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Samuel Lincoln Woodward, a 27-year-old California man linked to neo-Nazi ideology, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2018 hate-crime murder of his former classmate Blaze Bernstein, a gay and Jewish college student. The 19-year-old was murdered in 2018 after Woodward lured him to a park under the guise of meeting for a date.

Bernstein, a promising sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania, had been home on winter break visiting his parents when he disappeared after meeting Woodward in Lake Forest, California, where they had planned to reconnect after chatting on a dating app. After an extensive search, his body was found a week later, stabbed 28 times in the face and neck and buried in a shallow grave.   

The defense argued that their client did not intend to harm Bernstein and did not harbor any hatred toward him, citing long-standing challenges in personal relationships stemming from an undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder.

However, prosecutors revealed Woodward to be an active member of the neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen Division, and that he targeted Bernstein for his sexual orientation and religion. Evidence presented during the trial included hateful messages and propaganda, demonstrating the deeply rooted bigotry that motivated the crime.  Prosecutors further argued that Woodward deliberately sought out gay men online, severed communication suddenly, and kept a hateful, profanity-heavy journal described by investigators as “graphic and chilling.”

Blaze’s parents delivered heartfelt statements in court, describing their son as an intelligent and compassionate young man who aspired to make the world a better place. His mother, Jeanne Pepper Bernstein, expressed hope that her son’s death would inspire greater awareness and action against hate-based violence.

Blaze’s father Gideon compared his death to the Big Bang, he said: “The universe exploded after Blaze’s murder,” he said, and like the planets everyone was cast in different directions. Some are still on unknown trajectories…others have caught some gravity and found some stability…

“Living a good life is the best revenge that I can have after this crime, and yet life without my son will never be the same.”

Blaze’s family has transformed their grief into advocacy, working to honor his legacy through initiatives aimed at promoting tolerance and acceptance.

The case serves as a chilling reminder of the ongoing need to address the rise of hate crimes in the U.S. Blaze Bernstein’s story remains a poignant symbol of the human cost of intolerance and hatred.  Read here and here for more information on this news.

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