California man convicted of murder of University of Pennsylvania student

A California man has been convicted of murder with a hate crime penalty for the 2018 stabbing of a University of Pennsylvania student.

Samuel Woodward, 26, was found guilty of first-degree murder plus aggravated sentencing for the killing of Blaze Bernstein, a gay, Jewish college sophomore, the Associated Press reports.

Bernstein was home visiting family when he disappeared. His body was found a week later in a shallow grave in a nearby park.

The question has not been whether Woodward killed Bernstein, but why. Prosecutor Jennifer Walker has pointed to Woodward's affiliation with a violent, anti-gay neo-Nazi extremist group, the AP reports.

Woodward's attorney said his client did not intend to kill Bernstein and that he did not hate anyone. He plans to appeal.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Download the FREE WPXI News App for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook And Twitter. | Watch WPXI Now

TRENDING NOW:

Man charged in killing, dismembering missing 14-year-old boy in Mercer County Multiple injured in Homestead crash Man charged in decade-old unsolved murder in Fayette County VIDEO: City leaders prepare for Fourth of July fireworks in Pittsburgh DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts