The heartbroken mother of a University of Pennsylvania student, Blaze Bernstein, who was allegedly murdered by a Neo-Nazi, fled the courtroom as the alleged killer, Samuel Woodward, detailed the grisly crime. Blaze went missing while home on winter break in California and his body was found eight days later in Borrego Park in Orange County. Woodward detailed how they reconnected on Tinder and met up at the park on the night of Jan. 2, where he claimed he stabbed Bernstein more than 20 times as he thought Bernstein had taken a picture of his genitals while he was passed out from marijuana.
Woodward claimed that he killed Bernstein out of fear of being outed as gay to his family, especially his father. He expressed concern about how people in their community would react if they knew about his sexual orientation. Woodward described waking up to find Bernstein holding his cell phone and his genitals, which triggered the attack. Prosecutors have argued that Bernstein’s murder was a pre-meditated anti-gay hate crime, with Woodward’s attorney admitting his client’s connections to a Neo-Nazi group, American Vanguard, and Atomwaffen Division, a more violent offshoot.
Despite his links to the Neo-Nazi groups, Woodward claimed during his testimony that he barely remembered Atomwaffen Division and was not a fully-fledged member. He admitted to reading parts of “Siege,” a far-right tract promoted by Atomwaffen. However, when asked if he planned to kill Bernstein because he was gay or Jewish, Woodward replied that it wasn’t the case. Woodward was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and facing hate crime charges as well. If convicted, he faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.
As Woodward detailed the events of the tragic night of Bernstein’s murder, including the burial of the body by hand, the victim’s mother, Jeanne Pepper, left the courtroom in tears. Woodward described feeling “mortal terror” after waking up to find Bernstein with his phone and genitals in hand, leading to the fatal stabbing. Despite the gruesome details revealed in court, Woodward maintained that his actions were motivated by a fear of being outed as gay rather than any specific hatred towards Bernstein’s sexual orientation or religion.
The case has taken a significant toll on both families involved, with Bernstein’s mother experiencing heartbreak and distress during Woodward’s testimony. The prosecution contends that Bernstein’s murder was a result of pre-meditated hate towards his sexual orientation, linking Woodward to Neo-Nazi ideologies. Despite Woodward’s claims of being motivated by fear of being outed, his connections to hate groups raise concerns about the underlying ideologies that may have influenced his actions. The trial is ongoing, with Woodward facing the possibility of life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder and hate crime charges.
