A family has expressed their rage after a father and daughter were driven to suicide by a prolific ‘catfish’ abuser.
Cimarron Thomas, 12, who was named for the first time after a court order protecting her identity was lifted, used her father’s handgun to take her own life after being blackmailed online by computer student Alexander McCartney.
Eighteen months later, her grief-stricken father Ben, a former US army veteran, took his own life, Belfast Crown Court was told.Â
To the fury of the victims’ family, McCartney was convicted of manslaughter, rather than murder, of the American youngster and faces life imprisonment when he is sentenced next week.
Speaking to MailOnline, an uncle said: ‘He might as well have pulled the trigger himself and killed both my niece and brother.
Cimarron Thomas (pictured) was subject to sick blackmailing online by McCartney and used her father’s handgun to take her own lifeÂ
Alexander McCartney (pictured), 26, operated from the bedroom of his family home in rural Northern Ireland and persuaded young girls to send naked pictures of themselves
Cimarron Thomas (pictured left) with her father Ben Thomas. Ben took his own life 18 months after Cimarron
‘That man has torn the family apart. He should have been charged with murder and spend the rest of his life in prison. Â
‘It has been so hard for all the family to come to terms with what he did. We have all struggled.’
The double tragedy ripped apart the Thomas family, who lived in a small town in West Virginia.
The girl’s grandfather Dale has a memorial bench dedicated to his son and granddaughter outside his home in Frostburg, Maryland.
Emblazoned with the badge of his son’s regiment, the 10th Mountain Division, it has the words ‘Faith had brought us through’ below the name of his granddaughter.
Dale, 76, told MailOnline he was still too distressed to talk about the double tragedy but added: ‘We just want this all to be over and to end.’
In an impact statement read to the court in Belfast he said the family’s lives would never be the same.
What has made the ordeal even worse was that until police found the online chat between McCartney and Cimarron in 2021 on his computer the family had no idea why she had shot herself.
Cimarron Thomas, 12, (pictured) used her father’s handgun to take her own life after being blackmailed online by computer student Alexander McCartney
The double tragedy ripped apart the Thomas family, who lived in a small town in West Virginia. Pictured: Cimarron and Ben Thomas with mother StephanieÂ
Family members said her 40-year-old father lost his will to live after his daughter’s death and was overcome with guilt from leaving his handgun where it could be easily accessed.
The full horrific extent of the events leading up to Cimarron’s death in May 2018 were revealed in court by prosecutor David McDowell KC.
From his bedroom in Newry, South Armagh he had posed as a girl called Sarah to make online contact with Cimarron who was at the family’s remote farmhouse in the hamlet of Bruceton Mills – which has a population of less than 80.
After persuading her to send him a topless photo by flattering her with comments about her body he suddenly revealed his true identity and demanded she submit to his demands for sexually depraved photos.
Cimarron was told if she did not comply her photos would be sent to her father.
In gut wrenching detail the prosecutor described how Cimarron pleaded with McCartney to stop.
Even when she was visibly distressed and crying, he told her to ‘dry her eyes’ and involve her younger sister aged nine in a sex act.
Cimarron refused and said she would rather kill herself with McCartney cruelly launching a countdown and telling her: ‘goodbye and good luck’.
The court heard Cimarron’s sister later heard a popping sound that she thought was a balloon bursting.
 McCartney used his technical knowledge as a computer science student to carry out his crimes, said the prosecution
A general view of Newry High Street in Northern Ireland where Alexander McCartney lived near
But when she went into her parents Stephanie and Ben’s bedroom she saw Cimarron on the floor and a gun by her side.
The young girl had used her father’s Heckler and Koch handgun to take her own life.
The Thomas family had no idea why their daughter had taken her life and were unaware of the depravity she had been subjected to.
Her mother told investigators that she might have been unsure of her sexuality but since her death has barely been able to talk about losing her and her husband.
Six years on from the death of her daughter her mother still struggles with her loss and that of her husband.
A family friend said she suffers from PTSD and never speaks about the tragic events.
‘When the police from Northern Ireland asked to meet with her she just could not do it,’ said a family friend.
‘It was too much, and she refused to meet with them. I don’t know if she did later meet but we heard it was all too traumatic for her.’
A close friend of Cimarron’s from her former home in in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, set up a suicide awareness page.
Ashton Peters organises a fundraising walk each year where friends of Cimarron and Ben take part.
Cimarron’s mother Stephanie (pictured left) still struggles to deal with the loss of her husband and daughter six years after the double tragedy – she is pictured here with CimarronÂ
The Thomas family had no idea why their daughter (pictured) had taken her life and were unaware of the depravity she had been subjected to
He is involved in a three-part BBC documentary that focuses on the Thomas family tragedy and will be screened later this year.
Friends of Cimarron posted heartfelt message on a funeral webpage expressing their grief and unaware of McCartney’s involvement, confusion over why she decided to take her life.
A schoolmate called Emma wrote: ‘Cim it’s been over a month and I miss you so much I wish we could pass the volleyball and gossip just one more time I wish I could hear u laugh one more time.
‘I just wish I could see and hangout with u one more time losing u flipped my world upside down and I still can’t believe ur gone.’
Her teacher Manda Mosier at Brucetown Mills Middle School wrote: ‘I don’t even know how to put into words the emotions I wish to express. I’ve typed and retyped about 20 times now… how does one put into words how truly blessed they were to have been a part of someone’s life Cimarron, I was lucky to know you. I was your teacher, but in the two years I had you, you my dear taught me more than you will ever know.
‘I always tell my students that they are more like MY KIDS for the year. You will always be one of my favorites. When I think of you, I smile.’
Cimarron (pictured with her father Ben) was told if she did not comply with McCartney’s requests, her photos would be sent to her father
A tribute to Cimarron Thomas, 12, (pictured in the frame centre) who took her own life after being blackmailed onlineÂ
‘Seriously, I should be able to write better than this…I am a teacher, yet I chuckle a little because I can hear you say, Mrs. Mosier, that’s alright you can only do your best and not everyone is good at everything. I tell ya kiddo, my heart will always melt when I think of you. I don’t want to mourn for what could have been…because all that you were was pretty darn special. You made an impact on every life you touched. When someone hears your name – they smile…they smile BIG! Fly high sweet girl…you will forever be in my heart! LOVE, Mrs. Mosier.’
During a pre-sentencing hearing McCartney, who used Snapchat to target over 70 victims worldwide, sat with his hands covering his ears as the prosecutor spent 90 minutes detailing his horrific ‘degrading and humiliating’ acts.
McCartney had deliberately chosen to catfish girls who were gay or unsure of their sexuality to obtain photos and then blackmail them into handing over even more intimate photos with the threat of exposing them.
He admitted to 184 counts including blackmail and child sex abuse.
Under a recently-introduced law in Northern Ireland victims of a sex crime are granted anonymity for 25 years.
Media organisations, including MailOnline, submitted an application for the order to be waived in the case of Cimarron Thomas.
Sitting at Belfast Crown Court the judge Mr McKeown agreed in this particular case there was a public interest to lift the order.
