Blaze Bernstein murder: Trial begins for OC man charged with killing former classmate

SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- After more than six years since the body of 19-year-old Blaze Bernstein was discovered in a shallow grave at a park in Lake Forest, the long-awaited murder trial of his accused killer got underway on Tuesday.

Samuel Woodward, now 26 years old, is charged with murder and faces sentencing enhancements for a hate crime and personal use of a deadly weapon.

Orange County Senior Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Walker said Bernstein was stabbed 28 times.

"Multiple stabs to both sides of his neck, defensive wounds on his hands and even a stab wound to his leg," she described.

During her opening statements, Walker said Woodward developed long-standing beliefs and hatred against gay and Jewish people.

He joined Atomwaffen, a neo-Nazi group, and targeted gay men on social media and dating apps.

"He started and continued catfishing and researching his prey," Walker said. "Well, the prey that the defendant had chosen was gay people."

Walker said Woodward and Bernstein were former classmates at Orange County School of the Arts but were not known to be friends.

They reconnected online in June 2017.

Bernstein, a University of Pennsylvania student, was on winter break visiting his parents when Woodward reached out to hang out on Jan. 2, 2018.

"The defendant brought a folding knife, his Atomwaffen mask, a device to bury, a shovel and a sleeping bag and picked up Blaze Bernstein," she said.

Walker said Bernstein was killed within an hour of meeting up with Woodward.

The prosecution said Bernstein's DNA was found on multiple items including Woodward's watch band and a folding knife next to his bed.

Walker said Bernstein fought for his life.

"You will hear and believe at the end of this case that the only reasonable conclusion based on the entire comparison and consideration of all evidence is that the defendant is guilty of killing Blaze because he was gay," she said.

However, defense attorney Ken Morrison said the facts of this case are not simple.

"They're not black and white," he said.

Morrison said they don't deny Woodward killed Bernstein.

"The evidence will show that my client, Sam Woodward, was responsible for that death," Morrison exclaimed.

However, the defense asked the jury to take into consideration why he did it.

"You will learn that Blaze Bernstein was not killed because of who he was but because of what he did to Sam Woodward after they met up," Morrison said.

He added Woodward was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder and battled with his own sexuality.

He said Bernstein's sexual orientation had nothing to do with the reason he was killed.

Both sides are expected to call up a lot of witnesses during the trial including Bernstein and Woodward's parents.

Sam Woodward is also expected to take the witness stand in his murder trial.

This trial is expected to last up to three months.

If convicted Woodward faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

City News Service contributed to this report.