Calif. man with ties to neo-Nazi group sentenced for luring and killing gay Jewish classmate

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. (TCN) -- A 27-year-old man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for leading his former high school classmate to believe they were meeting up for a romantic encounter and fatally stabbing him 28 times.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced Nov. 15 that a jury convicted Samuel Woodward of first-degree murder along with a hate crime enhancement and personal use of a knife in connection with the stabbing death of 19-year-old University of Pennsylvania student Blaze Bernstein. Woodward received a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

According to prosecutors, on Jan. 2, 2018, Bernstein was home for winter break in Orange County and made dinner with his family before messaging Woodward on a dating app. Bernstein arranged for Woodward to pick him up that evening near his parents’ house, and the victim left behind his glasses, keys, and wallet.

The district attorney’s office said Woodward then fatally stabbed Bernstein and buried his body in a shallow grave in a Lake Forest park. After cleaning up, Woodward reportedly messaged a friend in the early hours of Jan. 3 and said, "Hey man, life is good."

Bernstein failed to show up for a dentist appointment the following day, prompting his parents to report him missing. The victim’s parents reportedly searched their son’s online activity and noticed he had last communicated with Woodward, his former classmate at Orange County School of the Arts. Woodward allegedly informed Bernstein’s parents he met with their son, but the victim went off with an unknown individual into the park.

Bernstein’s body was found in Borrego Park approximately a week later following heavy rains.

According to prosecutors, investigators located Bernstein’s blood on Woodward’s knife. Authorities also found blood droplets on a skull mask "that prosecutors argued Woodward wore to represent his allegiance to Atomwaffen, a Neo-Nazi and homophobic group that he traveled to Texas to train with after studying their teachings."

The district attorney’s office said "Woodward continued to draw pictures related to Atomwaffen and their beliefs following his arrest for Bernstein’s murder." Investigators also located a "hate diary," detailing "Woodward’s online activities to lure gay men and boys into believing he was 'bi curious,' and then unfriending them." Woodward reportedly used multiple slurs to refer to gay men in the diary.

According to The Associated Press, in court, many of Bernstein’s family and friends wore shirts that read "Blaze It Forward," a phrase used for a campaign to commit acts of kindness.

Bernstein’s mother reportedly said, "Let’s be clear: This was a hate crime. Samuel Woodward ended my son’s life because my son was Jewish and gay." She continued, "Blaze’s memory and spirit will live on in every kind deed done in his honor."

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer stated, "With every hateful stab of his knife, Samuel Woodward stabbed at the very heart of our entire community."

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