Samuel Lincoln Woodward, a 27-year-old man, is set to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2018 hate crime killing of Blaze Bernstein, a 19-year-old gay and Jewish college student. Woodward was found guilty of first-degree murder with a hate crime enhancement after Bernstein's body was discovered in a shallow grave, having been stabbed over 28 times. The prosecution highlighted Woodward's affiliations with the violent anti-gay, neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen Division and presented evidence of his anti-gay sentiments. Although Woodward admitted to the stabbing, he pleaded not guilty to murder with a hate crime enhancement, claiming a lack of hatred towards Bernstein. The defense argued that Woodward's actions stemmed from personal struggles rather than premeditated hate. Woodward's defense attorney plans to appeal the verdict, but the jury's decision ensures a life sentence for the murder.