Samuel Lincoln Woodward, a California man, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of his former high school classmate, Blaze Bernstein. Bernstein, a gay Jewish student at the University of Pennsylvania, disappeared in 2018 after reconnecting with Woodward on a dating app. Woodward stabbed Bernstein 28 times before burying him in a park, where his body was discovered a week later. The trial was delayed due to questions about Woodward’s mental health, but he was found competent to stand trial in 2022. Judge Kimberly Menninger said Woodward’s actions were fueled by hate due to Bernstein’s sexual orientation and religious beliefs.
During the investigation, Bernstein’s blood was found on a knife belonging to Woodward and a skull mask that he wore to show allegiance to a neo-Nazi, homophobic group called the Atomwaffen Division. Woodward had traveled to Texas to train with the group and continued to draw pictures related to their beliefs even after his arrest. Prosecutors also found a ‘hate diary’ detailing Woodward’s online activities to lure gay men. Menninger described Bernstein and Woodward as being at opposite ends of a culture war, with Bernstein openly gay and Jewish, while Woodward struggled with his sexuality and grew up in a conservative family.Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said Woodward’s actions targeted the identity and self-worth of the community but emphasized that every individual has value and brings meaning to the collective table. The sentencing marks closure for Bernstein’s family after a lengthy investigation and trial.
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