A California man, Samuel Woodward, has been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for the 2018 murder of Blaze Bernstein, a 19-year-old gay and Jewish university student.
The case, marked as a hate crime, has drawn national attention due to its brutal nature and the defendant’s affiliation with a neo-Nazi extremist group.
The 27-year-old was convicted in July for fatally stabbing Bernstein more than 28 times in the face and neck before burying his body in a park in Lake Forest, about 45 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
A week-long search ended when police discovered Bernstein’s body near his family’s home.
Prosecutors argued that Woodward, a member of the Atomwaffen Division—a neo-Nazi extremist group—targeted gay men online and harbored deep-seated antisemitic and homophobic beliefs.
During the sentencing, Bernstein’s mother, Jeanne Pepper, stated that, “No mother should have to bury her child… my heart was so broken and yet unable to accept the reality that he was no longer part of our world.”
She described the trauma of learning how her son was stabbed repeatedly, calling it “the single worst, most painful thing that has ever happened to me.”
Woodward, who delayed the sentencing by refusing to leave his cell and stormed out during victim impact statements, showed no remorse for his actions.
Woodward’s defense argued he suffered from undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder, which they claimed impacted his ability to form relationships and manage emotions.
However, prosecutors highlighted his deliberate actions, including hateful material found in his possession.
Investigators uncovered a black Atomwaffen mask, a blood-stained knife, and a journal filled with antisemitic and anti-gay writings at Woodward’s home. DNA evidence from Bernstein was also found in Woodward’s rental car.
In January 2018, Bernstein and Woodward, former classmates from Orange County, reconnected through a dating app.
They arranged to meet while Bernstein was home on winter break from the University of Pennsylvania.
Woodward later told police he became enraged when Bernstein kissed him. Claiming a struggle over a cellphone, Woodward stabbed Bernstein repeatedly. He then buried Bernstein’s body in a nearby park.
The trial, delayed for years due to questions about Woodward’s mental health, resumed in late 2022 when he was deemed competent to stand trial. Woodward’s attorneys have indicated plans to appeal the guilty verdict.
