Where Are the Murderers of Cassie Jo Stoddart Now? An Examination of ‘The Scream Killers’ Who Remain Prisoners 19 Years After Killing Their Friend by Stabbing Them

Cassie Jo Stoddart was killed by two of her classmates, also known as the “Scream Killers,” nearly two decades ago.

Stoddart, 16, was house sitting for relatives in September 2006 when she was stabbed to death by two classmates and friends, Torey Adamcik and Brian Draper, according to a February 2024 Dateline episode. After watching a movie with Stoddart, the teenage boys pretended to leave before sneaking back into the house through the basement.

They proceeded to scare her by messing with the electrical fuse box before stabbing her to death upstairs. According to the Associated Press, the pair were sentenced to life in prison after attempting to commit a crime inspired by the film Scream.

Stoddart’s brother, Andrew, spoke with the outlet in September 2016 about the impact of his sister’s death.

“It affected us all in different ways,” he told me. “We were all concerned about different issues. It took years before we could even discuss it… We were all very torn up about it, and we still are. It is something we have to deal with.

Meanwhile, Draper reflected on his crimes during the Dateline episode (via a phone call from prison), saying, “I regret it every day of my life.”

So, where are Cassie Jo Stoddart’s killers today? Here’s everything you should know about their lives nearly two decades after they murdered the teenager.

What happened to Cassie Jo Stoddart?

In the early days after Stoddart’s body was discovered, several suspects emerged, including her mother’s boyfriend, whose fingerprints were found on the fuse box, and Beckham.

Beckham was cleared during his questioning, but he did reveal that two other classmates and friends, Adamcik and Draper, had stopped by the house the night of the crime. Police then spoke with the two boys, who stated that they left around 9:30 p.m. to go see a movie.

Adamcik and Draper were identified as Stoddart’s killers a few days later, after police confirmed that they had never attended the movie theater.

Draper appeared on Dateline shortly before being administered a polygraph, telling police an altered version of the true story. “It was not supposed to happen, it was supposed to be a joke,” he told me.

Draper told the officials that he and Adamcik sneaked back into Stoddart’s relatives’ home via a basement door. While he stated that they intended to “prank” and “scare” her, things quickly changed when Draper recalled Adamcik stabbing Stoddart. He also claimed that he “did not touch” Stoddart.

Draper went on to tell officials that there was evidence buried at Black Rock Canyon, including the clothes they were wearing and the murder weapon. When police captain John Ganske arrived, he was surprised to find a burned videotape, which provided all the necessary confirmation — and revealed that there was more to Draper’s story.

In the video, Adamcik and Draper recorded themselves in the car after pretending to leave the house, with the latter claiming they had the “grueling task” of murdering their two friends.

According to Dateline, they re-entered the house wearing masks and carrying hunting knives, turning on and off the fuse box in an attempt to entice Stoddart downstairs, but she and Beckham did not come. Shortly after Beckham left, Adamcik and Draper disconnected the fuse, went upstairs, and assaulted Stoddart.

Following the attack, they returned to their car and left a final video in which one of the boys stated, “We just killed Cassie.”

Why did Torey Adamcik and Brian Draper kill Cassie Jo Stoddart?

The video, which was shot earlier on the day of the murder, began with footage of Stoddart at her school locker before transitioning to Adamcik and Draper skipping class to create a “death list” of classmates and their plan for the night.

The couple was overjoyed that their plan had finally “worked out,” given that their victim would be home alone that night.

“I am sorry, Cassie’s family, but she had to be the one,” Draper explained in the video. “We have to stick with the plan.”

On the videotape, the teenage boys referred to themselves as “sick psychopaths” who derive “pleasure from killing other people.”

They also stated a desire to be “just like Scream,” referring to the horror film franchise.

In the video, they all agreed that a school shooting would be the “perfect ending”.

Where are Torey Adamcik and Brian Draper now?

Adamcik and Draper were convicted of first-degree murder in August 2007 and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, as well as 30 years to life for conspiracy to commit murder, according to the Associated Press.

Adamcik has since attempted to have his punishment reduced, according to local outlet KPVI. However, KTVB7 reports that his request was denied.

During the Dateline episode, host Keith Morrison called Draper, who revealed more about why he killed Stoddart all those years ago.

“Everyone asks me what I was thinking. Why did you do that?” he asked. “I tell them it is really complicated and it is not an easy thing.”

He explained that he “felt like nobody,” and that he thought doing something “big and bad” would attract attention.

Draper recalled that his fascination with horror began in middle school, when he felt like a “loser” and “did not matter” — and he would go into online chat rooms with people who were “obsessed” with the Columbine High School shooting.

In high school, he felt “understood” when he met Adamcik, who encouraged his interest in horror films. One day, the two bonded over the film Scream and decided to bring the fictional story to life.

When Morrison asked Draper what he would say to other children who have violent fantasies, he replied, “It is fear. You are afraid of being a nobody. You are afraid of being a loser.”

“But the other half of this that no one talks about is when you go to prison, you lose your entire life,” he told me. “You have lost everything…” I would give my life to change it.”

Both Adamcik and Draper are serving life sentences today, and the latter stated that while he “sees him in passing” within the prison, they do not speak.

Where is Cassie Jo Stoddart’s family now?

During a September 2016 interview with the Associated Press, Andrew discussed how his sister’s death altered his perspective on the world, saying, “It makes you appreciate things a lot more.” You never realize how fragile life is. “You never know how easy it is for someone to leave the next day.”

Looking ahead, Andrew stated that he will never forgive his sister’s killers, but he will find a way to move forward in his own life.

“I know how to handle it now,” Andrew explained. “It is still a big part of me.” September is always a difficult month for me. It comes in waves, honestly. Some days I am fine, and others I just crumble.”

He continued, “It will always be a part of us. It is not like it will ever go away. It is always in the back of our minds, but we prioritize keeping our family strong over focusing on the negative. We focus on the positive aspects and when she was still present. No one should ever have to go through this.

Stoddart’s mother Anna died of cancer in April 2022, according to a Dateline episode from February 2024. Anna’s boyfriend told Dateline that there will be “no making amends” with Stoddart’s killers.

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