

In 2021, TikTok exploded with a cult-like obsession over 21-year-old Cameron Herrin. At the time, he was appearing in court after causing the tragic killing of 24-year-old Jessica Reisinger-Raubenolt and her infant daughter three years prior. Herrin had been street racing at over 100 miles per hour in Tampa, Florida when he struck the two. Many fan pages spawned on social media, with comments, for example, calling Herrin “too cute” to face jail. Herrin’s own TikTok account amassed over two million subscribers after he went viral. But not long after, all his personal social media accounts either went dark or were deleted. Herrin was sentenced to 24 years in jail. In 2022, his appeal to reduce the length was rejected by a judge.

Casey Viner

In 2017, Twitch streamer Casey Viner, who operated under the name “Baperizer”, got into an argument with Shane Gaskill, who went by “Miruhcle”, after the two lost a bet while competing in “Call of Duty: WWII.” As things got heated, Viner threatened Gaskill with swatting, where a fake emergency is called in at someone’s address, sending armed police. Gaskill, not taking it seriously, sent his address. Viner then contacted Tyler Barriss, who had a history of swatting and a criminal record, to make the call to authorities. However, Gaskill hadn’t given them his current address but an old one. The police were sent to Andrew Finch’s house, who had nothing to do with the situation. He was fatally shot by the cops. In 2019, Viner received a 15-month sentence, Gaskill got 18 months, and Barriss acquired 20 years.

Brandon Clark

In 2019, Instagram influencer Brandon Clark got in touch with Bianca Devins, who had a bigger following. By July, the two were going to a gig together. But as they returned to Utica, New York, an argument sparked between them. Then, Clark viciously and fatally attacked Devins. He even took pictures of the grim crime and posted them online, which quickly spread on numerous platforms. Some believe he released the images to shock people, while others think he hoped to gain fame. Clark, with a self-inflicted injury at the scene, was arrested, and his social media profiles were shut down by the platforms. After having pleaded guilty and then attempted to withdraw it, he was convicted of murder in 2021 and sentenced to 25 years in jail.

Trey Sesler

In 2006, Trey Sesler started his channel as “Mr. Anime” before changing it to “LensCapProductions.” He grew a passionate following as one of the first channels to review anime and video games on YouTube. Soon, his content took an odd turn. He filmed skits many found uncomfortable, and showcased an obvious fascination with firearms. In 2012, at his family home in Waller, Texas, he massacred everyone inside, ending the lives of his mother Rhonda, father Lawton, and brother Mark, who appeared in Sesler’s videos. He also had plans to attack the nearby Waller High School, where he graduated years before. But after sitting in the school's parking lot, he changed his mind. Sesler was eventually arrested at a friend’s house. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Randy Stair

In 2007, Randy Stair, AKA Andrew Blaze, created the skit channel “PioneersProductions” on YouTube and teamed up with other creators. But by 2015, he changed style as his obsession with the show “Danny Phantom” took over his life, and he created the channel “Ember’s Ghost Squad.” Stair’s video content style grew darker and his final video uploaded detailed the crime he was about to commit. In June of 2017, Stair, who worked at the Weis Markets supermarket in Eaton Township, Pennsylvania, walked into the store for his late-night shift. He soon blocked off the doorways and went on a rampage with firearms. Stair took the lives of co-workers Terry Lee Sterling, Victoria Brong, and Brian Hayes before taking his own.

Samantha Wohlford

In 2015, police arrived at the home of lifestyle influencer and aspiring actor Samantha Wohlford in Titus County, Texas. They were called as a distraught Wohlford said she’d witnessed a home invasion and been tied up, as her husband, Ernie Ibarra, was kidnapped. Johnathan Kyle Sanford, Antonio Jose Ponse, and Octavious Lamar Rhymes were found to be responsible for the crime, and Ibarra’s body was discovered in the woods. During the police interview, however, Wohlford’s story began to raise eyebrows with its inconsistencies. As it turned out, Wohlford had orchestrated the kidnapping and execution of her husband. In March 2017, Wohlford was found guilty of aggravated kidnapping and received a 50-year sentence. In September 2017, she was subsequently sentenced to 99 years for Ibarra’s murder.

Courtney Clenney

Also known as Courtney Tailor, Courtney Clenney had a presence on Instagram and OnlyFans as a model. Living with her boyfriend Christian Obumseli of two years in Miami, Florida, the two had a destructive relationship that came to a head in April 2022. One afternoon, at their condo, the couple got into an altercation that resulted in Clenney fatally stabbing Obumseli. The model admitted she was responsible but claimed it was done in self-defense. However, friends and family of Obumseli have stated that she was the abuser in the relationship. After Clenney’s admittance, Obumseli’s family issued a wrongful death lawsuit against her in April 2023. Both cases are still ongoing at the time of writing.