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Weeks before Tyerell Przybycien allegedly filmed the suicide of a girl found hanged in Payson Canyon, he texted a friend.
"The thing is … I wanna help kill them," Przybycien wrote, according to murder charges filed Thursday by Utah County prosecutors. "It be awesome. Seriously im going to help her.
"Its like getting away with murder!" he added. "Im so [messed] up. I'm seriously not joking. Its going down in about a week or two."
Przybycien, 18, is charged in 4th District Court with first-degree felony murder and abuse or desecration of a dead human body, a misdemeanor, because he failed to report the body, prosecutors said.
Utah County sheriff's officials said the 16-year-old Spanish Fork girl was found dead Saturday morning by turkey hunters, near Maple Lake. She was hanging by a noose tied to a tree.
Detectives said a receipt nearby showed the recent purchase of rope and other items. The name on the receipt was Przybycien's, officials said. A handwritten suicide note referred to a video on the girl's phone to "answer questions about what happened."
The video, allegedly shot by Przybycien, showed the girl alive with the noose, before falling off a rock and piece of wood and going unconscious, officials said.
"At no point did the defendant offer assistance to save [the girl's] life or render aid but rather he can be heard commenting that her body should be depleted from any oxygen," documents state.
Officials say while they were still at the scene Saturday morning, Przybycien showed up. In an interview, officials say he acknowledged buying items with the girl Friday evening, driving to the scene, and "helping tie the noose and pulling on the rope to make sure it was tight." He also told detectives he had researched how to tie a noose a month earlier, when the girl told him she was suicidal, according to the documents.
He said he had also planned to kill himself that evening, and that he felt guilty, the charges state.
Przybycien, a Spanish Fork High School graduate, is being held at Utah County jail in lieu of $20,000 cash-only bail.
In the April 19 string of messages detectives found on Przybycien's phone, he allegedly asked a friend what to do if someone you know wants to commit suicide. "Talk them out of ut," [sic] the person replied. The teenager replied with the string of messages, saying it would "be awesome," and "Its going down," according to documents.
Just before midnight Friday, Przybycien allegedly texted a friend about the girl once again.
"Bro It happened," the text said. "I helped her do it too and I feel so guilty."
People who have suicidal thoughts can call 1-800-273-TALK(8255) or visit the Utah Suicide Prevention Coalition's website for help. A smartphone application called SafeUT also allows users to chat or call a crisis counselor, and submit tips.
Twitter: @lramseth