A California man, Samuel Woodward, has been sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole for the 2018 murder of Blaze Bernstein, a 19-year-old student.
Bernstein, who was gay and Jewish, was stabbed over 28 times in the face and neck by Woodward, who then buried his body.
Blaze’s body was found a week later in a park in Lake Forest, about 45 miles south-east of Los Angeles, after a search by police.
During the trial, it was revealed that Woodward had ties to a far-right, neo-Nazi group called Atomwaffen Division and had a history of targeting gay men online.
The sentencing hearing was delayed for hours when Woodward refused to leave his cell and later stormed out during victim impact statements.
Blaze’s mother, Jeanne Pepper, spoke in court, sharing the heartbreak she felt after hearing how her son had been brutally murdered.
“No mother should have to bury her child… it’s the most painful thing to know he died in such a horrible way,” she said.
Woodward’s defense team argued that he struggled with an undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder that made it hard for him to form personal relationships.
However, after a long delay in the trial due to concerns about his mental health, he was found fit to stand trial in late 2022.
During the trial, Woodward testified for five days, often pausing before answering questions.
The tragic incident began when Woodward and Blaze met up in January 2018 after connecting on Snapchat.
Woodward got upset after Bernstein kissed him, and a fight broke out over a phone that Woodward thought had been used to take pictures of him. Woodward then attacked Bernstein, stabbing him repeatedly.
Blaze’s parents became worried when he missed a dentist appointment the next day and couldn’t be reached. After checking his social media, they discovered Blaze had been talking to Woodward.
A week later, the police found his body, and DNA from Blaze was found in Woodward’s rental car.
When authorities searched Woodward’s home, they discovered a mask linked to the Atomwaffen group, a knife with blood stains, and a journal full of hateful, anti-gay, and antisemitic writings.
Woodward had been confused about his sexuality, according to his lawyer, as he grew up in a Catholic family where homosexuality was openly criticized. Before the murder, he and Blaze had connected through a dating app.
The two had gone to the same high school in Orange County, and Blaze was visiting his family on winter break from the University of Pennsylvania when the tragedy occurred.
