Gideon Bernstein and Jeanne Pepper Bernstein, parents of Blaze Bernstein, speak during a press conference after Samuel Woodward was sentenced to life in prison without parole in Orange County Superior Court. (Image credit: AP)

In a haunting phone call recorded days after Blaze Bernstein disappeared in January 2018, his father was Gideon Bernstein turned to Samuel Woodward, the last known person to see his son alive. The exchange, apparently marked by Woodward’s concern, later emerged as a chilling piece of evidence in a case that revealed hatred, violence and deception.
Blaze Bernstein, a 19-year-old medical student at the University of Pennsylvania, disappeared during winter break while visiting family in Lake Forest, California. On January 3, 2018, Blaze went out to meet Woodward, a former high school classmate, after connecting through social media. When Blaze didn’t return home, leaving behind his glasses, wallet, and bags packed for his return to college, his family panicked.
In desperation, Blaze’s father took to social media to track down Woodward and initiated a call that his daughter Beaue recorded. Accordingly ABC News“We haven’t heard from him all day,” Gideon told Woodward. He missed an appointment today and then we started to worry. You’re the first real clue to the mystery here.”
Woodward responded with obvious compassion, saying, “Yeah, I feel like (expletive), honestly, I’m sorry.” “I want to find Blaze as much as you do.” He then described their evening, claiming that Blaze had suggested meeting another friend in Borrego Park. According to Woodward, Blaze disappeared during the night, leaving him waiting next to a toilet.
The story raised more questions than answers. As Blaze’s family pressed for clarity, her instincts led her to alert authorities, who soon placed Woodward under surveillance.
Dark discovery
Six days after Blaze disappeared, his body was found in a shallow grave in Borrego Park. The brutality of his death shocked investigators and the public. Blaze had been stabbed multiple times in the face, neck and knee, and the defensive wounds indicated a desperate fight for his life.
Woodward was brought in for questioning and later arrested. As Daily Mail A search of his home reportedly uncovered evidence linking him to violent neo-Nazi ideologies, including a blood-stained mask, a knife, and anti-gay and anti-Semitic materials.
Hate-driven crime
Prosecutors alleged that Woodward’s actions were motivated by hate and presented evidence of his connection to it Nuclear Weapons Divisiona neo-Nazi extremist group. They argued that Woodward targeted Blaze because he was gay and Jewish, a claim Woodward denied.
In court, Woodward’s defense shifted blame to personal issues, including an autism diagnosis and confusion about his sexuality. His lawyer claimed the murder was a panicked reaction to a perceived invasion of privacy and claimed without evidence that Blaze had tried to photograph him in an intimate moment.
Woodward was convicted of first-degree murder with the enhancement of a hate crime in July 2024 and sentenced to life in prison without parole in November. Blaze’s parents, Jeanne Pepper Bernstein and Gideon Bernstein, expressed relief at the outcome but also noted the ongoing pain of losing their son.
“While he rots in prison, we will be out here celebrating Blaze’s life,” Jeanne said during the sentencing.