An Instagram "e-girl" was almost decapitated by a young man who then posted grisly pictures of her corpse online, according to police.
Bianca Devins, 17, was found dead after social media users began sharing photos of her body.
Her alleged killer - 21-year-old Brandon Andrew Clark - is accused of slitting her throat and posting an image of her body along with a message reading "I'm sorry Bianca" before stabbing himself in the neck.
Police say they believe he was her boyfriend and there is no evidence to support online claims that he was an obsessed internet stalker.
Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, is now facing criticism after a report claimed the gruesome image stayed up for nearly a day and was put behind a blurred-out sensitive content filter.
Before the killing Clark had posted a photo of a darkened motorway with the message: “Here comes Hell. It’s redemption, right?”
He allegedly wrote on Facebook: "I’m ending it today. I’m sorry to all the family and friends who wanted me to achieve. I love you all.”
Clark, who has been charged with murder by police in Utica, New York, changed his Instagram bio to read “10/06/1997 – 7/14/19", and also posted the Fight Club quote: "This is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time."
The couple met on Instagram about two months ago, and their relationship had developed into a "personally intimate one", the force added.
Police believe Clark and Bianca “were boyfriend/girlfriend, whatever kids these days call it", Lt Brian Coromato told Rolling Stone, but a friend claimed they were just friends.
They argued after attending a concert in New York City on Saturday night, and Clark then used a large knife to kill the teen on Sunday morning after driving her back to Utica, it is claimed.
Shortly before she was killed, Bianca had sent messages to a friend on the Discord gaming app claiming Clark was "so mad" that she had held hands with and kissed a male who had joined them at the concert, Rolling Stone reported.
The three had reportedly smoked cannabis in Clark's car before he drove Bianca back to Utica.
Clark's social media followers raised the alarm after he allegedly wrote that he had killed someone and posted a photo of Bianca's corpse.
Images were posted on Instagram, Discord and the imageboard 4chan, according to police.
The Instagram photo remained on that platform for almost 24 hours, BuzzFeed News reported.
It had been blurred with a sensitive content filter after someone reported it as offensive, but users could still view it by tapping the screen.
Clark's Instagram account wasn't disabled until Monday morning.
A Facebook spokesperson said: "Our thoughts go out to those affected by this tragic event. We are taking every measure to remove this content from our platforms.
"Our goal is to take action as soon as possible - there is always room for improvement. We don’t want people seeing content that violates our policies."
In the Discord post, Clark allegedly wrote “Sorry f***ers, you’re gonna have to find someone else to orbit”, and shared Bianca's real name and address.
Orbiting is used to describe social media users who lurk on women's pages in hopes of sleeping with them.
Clark, of Bridgeport, New York, allegedly made a derogatory remark about Bianca and her followers, and the photos were reposted on misogynistic forums.
Bianca had about 6,000 Instagram followers when she was killed, and she was known as an "e-girl" for posts about anime, video games, and emo-adjacent fashion on that platform and others including TikTok.
Her stepmother Kaleigh condemned those who shared the gruesome photos, writing on Facebook: "It is absolutely disgusting that people are sharing, screenshoting the pictures of Bianca’s tragedic death!!
"Wtf is wrong with you people!!??
"I have seen the pictures. I will FORVER have those images in my mind when I think of her. When I close my eyes, those images haunt me.
"How about we have some f***ing consideration for her Mother, Sister, Step sisters and brother, Step Mother and Step Father, her Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Nieces and Newphews and her friends. How about we have some f***ing consideration FOR HER!!!"
Police say they found Clark with Bianca's body, next to his vehicle, at about 7.30am on Sunday after he called 911 himself to say what he had done and that he was going to harm himself.
By then someone who had seen his social media posts had alerted police, reporting that Clark said he had killed his girlfriend and was threatening to harm himself, say police.
Clark began stabbing himself in the neck with a knife as a lone officer approached him.
He then began taking selfies as he lay on top of Bianca's covered body as blood poured from his wounds.
A police spokesperson said: "After attempting to injure himself, he laid down across a green in colour tarp that was on the ground some distance away.
"The officer immediately noticed brown hair protruding from beneath the tarp and inquired as to where the injured female was.
"The male advised him that the female was beneath the tarp, and proceeded to pull out a cellphone.
"It was at this time that is believed that the male took self-photographs of himself laying across the deceased female."
After he was disarmed and arrested, Clark was taken to hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery for severe injuries.
He was expected to survive, said police.
The force said Bianca died at the scene after suffering "extensive injuries to her neck".
Bianca's family have described her as a "talented artist" and "wonderful young girl" who was "taken from us all too soon".
She had graduated from high school just last month and was due to begin studying psychology at a community college this autumn.
Her family said: "We are very grateful for the outpouring of love and sympathy we have received from our friends, family, Bianca's friends and the whole community.
"Your prayers help to strengthen us through this difficult time."
Her heartbroken sister Liv posted a tribute on Instagram with a photo of the siblings and their mother.
Liv wrote: "I hate that I have to write this. I hate knowing you’re not going to ever come back home.
"You were the best sister anyone could’ve ever asked for. Thank you for always being there for me.
"Thank you for being the best sister I could ever imagine.
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"Thank you for always protecting me and sticking up for me. I am going to do this for you.
"Every day I’m going to do my best and I’m going to get through this thing called life and do it all for you.
"Rest easy, I love you so much forever and always."
Bianca's sister also wrote “it wasn’t just an ‘internet boyfriend’ this was a close family friend whom we’ve met and trusted so much".
Family and friends held a candlelight vigil on Monday night.
They lit candles and at one point repeatedly chanted “Love, not violence”, WKTV reported.
Friend Derek Ward said of his former classmate: “She was very kind. She was very forgiving. She was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.
"Nobody dislikes her. Nobody hated her, and I’ve never heard anything bad said about her.”
Bianca's stepmother Kaleigh wrote: "Bianca was a lot of things to so many people. She was young and beautiful and so full of live.
"She had been through hell and back conquering her own mental illness and she won. She was getting better. Fighting everyday.
"She was happy. She had just graduated. She wanted to continue her schooling so that she could help people, like her, whom no one else wanted to help.
"She was so loved and it breaks our hearts not knowing if she ever realized just how loved she was. Even in her deepest, darkest, lowest points, she somehow managed to help so many people who were battling their own demons."
Clark's younger brother James Ward told how his sibling had influenced him and they "finally got close after a s***ty childhood.
He wrote on Instagram: "I am who I am because of you. I hate you, You took away so many peoples opportunities in life. Hers, yours. Friends. Families.
I ask my self, what the f*** happened. I read everything online and can’t believe it’s true, like that’s not you. It can’t be. You wouldn’t do that.
"You say, never forget me, message me and say to remember you as you were. I want to but can’t. People I don’t know asking me what you’re like, how you could do this.
"Well this is my answer, why I’m writing this. I don’t know. I just don’t. Never will. The Bran Man I remember is the one I described before.
"F*** I love you bro, always will, but people loved her. Look how much her families hurting, her friends. It’s sad, So young, all of you., Here comes hell, redemption right? Now you’re condemned and it’s gonna be a living hell.
"I’m glad you’re alive, and it hurts to think of you going through that, but you put yourself there. You made her family suffer so much.
"I watched the vigil, couldn’t f***ing keep it together, just wish you’d talked to me. We're family."
If you need to speak to someone, Samaritans are available 24/7 by calling 116 123 or by emailing jo@samaritans.org
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