261. A Hate That Killed - The Life and Death of Blaze Bernstein

Summary

Podcast Summary: Murder With My Husband - Episode 261: A Hate That Killed - The Life and Death of Blaze Bernstein

Podcast Information:

• Title: Murder With My Husband
• Host/Author: OH NO MEDIA
• Description: A true crime podcast that ventures into the darkest crimes with a wife who loves it and a husband who hates it.
• Episode: 261. A Hate That Killed - The Life and Death of Blaze Bernstein
• Release Date: March 24, 2025

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1. Introduction to the Case

The episode delves into the tragic and horrifying case of Blaze Bernstein, a 19-year-old college student whose life was brutally cut short in what authorities have determined to be a hate crime. Hosts Peyton and Garrett Moreland guide listeners through the intricate details of Blaze's life, disappearance, and the subsequent investigation that led to justice.

2. Background on Blaze Bernstein

Blaze Bernstein was born on April 27, 1998, in Orange County, California. Raised in a supportive and nurturing family, Blaze was the eldest of three siblings. His mother, Jean, was a former lawyer, and his father, Gideon, a partner at a financial consulting firm. Blaze was characterized as a warm, thoughtful, and respectful individual with diverse interests spanning writing, cooking, and active participation in his local synagogue.

Notable Quote:

"Blaze never lost sight of his roots. Every school break, he made his way west to his family home in Orange County, California to unwind and reconnect."
— Peyton Moreland [07:40]

Blaze pursued higher education at the University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in pre-med with aspirations of becoming a doctor. Simultaneously, he nurtured his passion for writing by serving as a copy editor for the campus’s food-driven magazine, Pen Appetite. Blaze was openly gay, embracing his sexuality and using his writing as a platform to support LGBTQ+ issues.

3. The Disappearance

In the winter of 2017, Blaze returned home for winter break, engaging in family traditions and preparing lavish Hanukkah feasts. On the night of January 2, 2018, Blaze left his family home to meet a friend, Samuel Woodward, a former classmate from high school.

Notable Quote:

"Blaze didn't seem to tell his parents what he was getting into. They assumed he was meeting a friend, but when he missed a dentist appointment and failed to respond to his phone, panic set in."
— Peyton Moreland [12:00]

Blaze was scheduled to return to campus after the break, but his absence and unresponsiveness raised immediate concerns. His parents, Jean and Gideon, initiated a search, contacting friends, checking his digital footprint, and eventually involving the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

4. Investigation and Suspect Identification

The investigation revealed that Blaze had been in contact with Samuel Woodward through Snapchat. Blaze had shared his address with Sam, leading Sam to pick him up around 11 PM. They drove to Borrego Park with the intention of meeting another friend. Early reports from Sam suggested that Blaze disappeared after seeking solitude in a public restroom, which was an unusual claim given Blaze's responsible nature.

Notable Quote:

"Blaze came from a truly loving family, but the disappearance took them on a harrowing journey of uncertainty and fear."
— Peyton Moreland [07:40]

Upon further inquiry, friends of Sam revealed troubling aspects of his character. Sam had a history of homophobic behavior, strict Catholic upbringing, and associations with the extremist neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen. These revelations painted Sam as a person capable of extreme actions motivated by hate.

5. The Arrest and Evidence

On January 12, 2018, Sam Woodward was pulled over by police near his Newport Beach home and arrested on suspicion of Blaze’s murder. Upon searching Sam's vehicle and residence, authorities discovered damning evidence:

• Blood: Belonging to both Sam and Blaze.
• Murder Weapon: A folding knife covered in Blaze's blood.
• Mask: An Atomwaffen mask stained with blood.
• Hate Diary: Entries expressing violent and hateful ideologies.
• Connections to Extremist Groups: Documentation of involvement with Atomwaffen, including attendance at hate camps.

Notable Quote:

"The autopsy revealed that Blaze had been stabbed 19 times in the neck, with defensive wounds indicating he fought back."
— Peyton Moreland [26:09]

6. Trial and Legal Proceedings

The trial, initially scheduled for January 2019, was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, eventually commencing in April 2024. Sam's defense team portrayed him as a troubled individual battling autism and obsessive-compulsive disorder, struggling with his sexuality in a conservative environment. They contended that Blaze provoked Sam, leading to a moment of uncontrollable rage.

Notable Quote:

"The defense painted Sam as someone who felt threatened by Blaze's sexuality, ultimately leading to the tragic murder."
— Peyton Moreland [38:57]

Contrary to the defense’s narrative, extensive evidence showcased Sam’s premeditated involvement in extremist activities and hatred towards the LGBTQ+ and Jewish communities, positioning the murder as a hate crime.

7. Verdict and Aftermath

After six grueling years, the jury found Sam Woodward guilty of first-degree murder with the enhancement of it being classified as a hate crime. The courtroom erupted in emotion as justice was served, affirming the community's stand against hate-fueled violence.

Notable Quote:

"We bring Blaze's case as proof that love will always win in the end."
— Jean Bernstein, Blaze's Mother [46:04]

Sam Woodward was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, ensuring he would never again pose a threat. Blaze's family found some solace in the verdict, highlighting the importance of confronting and eradicating hate.

8. Reflections and Conclusions

The episode underscores the pervasive threat of hate crimes and extremist ideologies, emphasizing the necessity for vigilance and community support. Blaze Bernstein’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the destructive power of hate and the resilience required to overcome such tragedies.

Notable Quotes:

"Hate is a very dangerous weapon... But hate never wins in the end."
— Peyton Moreland [04:16]

"Most people are good. Majority people aren't killers. Majority people have good morals and are looking to do good things for other people and treat others nicely."
— Garrett Moreland [49:54]

The hosts concluded with a heartfelt message of hope and the importance of spreading positivity amidst the darkness.

Closing Remarks: Blaze Bernstein’s life and untimely death highlight the critical need for societal awareness and proactive measures against hate-driven violence. The case not only brought justice for Blaze but also served as a catalyst for confronting and diminishing hate within communities.

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Notable Moments:

• [07:40] Introduction to Blaze Bernstein’s background.
• [12:00] Initial concerns and investigation kickoff.
• [26:09] Discovery of the murder weapon and evidence.
• [38:57] Defense’s portrayal of Sam Woodward.
• [46:04] Mother's statement in court.
• [49:54] Hosts’ reflections on human morality and goodness.

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Conclusion: Episode 261 of Murder With My Husband meticulously unravels the life and tragic death of Blaze Bernstein, illustrating the profound impacts of hate and the relentless pursuit of justice. Through detailed narrative and emotional depth, the hosts honor Blaze's memory while advocating for a more compassionate and understanding world.

Transcript

[Peyton Moreland]

Guys, before we dive into today's true crime case, I want to tell you about something that's going to change the way you think about starting a business. And no, it is not a plot twist. It's Shopify. That's right. Whether you're selling jewelry, your killer designs, or, I don't know, spooky crime themed mugs, Shopify helps you set up shop in no time. And Garrett and I have talked about this before. Before we started Murder with my husband, Garrett had an e commerce store online and used Shopify the entire time. I'm honestly not quite sure how you sell a product without using Shopify. So easy. If you've ever wanted to start selling, I don't know, homemade things that you've made as a little side hustle, Shopify makes that easy. It's all you have to do. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Home of the number one checkout on the planet and the not so secret secret with Shop Pay that boosts conversions up to 50%. You guys shopify works with Shop Pay. And honestly, Shop Pay has been the worst thing for my bank account because it makes it so easy to check out. I'm never abandoning my cart. So if you're into growing your business, your commerce platform better be ready to sell whatever your customers are scrolling or strolling on the web, in your store, in their feed, and everywhere in between. Businesses that sell more sell on Shopify. Upgrade your business and get the same checkout Red Bull uses. Sign up for your $1 per month trial [e-mail] husband all lowercase. Okay, $1 per month trial period. Go check it out. You just have to do shopify.com husband in all lower case. It'll upgrade your selling today. Shopify.com husband dear old work platform.

[Garrett Moreland]

It's not you, it's us. Actually, it is you. Endless onboarding, constant IT bottlenecks. We've had enough. We need a platform that just gets us. And to be honest, we've met someone new. They're called Monday.com and it was love at first onboard beautiful dashboards. Their customizable workflows got us floating on a digital cloud nine. So no hard feelings, but we're moving on. Monday dot com, the first work platform you'll love to use.

[Peyton Moreland]

You're listening to an Ono Media podcast. Hey, everyone, welcome back to the podcast. This is Murder with my husband. I'm Peyton Moreland.

[Garrett Moreland]

And I'm Garrett Moreland.

[Peyton Moreland]

And he's the husband.

[Garrett Moreland]

I'm the husband. Well, I'm going to Be honest. I know I'm supposed to be recording right now and I will be recording because I love all you guys. There is a pretty important game on right now. Alabama versus Robert Morris. And Morris is hanging on. They're down by four points. There's four minutes left. So if you're on YouTube and you casually see me looking at my phone, that's why. But don't worry, Peyton is going to be locked and loaded, ready to go. So there's nothing to worry about.

[Peyton Moreland]

And just remember before you're like, he hates this. He hates it. Remember?

[Garrett Moreland]

But I do it because I love you guys.

[Peyton Moreland]

He's a full blown hater. He still hates true crime and genuinely does not enjoy listening to these cases.

[Garrett Moreland]

It's true. It is true. But I'm here. I'm ready to get into this case. I've just been watching March Madness. Peyton and I were in California for a few days. We're back in Utah hanging out. That's. We got anything else or is that about it for us?

[Peyton Moreland]

Well, we drove.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh my gosh. We left that three. Can someone explain to me why there's not a high speed train from California to Utah, Colorado, so on and so forth. Vegas, I don't know, I just, I find it insane because other countries have great transportation and we're just like, nah, we don't need that. I'm complaining because we Woke up at 3:30 to drive back from California to Utah. And the reason we woke up so early is because we wanted to skip all the traffic and it was a, it was a journey. Huh.

[Peyton Moreland]

I'm honestly not quite sure how we're alive right now.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, I'm pretty tired. But ain't no rest for the wicked. Money doesn't grow on trees I got bills to pay I got mouths to feed Ain't nothing in this world for free. Name that song. On that note, let's get into this case.

[Peyton Moreland]

Our sources for this episode are forward.com cnn.com thedp.com patch.com abc newsgo.com, nbclosangeles.com 6 abc.com yahoo.com blazebernstein.org and cbs news.com you guys. Hate is a very dangerous weapon. But it doesn't come from nowhere, right? Oftentimes on this show we see hate stem from things like jealousy, resentment, abuse, money, revenge. But sometimes hate is planted like a seed by other people, grown and watered with things like indoctrination, brainwashing, being told that your way of life is superior to all the rest. And anyone who doesn't think like you look like you or act like you is not worthy of a happy life, or in extreme cases, a life at all. And that might be the most dangerous kind of hate that there is, because it's one that lurks in the shadows. It doesn't necessarily come from someone close to you or even sometimes someone you know. And it will strike at the first opportunity, all as a way to make some sort of proclamation, some sort of statement. But as you'll learn in today's case, hate never wins in the end. What do you think about my little intro? Things like that?

[Garrett Moreland]

Like, I love your intro things. Yeah, I like them a lot. I sit there, I listen, I take it all in, and then I try to figure out what the case is going to be about.

[Peyton Moreland]

See, sometimes I feel like you're not taking it in because you'll be like, wait, I'm interested to see if she lives. And in the beginning, I would have said if the person.

[Garrett Moreland]

I guess it depends. Sometimes I take it in times I don't know what I'm saying.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah, well, you know, I. I'm trying to do, like, a hook so people are ready for what today's case is gonna be about.

[Garrett Moreland]

No, I like it. You're doing great, babe.

[Peyton Moreland]

I almost just called the listeners Chat. I've been streaming on Twitch too much.

[Garrett Moreland]

They're definitely our listeners.

[Peyton Moreland]

Listeners. Let me know what you think about my hooks. Okay, so let's head over to.

[Garrett Moreland]

I did see that someone said they don't like the hooks when it spoils the cases.

[Peyton Moreland]

Okay.

[Garrett Moreland]

Which I guess can make sense.

[Peyton Moreland]

That's why I said sometimes I feel like you don't listen, because there will be times where I'll say whether or.

[Garrett Moreland]

Not I think I like the hooks when I don't. When it makes a story, like, even more mysterious or case. You know what I'm saying?

[Peyton Moreland]

Okay. Yeah.

[Garrett Moreland]

Not that I'm criticizing. I'm just saying I.

[Peyton Moreland]

There's criticism and then there's just plain rude. That's not plain rude.

[Garrett Moreland]

There's just criticism, and then there's hate. Like Peyton's talking about. And hate never wins.

[Peyton Moreland]

Hate never wins. He's a jerk. That was a good sentence. I felt like it was.

[Garrett Moreland]

It was good, baby.

[Peyton Moreland]

Okay, we're starting the case. We're starting the hate never wins case. So let's head over to Orange County, California, where Blaze Bernstein was born on April 27, 1998.

[Garrett Moreland]

No way. His name is Blaze.

[Peyton Moreland]

His name is Blaze Bernstein.

[Garrett Moreland]

I'm sorry. I promise, I. We're not. These People usually. But I have to interrupt. You know what that reminds me of?

[Peyton Moreland]

What?

[Garrett Moreland]

Have you seen Dodgeball?

[Peyton Moreland]

No.

[Garrett Moreland]

Taser, Laser, Blazer. I mean, they don't say Blazer, but anyways, if you watch Dodgeball, you'll get the reference. If you haven't seen it, then ignore me. We're going to keep going.

[Peyton Moreland]

So Blaze comes from what sounds like a truly loving family. Okay. He's born in 1998. He has two other siblings. His mom, Jean, is a former lawyer, and his father, Gideon, is a partner at a financial consulting firm. And they really do seem like these nurturing, supportive parents because they embraced the fact that Blaze was a bit of a quirky kid. He was a little unique and different growing up in the early 2000s. Plus, he had a lot of interests and they wanted to give him the opportunity to explore all of them. Writing, cooking, participating at his local synagogue. Blaze did it all. And he was the kind of person who always took others into consideration. He was warm, thoughtful, respectful of everyone. The kind of kid you would instantly connect with, fall in love with. Even in 2016 when he made the trip east from California to attend the Ivy League school, the University of Pennsylvania's. Actually, I was born two years before him, so we're kind of on the same timeline a little bit here. So he's in Ivy League, which I wasn't. So there. Blaze chose to become a pre med student with dreams of one day becoming a doctor. In the meantime, he found a place where his love for writing and food could intersect as he became a copy editor for the campus's food driven magazine, Pen Appetite.

[Garrett Moreland]

Kind of. That's kind of smart.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah. And freshman into sophomore year, Blaze was really finding his stride. He embraced his sexuality. He was a gay Jewish man on campus, and he started to really find his circles. He was also finding his voice, using writing as a platform to support the issues he believed in most. But Blaze never lost sight of his roots. Every school break, he made his way west to his family home in Orange County, California to unwind and reconnect, see old friends, stop by the local synagogue, celebrate holidays and old traditions. Which was exactly what the 19 year old blaze was doing in the winter of 2017. So it's winter break, and like every year, Blaze celebrated Hanukkah with his family while he, the budding chef, took to the kitchen to prepare them a lavish feast. As winter breaks sped by, the holidays turned into New Year's Eve. And before Blaze knew it, it was now January of 2018. But he still had another week or two before he was to be summoned back to campus for his next semester. So Blaze made the most of it, seeing friends any opportunity he got. But on the night of January 2, 2018, Blaze didn't seem to tell his parents what he was getting into. After all, he was a college student now. Any constrictions he may have had in high school were probably no longer on the table. All they assumed was that Blaze had left the house sometime later that evening to go meet up with a friend. But the following morning, Blaze was scheduled for a dentist appointment. His mother, Jean, was actually planning to meet him there. But when she got to the waiting room and realized Blaze was a no show, she sensed that something was wrong. It was completely unlike Blaze to miss a responsibility like that. And now that he wasn't answering his cell phone either, it sent a chill down his mother's spine. So she rushed home, raced right to Blaze's bedroom. And that's when it was undeniable to her that something was really wrong here. Blaze's retainer, wallet, keys and glasses were all still in his bedroom, as were his bags that he had brought home from college. Which told Gene that Blaze wasn't planning to stay out overnight from the night before. Doesn't matter who he was with. But not only was Blaze not answering his phone, his Find My Friends app, meaning his location services of his phone were no longer being shared with anyone. His location had been turned off. So that's when Blaze's parents began calling every friend they could think of to try and find their son. But not a single one of his friends seemed to know where Blaze was or what he had done the night before. So next thing his parents do is call Verizon just to see if they can tell them where Blaze made any recent phone calls using his phone number only they confirm that Blaze hadn't made any phone calls since they had last seen him. And when they check Blaze's laptop, they don't find any text messages or Facebook messages that seem alarming either. So not only is there no sign of where 19 year old blaze went, it's also unclear who he met up with the night before. Which means the next stop is to the Orange County Sheriff's Department. Now, Blaze's mom says at first the Orange County Sheriff's Department did not seem too alarmed by Blaze's disappearance. They actually tell her that 100% of the time that kids his age go missing, they are actually out on a quote, booty call.

[Garrett Moreland]

So while I do, 100 is a. That's a crazy the broad statement there.

[Peyton Moreland]

Maybe we could have just went to 99, you know what I mean? Like, so while they do get a missing person's report filed, it doesn't seem like there's this huge urgency for the police to begin an investigation that day. So the Bernsteins sort of feel like they're on their own for right now. Which is when Gene and Gideon, his parents, get their 14 year old daughter Beau, to help them with another angle. Because we all know any 14 year old kid excels at social media, especially in 2018. And that's when she tells him, look, we should probably check Blaze's Snapchat account. Now, the Bernsteins get lucky because Blaze's username and password are saved in his icloud keychain on his laptop, so they don't actually have to try to get in or guess anything.

[Garrett Moreland]

But they would have to know his like, password on his computer, which I'm guessing they did.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah, or he just didn't have one on his computer. So they're able to log into his Snapchat and they see that Blaze sent his address to someone the night before he went missing. Now, they don't know who the user is, but they send the user a dm saying, hey, can you call us? And then they just sort of pray that this person responds. And shockingly, they do. A short while later, they get a call from another kid in the area, someone Blaze had gone to high school with. A kid that they'd never heard of named Samuel Woodward. Now they ask Sam, did you see Blaze last night? Like, obviously you found our DM and called us. And they tell him, like, he hasn't come home. We're looking for any help we can get. We just want to locate him. And Sam actually seems pretty cooperative with the family. He tells Gideon that he and Blaze actually did see each other last night, that it was super spur of the moment. They both were in town and decided that they hadn't seen each other in a while and they should get together and catch up. Sam says, so when we decided to hang out, I drove over to Blaze's house and picked him up around 11pm But Blaze then asked Sam to drive him to a place called Borrego park that's nearby so they could meet up with another one of his friends too. So, quick synopsis. According to Sam, Blaze Snapchats him, gives him his address. Sam goes and picks him up. And then when he picks him up and they're driving, he says, actually, can we go to this park and meet up with Another one of my friends and Sam said he did what he asked of him. Now I do just want to clarify here we are in a very typically safe area of Orange County.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, I was looking up for that park is and if it's where I think it is, Orange County's. It's like a bubble, right? It's usually a very safe place depending on where you're at in Orange County. Yeah. I'm curious, I'm curious what happened. We are jumping into an ad real quick and it is Rocket Money. We absolutely love Rocket Money. Rocket Money is a personal finance app that helps find and cancel your unwanted subscriptions, monitors your spending and helps lower your bills so you can grow your savings. We use it, I use it. Been using it for years. You can see all of your subscriptions. You can connect your bank accounts, your cards, everything. We love it.

[Peyton Moreland]

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[Garrett Moreland]

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[Peyton Moreland]

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[Garrett Moreland]

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[Peyton Moreland]

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[Garrett Moreland]

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[Peyton Moreland]

Blaze went to the park. According to Sam, they both got out of the car. Sam asked him, yeah, who are we meeting? And Blaze said, oh, you'll see soon. Then Sam claimed he went over to the public restroom in the park. But when he came back, Blaze was nowhere to be found. Sam's like, did he wander off? So he strolled around the park for a bit, calling out for Blaze. He didn't see or hear anything. So Sam just gets back in his car and he's like, what do I do? So he heads home and he doesn't see Blaze again after that. Now there's a few other messages that they found between Blaze and Sam that actually seem to corroborate this version of events because Sam sent Blaze a few Snapchats afterward that night, asking, hey, where did you go? I can't find you. What's going on? And before Sam hangs up on the phone with Blaze's dad, Gideon, he says, quote, I'm sorry, I want to find Blaze as much as you do. So he seems like he can be trusted. But here's where things get strange when Blaze's parents start calling around to Blaze's friends, asking, hey, yeah, he was last seen with Sam Woodward. Do you know this guy did like was blazing him friends? Well, his friends start saying this isn't a very good sign. Lazer's friends tell his parents, sam Woodward is actually kind of a dangerous individual.

[Garrett Moreland]

Interesting.

[Peyton Moreland]

Okay, so a little bit about 20 year old Sam. He went to Orange County School of the Arts for high school alongside Blaze. And a lot of the kids there said he was a bit quiet, withdrawn, he was definitely an introvert, that he didn't really have any one group of kids that he hung out with. Basically, he was the polar opposite of Blaze at school, who was very social, popular, and outgoing. Maybe the only thing the two had in common was the fact that they both grew up in households where religion was a pretty big part of their lives. For Blaze, it was Judaism, but for Sam Woodward, it was strict Catholicism. Like, so I. If I said that wrong, I'm going to get torn. Like, so strict that Sam's mother wouldn't allow them to read Harry Potter because it supported the idea that witchcraft and dark forces were something fun and entertaining. There's also some sources that say Sam Woodward showed signs of being neurodivergent from as early as preschool, but he was finally diagnosed with autism at age 18. Here's the thing, though. Sam's parents pulled him out of Orange County School of the Arts his junior year because, get this, Sam had gotten in trouble multiple times for being homophobic towards the gay students there, which seemed to be a bit of an open secret at the school.

[Garrett Moreland]

Wow.

[Peyton Moreland]

Because when a lot of kids heard that Sam and Blaze connected on social media, this little detail rang in the back of their heads. They're like, well, Sam's a known homophobic, as did all the other times Sam was caught drawing guns in his notebook during class.

[Garrett Moreland]

All right?

[Peyton Moreland]

Found himself saying something racist, sexist, homophobic. I mean, all of the above.

[Garrett Moreland]

We start drawing guns in our class.

[Peyton Moreland]

So Blaze's parents are learning all of this, right? Like, they talk to Sam, he seems nice, and then they start talking to more of Blaze's friends, saying he was last seen with Sam. And these people are like, red flag, red flag, red flag. This is weird. Sam is not a very good person.

[Garrett Moreland]

Wonder if Blaze knew that Sam was, like, known as a homophobe.

[Peyton Moreland]

Well, that's just what his parents are thinking. Like, what would a kid like Sam want, like, be wanting to hang out with Blaze for? To a lot of Blaze's friends, there were only two viable options. Either Sam was always closeted.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

And he had come out to Blaze and maybe wanted to meet up with him because of that. Or Sam had much more nefarious intentions with Blaze Bernstein that night. Now, luckily, Blaze's parents had the foresight to record the conversation that they had with Sam on the phone that afternoon, which is so smart because this is the last person he Snapchatted. It's just smart of them to record that just in case there were critical details they missed. And so they share that conversation with the police. And then also all the background they had learned about Sam from Blaze's. Friends. And the police decide to bring Sam Woodward in for questioning on January 4th. So this would be two days after Blaze apparently went missing while hanging out with Sam. But there, Sam gives the police the exact same story. He told Blaze's parents, that he picked Blaze up, he asked to go to the park, Sam drove him there and then couldn't find him. They got separated, and police have to sort of take Sam at his word at this point. While he may have had some radical opinions about race, sexuality and gender in the past, not something you can really arrest someone for. So Sam is sent home that night without any charges. And the following day, the search for Blaze Bernstein actually begins in earnest. Now, by now, news of Blaze's disappearance had kind of spread all over Southern California as people came out in droves to try and find the missing 19 year old. There were hundreds of tips called into the Orange County Sheriff's Department within the first few days of the investigation. And meanwhile, police were still keeping a close eye on Sam, tracking his movements to see if there was anything suspicious, anything that might give him away. And at the same time, police looked into Blaze's cell phone data to see if they could zero in on his final location. Sure enough, it seemed Blaze, or at least his cell phone, had never made it out of Borrego park that night.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

And on the night of January 9, seven days after Blaze was last seen, police did another search of the area. And that evening it was pouring rain, which happened to be the exact thing police needed because it helped them spot a body. One that had been covered in dirt and tree branches before, but had since revealed itself with the downpour.

[Garrett Moreland]

I don't know, burying a body in a, like in a public park, like it's not going to be found.

[Peyton Moreland]

Especially the park you said you last saw him at. Yeah, obviously. This body is later identified as the missing 19 year old blaze. Bernstein confirmed even further when police found his smashed cell phone less than a foot away from his body. Now, when Blaze's autopsy is performed, it reveals just how terrible the crime committed against him was because Blaze had been stabbed 19 times.

[Garrett Moreland]

Holy crap.

[Peyton Moreland]

In his neck. But investigators know he fought back. He had defensive wounds all over his hands. Which means this is not a missing person's case. This isn't even looking like a homicide. With everything police know, it appears to be a vicious hate crime.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

And the only suspect police have is Sam Woodward.

[Garrett Moreland]

19 times in the neck.

[Peyton Moreland]

So on January 12th, as Sam is pulling out of his driveway of his parents Newport beach home, police pull him over and arrest him on suspicion of murder.

[Garrett Moreland]

I just have to say something. And I know a lot of you are going to disagree with this, and even Payton probably disagrees with this. I'm just a little more extreme than she is. She's probably scared of what I'm going to say right now. But dude, just stabbing someone 19 times, I feel like you should be stabbed 19 times back. You know what I'm saying? Eye for an eye. Anyways, on that note, let's keep going.

[Peyton Moreland]

So they pull him over in front of his Newport beach home and they arrest him. And they impound Sam's car as evidence. And inside of it, they find blood. Blood that belongs to both Sam Woodward and Blaze Bernstein. But they also find a heck of a lot more evidence inside Sam Woodward's parents home.

[Garrett Moreland]

You're gonna say pants.

[Peyton Moreland]

Not only do they find the murder weapon, a folding knife that still has Blaze's blood.

[Garrett Moreland]

Gosh.

[Peyton Moreland]

On the blade, they also find a mask that's covered in blood. Not just any mask, though. This was a Atom Waffen mask, which is a far right extremist neo Nazi terrorist organization, one that primarily recruits people online and specifically targets members of the LGBTQIA + community and Jewish people, which makes Blaze Bernstein a prime target. Police also discover what they call a hate diary in Sam's bedroom with entries that read things like, quote, text is boring. Murder isn't next to hand drawn images of knives and skulls.

[Garrett Moreland]

What is wrong with people? I don't want to use the word. It's.

[Peyton Moreland]

It is embarrassing. It's like, it's embarrassing and it's gross.

[Garrett Moreland]

What?

[Peyton Moreland]

It's awful.

[Garrett Moreland]

Get a life or don't get a life. And he did.

[Peyton Moreland]

This is his life. Hating people.

[Garrett Moreland]

I'm just like, what?

[Peyton Moreland]

But apparently, Sam's involvement with the Atom Waffen wasn't confined to his bedroom. He had even made a trip to Colorado in the past to meet with a neo Nazi leader. And then another trip to Texas, where he attended an Atomwaffen retreat. It was literally called a hate camp.

[Garrett Moreland]

Are these not like, on the radars of like, FBI? I mean, not that I want to go down that rabbit hole, but you know what I'm saying?

[Peyton Moreland]

Okay, but get what they learn at this hate camp, okay? Members of this group would go to this hate camp and get specialized training on how to commit a hate crime, how to become a violent extremist, basically, how to become a violent member of this group. It's terrifying to think that this exists in our world.

[Garrett Moreland]

Dude, that's so wild.

[Peyton Moreland]

I to Me? It's just like, you attend this group. Bye. Like, that has to be illegal, is it not?

[Garrett Moreland]

I don't think you're committing any crime, so probably not. Right? What crime are you?

[Peyton Moreland]

I guess freedom of speech. Right.

[Garrett Moreland]

But yeah, I mean, you're not committing it. Can you come in? I'm not going to say the same thing, but, I mean, you have like, Colts, stuff like that. Like, I mean, yeah, it's. They're not doing anything illegal. So, I mean, I get it. Yeah, I get it. It feels like it should be.

[Peyton Moreland]

Right, right. I get it. I get it. So apparently Sam was so involved in this group, he was even the one designing the admissions test at one point for these guys. So this isn't just like a morbid curiosity. There is evidence that Sam was actively involved in this terrorist group.

[Garrett Moreland]

Sorry, I guess to go back for a second. I guess it could be illegal if it was like conspiracy to commit XX and X. Yeah, right.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah. Like, you're known to do this, like.

[Garrett Moreland]

You know, like terrorism, like conspiracy to commit.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah, I guess they don't have to do the act first. So it appears that this started back as early as middle school, when Sam first took an interest in World War II Nazi history. And as he approached his teenage years, Sam began seeking out neo fascist and neo Nazi groups online and quickly became radicalized.

[Garrett Moreland]

And I. I can't believe that exists.

[Peyton Moreland]

Well, I know if you're a fan of true crime, you also probably became heavily involved in World War II history on the spectrum of thinking that the Nazis were absolutely horrific and what they did to Jewish people and minority groups was horrific. And to think that Sam also became heavily involved in World War II history, but was idolizing.

[Garrett Moreland]

I forgot that Blaze was Jewish as well. So, duh. All this is making 100 sense, which.

[Peyton Moreland]

Is a whole other scary thing to think that teenage children could be seeking these hate groups out on the Internet and are getting indoctrinated without parents even being aware, because that's what he did. He became fascinated with the Nazis and then got online and searched to see if there were any other people out there who were fans of this behavior. So what police come to discover was Blaze Bernstein was being targeted by Sam months before they actually met up in December.

[Garrett Moreland]

See that? I mean, I'm pretty sure that's illegal.

[Peyton Moreland]

In fact, Sam had created a Tinder account the prior summer. So 2017, probably looking for the perfect target to prove his loyalty. And that's when he came across a profile. He recognized Blaze from high school and he began planting the Seed. The two began talking over the following months. Blaze confided in Sam about his GPA dropping and the idea of taking a semester off. A flirtation even started between the two. Blaze telling Sam that he's attracted to him. And Sam seemingly returned the sentiment in these messages. When Blaze's friends were asked why he might have even entertained a connection with Sam, they said Blaze might have been intrigued by the idea of a once very conservative classmate finally coming out of his shell and just accepting his sexuality. That he was probably, you know, against gay people because he was actually gay. And so there was something about some projection, basically, yeah. And so there was something for Blaze about, you know, finally helping someone accept this. Chances were Blaze being the kind and thoughtful person he was, he saw an opportunity to support someone who needed a confidant, and he chose to play that role for Sam. But I guess their conversation sort of fizzled out over the following months. That was until the two matched again in January of 2018. It was actually that night. That's when Blaze decided to give Sam his address and see where the conversation went in person. So finally meet up. Of course, he had no idea that Sam had become this radicalized member of a terrorist organization and that he was literally walking into a lion's den. So the police feel pretty confident that Sam acted on his own here, at least when it came to the actual murder. But when they go through his computer and the forms that he visited after committing the murder, it does seem like he told other members of his community about the murder and was praised.

[Garrett Moreland]

Wow.

[Peyton Moreland]

For it. Which is why seven months after Sam's arrest, prosecutors actually upgrade his charges from murder in the first degree to murder in the first degree with a hate crime. The difference is actually the possibility of parole if Sam was found guilty of a hate crime. No, Pearl, it would take that possibility off the table, which would mean Sam would die behind bars. Now, of course, Sam Woodward pleaded not guilty to all of his charges.

[Garrett Moreland]

That surprises me that. Sorry, it's already to interrupt you. It surprises me that he pleaded not guilty. He think you would think his. I guess his defense probably doesn't know he did it. Wink, wink. But you would think his defense would be like, take the plea deal plea to first degree without the hate crime because you might be able to get on parole. Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah. Well, I don't think Sam believes he did anything wrong. I don't think he thinks he is guilty. Probably not in his ideology. This was the right thing to do.

[Unknown]

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[Peyton Moreland]

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[Garrett Moreland]

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[Peyton Moreland]

Pretrial hearing in January of 2019, a year after the murder. Like we see in a lot of cases, Sam's official trial was delayed because of the pandemic, and after a long series of postponements, Sam actually got his day in court in April of 2024. Oh, happened. This murder happened in 2018. The trial doesn't happen until 2024. You have to think about this. That is six years of the family's life that they just have to sit and wait and see.

[Garrett Moreland]

That's horrible.

[Peyton Moreland]

There will be justice.

[Garrett Moreland]

Make me a judge. I'll go through these cases really fast.

[Peyton Moreland]

That's also six years of stress, lawyer fees, time, sleepless nights, wondering if the person who murdered your son is going to stay behind bars. That's way too long, in my opinion, for anyone to wait for justice, especially because the stakes are really high in this case. In a way, it's not just about getting justice for Blaze. It's also getting justice for a hate Crime, which, when someone is a target of hate crime, it feels like an attack on that entire community, the community that was targeted. And finally just standing up and facing evil and hatred as a whole. And when Sam Woodward walked through the doors into that courtroom that day, he really did look like the embodiment of evil. His matted hair was dangling in his face. He was a spitting image of Charles Manson. But for the members of the jury, the question wasn't going to be a matter of, did Sam kill Blaze Bernstein? It's going to be, is this a hate crime? And the defense was armed and ready with their own version of events, mainly surrounding Sam's own struggles with his sexuality. So this is the defense that they come with. They paint.

[Garrett Moreland]

This is going to be so embarrassing. I already know where this is going.

[Peyton Moreland]

So they paint this picture. Sam Woodward was someone who had been battling autism, specifically a form of it called Asperger's syndrome and obsessive compulsive disorder for much of his life. This played into his inability to maintain personal relationships and basically build trust, which also caused problems when Sam began questioning his sexual identity. Of course, they said it didn't help that Sam had been brought up in a very politically conservative and strictly religious Catholic household, one that spoke openly against the acceptance of homosexuality. So the defense claimed the events of that fateful night played out like this. Sam had connected with Blaze, was out of sexual interest. It was real. He picked Blaze up that night, went to the park, smoked a joint on a bench, and then Sam blacked out. This is the defense. He wakes up, his pants were unbuckled. He claimed Blaze was groping him and taking a video of him.

[Garrett Moreland]

Not only is a Blaze dead, but now they're trying to pin it on him.

[Peyton Moreland]

Sam at court, says Blaze not only took the video, but was planning to out him, basically to everyone. And so Sam snapped. He claimed that in the moment, all he could think about was how his parents would react if they knew that he had done this. So he grabbed a knife and began stabbing Blaze. Blah, blah, blah. This is the defense. And actually the murder weapon, that knife that he brought with him, was actually from his Boy Scout years, was from his years in the Boy Scout. He got that knife and then stabbed someone. I have so many problems, obviously, with this version of events. Not only does it contradict all of the evidence, the hate diary, the terrorist ties, everything he did afterward, it's the fact that there is actually no evidence that this photo or video existed on Blaze's phone.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, I guess. I guess they could claim that it was like film on Snapchat.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah, I guess you press the X.

[Garrett Moreland]

And there's nothing that. That'd be the only way you could claim it. If not, you can see deleted videos, you can see deleted photos.

[Peyton Moreland]

But I think as Blaze's family, there would be nothing more disgusting and hurtful than to go in court and try to seek justice for your son who was killed because of a hate crime for being nothing than who he was. And then to hear the defense paint your son as the perpetrator, your son as the bad person, your son who was sexually assaulting and videoing someone and threatening to out them. I. That would be insanely hurtful to hear as a family.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, I have so many issues with this. I know there's a lot of. We have a couple. I feel like we have a couple defense attorneys that listen to this. People in law school, people that have, have their law degrees in general. And the reason I have a problem with this is because the defense team is defending him. Right? Yes. They know he did it. Like, don't get me wrong, don't. Don't even try to come at me in my DMs right now and be like, no, they have no idea. No, we all know he did it. The evidence is obvious. They know. They're just trying to get him out of the hate crime. Right. So then it just sucks as, like, I guess it's just part of the game, but it sucks as like, the defense team knows that it was probably a hate crime. They're trying to get around it, but they're still willing to drag Blaze's name through the mud and do this to the family. And so it's just like you're.

[Peyton Moreland]

How do you go home and sleep at night?

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah, moral, moral wise, like, how do you go home? And you're like, yeah, that's fine. It's just because I was defending my client and I was trying to give them a right to a speedy and no, no.

[Peyton Moreland]

You know, they're obligated to give them the best defense possible.

[Garrett Moreland]

No. 100 and it's just, it's just frustrating though, because it's just re.

[Peyton Moreland]

Victimizing people.

[Garrett Moreland]

It's Morally, morally, it seems extremely wrong. I get the game. I understand it. I understand it. I don't know, maybe defense attorneys are just different breed and they just, they just don't care or they just look.

[Peyton Moreland]

At it as a job or they.

[Garrett Moreland]

Just look at it as a job. But it's. I just think it's pretty messed up. Like, I just Think it's pretty messed up, but that's just my two cents on that, and we'll. We'll go back into the case.

[Peyton Moreland]

Okay, so what I do want to talk about, there's actually another part to this case that comes out at trial.

[Garrett Moreland]

Okay.

[Peyton Moreland]

Police searched all of Sam's media. Phone, computer. They find a good deal of gay porn sites on Sam's computer.

[Garrett Moreland]

Interesting. So maybe he really was closeted as.

[Peyton Moreland]

Well as these neo Nazi forms, you know what I mean? He was heavily involved in. In both. And they also find witnesses that say, oh, Sam actually has been hiding his sexuality or trying to repress it. In high school, Sam would not talk to this kid, but then at night would send him nude photos of himself. So he, like, would avoid him and not talk to him at school, but then at night, over the phone, would send naked photos. There was another connection they found on Sam's Tinder where he was sending naked pictures to other boys. Maybe you could argue this was just a way for him to lure victims that he hated so much. That really wouldn't be necessary. This, to me, reads more like Sam really was struggling with his sexuality. He felt like he wasn't allowed to embrace it and still be accepted by his parents. So instead, he took his frustrations out on someone who was openly gay and accepted by his parents. In a way, Blaze was living the life Sam seemed to want, and that was unacceptable for him, which still makes this murder against Blaze an undeniable hate crime. He was doing it.

[Garrett Moreland]

It's still a hate crime because you're doing it because the other person is gay.

[Peyton Moreland]

But is there a lot of projection going on here?

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

Sam hated himself so much that he would get on these forms and talk about people who were exactly like him and then ended up killing someone. You know what I mean?

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

By July of 2024, Sam's trial had concluded. After six years of uncertainty, the family would finally have their resolution. When the jurors returned with the verdict. We, the jury, find the defendant Samuel Woodward guilty of the crime of first degree murder. And there was another piece of paper, one that said, we, the jury, find it to be true that the defendant, Samuel Word. Word committed hate crime. First degree murder.

[Garrett Moreland]

I love when the jury gets things right. Love it.

[Peyton Moreland]

There was a packed courthouse this day full of people who loved Blaze. And when it was read that there was a hate crime, cheers actually erupted in the courtroom. So later that year, Sam Woodward was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

[Garrett Moreland]

Sheesh. Imagine. Imagine just being like, I'm glad. But there is absolutely no way you will get out. I'm ever getting out.

[Peyton Moreland]

As for the hate group that Sam was a part of, that online presence has pretty much dissolved entirely today. This group doesn't really exist, but this threat absolutely still exists, as there are other factions and hate groups that try to recruit vulnerable people online every single day. Still, Blaze's case has brought this world one step closer to snuffing out that sort of hate. In a statement to the court, his mother Jean, said this. To lose my firstborn child, my dream for the future, my partner in fun is the single worst thing that has ever happened to me. He accomplished more than most people do in a full life, and for that, we are grateful. Blaze, we did the best we could for you. We figured out who did this, we brought him to justice, and we have worked to make this world better, which is why Blaze's case is proof that love will always win in the end. And that is the case of Blaze Bernstein.

[Garrett Moreland]

We talk about it so much. Just. I mean, just killing people for no reason. Like, there's no reason. I mean, yeah, I guess.

[Peyton Moreland]

Hate.

[Garrett Moreland]

I guess the person who commits the act of killing someone might think they have a reason. At the end of the day, there's never a reason to kill somebody like that. I don't know.

[Peyton Moreland]

Horrible.

[Garrett Moreland]

So sad. Crazy. Because I know all the areas where. Where this happened. I had no idea this case was even out there.

[Peyton Moreland]

I think, you know, sometimes it can feel like, oh, it's just hate on this minority group, but technically, every single school shooter falls into this category.

[Garrett Moreland]

Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

Of killing for hatred. Killing for hatred. Killing innocent, random people, whoever happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and it's just, like, broken.

[Garrett Moreland]

Can we just stop killing people? So sad. Like, it's so sad to just take somebody's life, like, willingly just take somebody's life.

[Peyton Moreland]

Well, and I also just think the fact that, like, messed up Blaze was completely lured in thinking this was going.

[Garrett Moreland]

Oh, yeah, that part. I just can't even think.

[Peyton Moreland]

You know what I mean?

[Garrett Moreland]

Like, just gets me.

[Peyton Moreland]

He's done nothing.

[Garrett Moreland]

This is why. I'm sorry. This is why I hate it. I just, like, infuriates me.

[Peyton Moreland]

No.

[Garrett Moreland]

You know, that's why I was like, sorry, Sam, we're stabbing you 19 times. Like, I'm just like, no. Like, I'm just. I'm not okay with this.

[Peyton Moreland]

You know, there have been times, like, during the podcast where I have struggled, like, immensely with the fact that there's just, like, so much ugly in this world. Yeah, so much ugly. But. And that is a really easy place to live in because it's true. It is the reality. But when we get to that point, I think it's important to remember that you. You individually, you listening to this. Me sitting here, Garrett sitting here. We can be beautiful, we can be good. And it will spread. If you are light and you are good, it will spread. And that's all we can do, really.

[Garrett Moreland]

And I mean, to be honest. And majority people are good. Majority. Majority people aren't killers. Majority people have good morals and are looking to do good things for other people and treat others nicely. Obviously, the cases we do are the anomaly when it comes to that. It's hard because sometimes it makes it feel like, geez, there's just so many bad people out there. And there are. But I personally would dare to say majority people are good. They want the best for other people. And. Yeah.

[Peyton Moreland]

Yeah. All right, you guys, we love you so much. And that was our case for this week. We'll see you next time with another episode. I love it and I hate it. Goodbye.

[Unknown]

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