Blaze Bernstein

Nineteen-year-old Blaze Bernstein, a college student home for winter break, was lured to a remote park by a former high school classmate. Bernstein was stabbed 28 times before his body was buried in a shallow grave. Prosecutors established that the murder was motivated by hatred toward Bernstein because he was gay and Jewish. After killing Bernstein, burying his body, and cleaning up evidence, Woodward sent a text message to a friend stating, “Hey man, life is good.” He was convicted of first-degree murder with a hate-crime enhancement and sentenced to Life Without the Possibility of Parole.