An Orange County man convicted of murdering a gay former classmate more than six years ago was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Robert Kovacik reports for the NBC4 News at 11 p.m. on Nov. 15, 2024.
An Orange County man convicted of murdering a gay former classmate more than six years ago was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole Friday.
Sam Woodward was found guilty after he was accused of repeatedly stabbing Blaze Bernstein in an act of hate and leaving his body in a shallow grave at a park in Lake Forest in January 2018.
Bernstein's family members, including his parents, made victim statements before the sentence was announced, while Woodward, who waived his rights to be in the courtroom Friday, attended the hearing remotely.
"Let's be clear. This was a hate crime," Jeanne Pepper, Bernstein's mother, said. "Sam Woodward ended my son's life because my son was Jewish and gay."
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As Bernstein's family waited for the sentencing since 9 a.m. Friday, they said they were frustrated Friday's hearing was paused a few times following the years-long delay of Woodward's trial and conviction.
"Life without my son will never be the same," Gideon Bernstein, the victim's father, said during his impact statement. "Your honor, I ask you to sentence him to life without the possibility of parole murdered my son.“
Bernstein, a then-19-year-old University of Pennsylvania student, disappeared in January 2018 after he went out at night with Woodward to Borrego Park in Lake Forest.
After Bernstein missed a dentist appointment the next day, his parents found his glasses, wallet and credit cards in his bedroom and tried to reach him, but he didn’t respond.
Days later, Bernstein’s body was found with signs that he had been stabbed more than two dozen times in the face and neck.
While authorities were able to name Woodard the suspect quickly, the case took years to go to trial due to a series of delays.
While prosecutors argued that the murder was driven by Woodard’s neo-nazi beliefs because Bernstein was gay, the defense argued Woodward committed the murder because he was conflicted by his own sexuality, and the killing happened in a fit of rage.
Woodward also testified while he and Bernstein were laying in the park together that Bernstein started to touch him in a sexual manner.
Woodard’s defense attorney said it’s set to appeal the verdict.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer was also expected to hold a news conference to discuss the sentencing Friday afternoon.
