A Disturbing Case Reveals a Growing Online Culture That Glorifies Violence
Martin Mawyer
Two teenage girls at Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs, Florida are now behind bars after allegedly plotting a ritual-style murder of a fellow student.
According to law enforcement, 15-year-old Isabelle Valdez and 14-year-old Lois Lippert planned to ambush a classmate in a school bathroom, slit his throat with a knife, and drink his blood as part of a so-called “ritual” tied to their obsession with Sandy Hook killer Adam Lanza.
Investigators say the girls studied the victim’s schedule, followed him on campus, and gathered items for the attack, including gloves, a weapon, and materials they described as part of a staged “funeral.”
The plot was only stopped because another student reported it through a school safety app.
But what happened next may be even more disturbing.
While sitting in the back of a police cruiser, the girls reportedly laughed, joked about their mugshots, and spoke casually about their arrest.
At one point, they discussed sharing images of the crime with an online audience often referred to as the “True Crime Community,” where violent offenders are sometimes idolized and ranked by notoriety.
This Was Not Random
Cases like this are often dismissed as isolated incidents. They are not.
What we are seeing is part of a growing digital environment where:
- Violence is normalized
- Notoriety is rewarded
- And vulnerable young people are drawn into communities that reinforce destructive thinking
Online spaces sometimes blur the line between curiosity and obsession, turning real-world killers into figures of fascination.
The result is a pattern that is becoming harder to ignore.
A Dangerous Online Culture
Law enforcement has identified networks like “764” as part of a broader category of violent extremism that embraces chaos, destruction, and moral inversion.
These are not traditional organizations with clear hierarchies. They are decentralized digital environments that spread across platforms like Discord and social media, often targeting young users seeking identity, belonging, or attention.
Within these spaces:
- Violence can be treated as status
- Shock value becomes currency
- And the line between fantasy and action begins to erode
The Florida case reflects what can happen when those influences take hold.
The Children Are the Target
This is not just a law enforcement issue. It is a cultural and moral one.
Children today are growing up in an environment where they are constantly exposed to content that previous generations would never have encountered at their age. Without guidance, boundaries, and truth, some are being pulled into worlds that distort reality and reward destruction.
Parents must be vigilant.
- Know what platforms your children are using
- Monitor private servers and online communities
- Pay attention to sudden changes in behavior or interests
Churches and community leaders must also recognize that the battle is no longer confined to physical spaces. It is happening in the digital realm, where influence spreads quietly and quickly.
A Wake-Up Call
The judge in this case denied bond, recognizing the seriousness of the threat. But stopping two individuals does not address the larger problem.
What we are witnessing is not just a single crime prevented.
It is a warning.
A warning that something is shifting in the culture, particularly among the young, and that ignoring it will only allow it to grow.
Learn More
This case reflects patterns explored in When Evil Stops Hiding, a book that examines how online subcultures, extremist ideologies, and digital environments are shaping a new kind of threat.
To understand what is happening and how to respond, you can order my book here:
Martin Mawyer is the founder of the Digital Intelligence Project and the President of Christian Action Network. He is the host of the “Shout Out Patriots” podcast, and author of When Evil Stops Hiding. For more action alerts, cultural commentary, and real-world campaigns defending faith, family, and freedom, subscribe to Patriot Majority Report.