Hamburg man accused of pressuring Indiana girl to die
Prosecutors say an 18-year-old used Discord to direct a 14-year-old to self-harm before she hanged herself.
By Giulia Donovan ·
German authorities have detained an 18-year-old in Hamburg on suspicion that he drove a 14-year-old girl in Indiana to suicide. The arrest occurred on Thursday and followed a tip from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Hamburg public prosecutor's office charged the suspect with indirect murder and grievous bodily harm. Investigators linked him to an online group called the Nefarious Maniac Kult, or NMK, which is part of a larger network known as COM. Prosecutors allege the suspect, who was 17 at the time, used the Discord platform between September and October to exert influence over the girl. They described her as psychologically fragile.
According to the charges, the suspect pressured the girl to cut herself and write the letters NMK on a wall using her own blood. He allegedly required her to send video recordings of these acts. A few days later, the girl hanged herself in her bedroom. The suspect is also accused of seeking a video recording of her death. Prosecutors said he hoped the footage would increase his standing within the group or help him gain entry.
FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O'Malley stated that his office worked with the Fort Wayne Police Department to provide information that advanced the arrest. The Fort Wayne Police Department said its Homicide Unit identified a suspect who contributed to the juvenile's death. O'Malley said, 'Anyone who targets or exploits a child should understand this: There is no safe haven from justice.'
The case aligns with a sharp rise in nihilistic violent extremism reported by the FBI. Director Kash Patel noted that the bureau saw a 300% increase in such cases from September 2024 to September 2025. Many of these cases involve the group known as 764. While 764 lacks a specific ideology, its members encourage self-harm and violence and urge victims to produce videos documenting these acts.
The suspect remains in custody in Hamburg. The next steps in the legal process have not been announced.
