Found Deceased CA - Blaze Bernstein, 19, Lake Forest, 2 Jan 2018 #5 *Arrest*

[Gussified]

I read through all the posts here and the following are my questions / observations:

**All my opinion, no real hard facts here**

1. There was a post with a screenshot of the police calls that came in that night, two at the hobby lobby location for disturbances around 2am. Whoever called those in would know what those disturbances were. Could be important info.

2. Everyone is going by SW story of them going to the park or meeting at the park when in fact we only knew that's where they found him, so it's really just that... SW's story. I don't think we can base any details of the story on the fact they they were supposedly going to this park. I don't think this was really intended but I do think this is where BB ended up, placed there rather after deceased.

3. BB seemed close to his family. Why not tell them where you are going and why leave all your stuff behind? This could could point to a side of BB not everyone is recognizing. I get a sense he is bold, confident and not afraid. He had shining confidence, possibly tad arrogant typical 19/20 year old who has a fresh exciting life. I do not see him as meek or potentially unable to engage in some serious stuff with the SW guy. I think we are underestimating BB. I think him not telling his family where he was going points to some behavior he didn't really to have a willy nilly convo about with the family. Did he even tell the family he was leaving or just snuck out?

4. The loaner phone really doesn't add up unless BB's was in fact broken and he was borrowing one in the meantime until his is repaired... overall not a huge deal but a little odd.

5. Maybe the reason the dogs didn't find BB at the park at first is he was not at the park? SW had him somewhere else and maybe the day the police questioned him, maybe even the night before was when he placed him there. Hence having dirty nails that same day because he worked on it the night before. It doesn't make sense to have dirty nails 2 days later. He would've taken a shower since then.

6. I do think SW wasn't the best at coming up with story and did want to try to play it off as someone else did it to BB. He thought he could get out of it while still allowing police to find BB but claim that he had no part of the situation because he had dropped him off there and BB was harmed after that. I think he was not prepared to make up a story or caved under nerves/pressure and really didn't know how to come up with a story. He was nervous and probably horrified too. I think he just feels guilty and nervous and gave himself away without thinking.

7. Why such vagueness on the details. If there is a girlfriend of SW then who is she? Obviously a lie and a really strange one to say "girlfriend" - says to me he is really try to hide their relationship (BB &SW), why not just say I went home, or to a friend's but girlfriend seems obvious cover up considering what he was trying to detract from. Doesn't SW have any friends? Why is no one coming forward. I feel like people know more.

8. People are into things you would never imagine (sex wise), the whole thing could be fantasy based in the sex realm and maybe even the violence part of it. Odd to normal folks but when it comes to sex play obviously weird things exist out there. My opinion again is BB is being underestimated and really he's into some stuff because he's bold, confident, and unafraid. Not sure how this got so out of hand but clearly it did. And I wanted to add, I think it was a accident. Something went too far.

Anyway, wanted to share my thoughts after reading the posts.

**All my opinion, no real hard facts here**

My thoughts on your points.
1. Agree. Also could be police logs and/or surveillance video.

2. Agree, but I believe LE has said they went to the part. Again, maybe there’s video surveillance or cell phone evidence.

3. Here’s where I disagree. BB was an adult. No need to sneak out. He had no obligation to tell anyone that he was going out or where he was going. It would be courteous to let them know, but if they were already in bed, maybe he just didn’t want to disturb them.

4. I could see BB getting his phone repaired while he’s home over the holidays. Like bringing home your laundry, going to the dentist, etc, just one of those things you do on break.

5. LE said they believe B.B. was in the park since the night of his disappearance. Also, the '2 days later thing’...BB was last seen the night of 1/2. His family didn’t realize he was missing until the afternoon of 1/3. The called police at around 4:30pm and again at around 10:30pm on 1/3. (I’m thinking LE may require 24 hrs missing before they get involved.) So, when LE spoke w SW on 1/4, it had really only been just barely over a day since the murder, and less than 24 hours since the missing person report.

6. Agree

7. Agree again.

8. Completely disagree. I don’t buy the accident defense. At all. I think SW killed him in a fit of rage, either planned or unplanned.

 

[DAnthrplgst]

So I'm finally caught up with the posts. Just one thing is kicking around my head at the moment. I got a look at SW's mugshot and as my best friend's momma would say: bless his heart, that boy is unfortunate looking.

On a more serious note, after checking out his photo and getting a good look at him, I have serious doubts that there is any sexual motive involved here or some quiet sexual relationship between him and Blaze. Knowing how younger gay guys are and how picky they are, I can't imagine Blaze going after someone who looks like SW. JMO.

 

[clearskies1]

I read through all the posts here and the following are my questions / observations:

**All my opinion, no real hard facts here**

2. Everyone is going by SW story of them going to the park or meeting at the park when in fact we only knew that's where they found him, so it's really just that... SW's story. I don't think we can base any details of the story on the fact they they were supposedly going to this park. I don't think this was really intended but I do think this is where BB ended up, placed there rather after deceased.

**All my opinion, no real hard facts here**

RSBM. I posted about this a few pages ago but thought it would be helpful to reiterate. Paraphrasing a bit... at the arrest news conference a reporter asked what they were supposedly going to do that night and how they ended up at the park. The Sheriff's Department responded that "We know that they had a communication to meet up in the park" but that LE did not know why they went there. 16:25 of this video: https://www.facebook.com/OCDATony/?...8av_BC68NEZvYQuGfdratW45e2A9wHuj_ir2FECuX4RHg

So LE apparently believes that BB intended to meet SW in the park. JMO.

 

[perfectingpink]

I just looked and there still has been no identification on that burned body in the car trunk in Angeles National Forest, that at one time we thought could possibly be Blaze, before his body was found. Just an FYI.

(Sorry, I can't sleep, starting chemo in a few hours and my mind is racing.)

I imagine all of this is pretty scary and I will pray your heart feels comfort and God's love is evident through this journey. Please know your WS family is here for you if/when you need us!

 

[Deleted member 158085]

Ah, I didn't even consider that he would just go out to chat. That's a good point but that really paints SW as a complete nut then to basically kidnap him. Wonder if BB said anything to his family as he was leaving the house. Considering how open of a family wouldn't he say something? Maybe they were sleeping already.

And yeah on the rescue dogs, good point.

Thanks!

I might not bother my parents if I'm just stepping outside. Also, SW may not have intended for this outcome when he pulled up. It really could have been that the conversation led to something that angered him and then he made up his mind.

He also may have been hoping it would lead somewhere sexual with BB, been rebuffed, and then his switch flipped.

I have been in situations before where I believed I was simply catching up with an old friend, but they had other ideas. (I also once just took a friend of a friend somewhere he needed to be, and he convinced me to stop on a back road for something, only to make some scary and aggressive moves. I was 18 and I ran back to the car, locked the doors, and left him out in the country. There was nothing about that situation that made me fearful of him until that moment.)

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[Deleted member 158085]

So I'm finally caught up with the posts. Just one thing is kicking around my head at the moment. I got a look at SW's mugshot and as my best friend's momma would say: bless his heart, that boy is unfortunate looking.

On a more serious note, after checking out his photo and getting a good look at him, I have serious doubts that there is any sexual motive involved here or some quiet sexual relationship between him and Blaze. Knowing how younger gay guys are and how picky they are, I can't imagine Blaze going after someone who looks like SW. JMO.

Doesn't mean that SW wasn't into BB, though, and made unwanted advances.

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[JaimeSommers]

Hi I'm fairly new around here though I've posted a couple of time on other stories - but please forgive me if I don't quite follow the rules. I'm probably repeating much of what others have already said as I've read most of these threads. But this is what happened from my point of view.

My own initial thoughts were that it was either a drugs deal or hook up gone bad. I now suspect having read other non MSM sources that they did indeed know each other at HS and perhaps had a fling or relationship, though probably something fleeting and insubstantial. But maybe no contact but they'd definitely noticed each other and had some attraction.

I think that SW was wrestling with issues with regard to his identity, sexuality, not fitting in and was maybe bullied in early years (just 'a bit off' as many have said), who therefore used his politics and opinions to establish a rationale for why he didn't fit with a majoritively liberal culture at the arts based high school. It suggests to me that he has a struggle too with his sexuality which caused some internal and external conflict with how he saw himself and other homosexuals.

Blaze on the other hand looks like a confident and happy gay young man. On the path to success at a good school (in contrast to SW?). However good his relationship with his parents I suspect they would not have known about all his activities (possible membership of gay hook up sites and even use of drugs).

So I think after a lovely homely evening with parents and grandparents BB and SW got chatting on snapchat (maybe after seeing each other on a hook-up site or another social media site) and decided to meet - maybe just for a catch up or more. Both young men were attractive in an interestingly different way and I could understand that there was still a lingering attraction whatever the nature of their previous involvement. Potentially BB fancied a a brief hook up or he just went to talk, maybe he hadn't quite made up his mind but the hook up was certainly a possibility. For a quick hook up he didn't need money or ID for that, didn't take his glasses for vanity reasons, and certainly wasnt going to tell his parents that was what he was potentially popping out to do. (I think thats normal however liberal your parents!)

I think they probably ended up at the park for that hook up and either BB changed his mind, made SW feel inadequate or small in some unintended way, or SW simply couldn't deal with seeing himself in this compromised position and lashed out. SW was a beefier, taller, stronger guy and could easily overwhelm poor BB who put up a fight and potentially had SW's DNA under his fingernails as he desperately tried to claw him off him (leaving the scratch marks as testament). There may also of course, be other DNA traces elsewhere. SW disposed of the body and texted the friend on BB's 'loan' phone - as an attempt to divert suspicion towards BB getting himself into an alternative situation with a third person...

But SW was panicking and not thinking clearly about how to cover his tracks, explain away BB's disappearance and his own alibi. Later, at 4am he may have returned to check he had concealed the body well - having been in a panic earlier. He suspected this would be found out via CCTV or phone tracking so had to say he returned to the park looking for Blaze later.

I think SW was definitely in a panic state - I do not believe the murder was pre-meditated, so his movements and explanations were a bit off. For my own part I suspect he might have been quite infatuated with Blaze - the confident, happy and popular kid he half wanted to be at HS and half loathed too.

I don't think he set out intending to kill BB. I think his messy attempts to cover his tracks and divert attention show that.

There are a few things I don't fully understand yet though:
- how the family or police tracked down SW straight after BB went missing - this suggests they had some contact on more than one app - maybe spotting each other on one social media forum and then switching to snapchat or Whatsapp to arrange to meet. If it was, as I believe, the family who made contact with him when they discovered BB missing they must have been able to access one of these apps as BB's phone was missing. It is this access to the app that immediately brought SW into the frame. If they had only communicated on snapchat he would not have been easy to track down - it might have taken longer to trace cars, phones or CCTV to lead police to him.
- dirt under the fingernails several days in - its been said - strange that he hadn't managed to get rid of it (a guy not used to gardening!) but it again points to his panic and confusion - as you'd expect in a young man now finding himself a murderer.
- what did the parents know or suspect? - son is closely involved in a disappearance, being questioned by police, followed by reporters hovering outside your house and sitting at your table with dirty fingernails. His mother must have asked him the direct question.
- Cars - I'm not clear about where his car is and the rental car details - I didnt entirely catch up on the sources for this info - presumably more will come out later about that.
- Flight - did police arrest him because he was about to make a run for it? They were keeping him under surveillance and then had got the DNA results back. How can SW have thought he'd manage to run away? Not sure that any change of appearance/haircut was convincing!

We probably wont ever have all the answers with the possibility of a plea bargain.

Finally and I'm sure I shall be unpopular for saying this - please take as read I am of course desperately sorry for BB and his family. But I am also sorry for SW. I've now seen a number of pictures of him and frankly I don't think you can say he looks evil, hostile. Maybe blank and disconnected but actually there's a range of looks and pictures - like any young person. He is a good looking young man.

But clearly if he's prosecuted and convicted something has very badly gone wrong in his psyche and experience to bring him to this dreadful place, a suspected murderer, someone who has (if proved) snuffed out someone else's life and ruined many others including the victim's familly's, his own and his family's lives. We may never know the conflict, turmoil, regret or confusion in his mind since it happened - or the plain stupid defiance from someone who never felt like he fitted in. Whatever, the real truth he simply wasn't clever or calculated enough to cover his tracks.

How sad. Both Blaze and Sam started life with lots of advantages and opportunities to have good and happy lives. And its come to this.

Best, most thoughtful post of all five threads. Thank you, Vaccine. Hope you continue to participate here and on other cases.

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[SleuthDr]

RSBM. I posted about this a few pages ago but thought it would be helpful to reiterate. Paraphrasing a bit... at the arrest news conference a reporter asked what they were supposedly going to do that night and how they ended up at the park. The Sheriff's Department responded that "We know that they had a communication to meet up in the park" but that LE did not know why they went there. 16:25 of this video: https://www.facebook.com/OCDATony/?...8av_BC68NEZvYQuGfdratW45e2A9wHuj_ir2FECuX4RHg

So LE apparently believes that BB intended to meet SW in the park. JMO.

If there was communication to meet in the park, then I hope LE will be forthcoming with the specifics. In particular, who initiated the meeting? What else may have been said?

What's confusing the information is the nature of the Snapchat message that BB's parents found. As I understand it, it was BB giving SW his street address, with no mention of the park. You can see the conflict of info here. Possibly the meeting in the park was suggested after this Snapchat, or prior. Come to think of it, do we know for certain that SW stopped by BB's home in the first place? In fact, we have no details about how BB may have actually exited his home.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

What can be frightening at times is even if someone thinks they know some well they really never know what is in their mind at all. People can appear to be normal as far as normal goes but deep down inside they may hold dark destructive thoughts/secrets they never let anyone see until those dark thoughts become a reality.

None of us really knows SW motive for doing such a heinous act against someone so much smaller than him. For all we know he may have had dark thoughts for years and wanted to murder someone for the thrill of it. If he did this because he wanted to kill another human being then I think he would have selected someone much smaller than him.... like Blaze. Someone he knew who didn't have a violent bone in his body but was known to be extra kind, passive, and loving to others.

He could have targeted Blaze and pretended he wanted to be friends again. For all we know it may have been a setup all along.

I absolutely do not believe Blaze's death was due to any accident, and I firmly believe LE and the DA will not believe it either. I think SW lured him away from his home under false pretenses with plans to murder him all along.

He will not be charged with manslaughter IMO nor even second degree. I think the evidence points to premeditated murder and he will be charged accordingly.

He certainly cant go with diminished capacity as a defense. The hiding of Blake's body, and the lies he told to LE trying to cover up his crime shows he knew wrong from right all along, and was hoping to get away with murdering Blaze. All of his actions afterwards shows a consciousness of guilty which can be used against him when he goes to trial.

I will be very surprised if the DA agrees to any plea deal even if offered by him and his attorneys. They aren't going to believe some wild concocted sex story either. I think the evidence they have tells a much different story. I see no need at this time for the DA to even contemplate such deal. I do not see the DA devaluing Blaze's beautiful life by making a deal with the one who took him away from all that loved him.

If he outright murdered Blaze ( I believe he did), then he should receive the maximum punishment, and be charged with the top charge of first degree murder.

He knew Blaze would be no match for him( size wise) if he assaulted/attacked, and brutalized him. I hope the ME did a rape kit on Blaze to see if he had been sexually assaulted before death or even after.

I think SW has had sadistic dark thoughts for awhile and unfortunately sweet Blaze became his prey so he could act out on those dark secrets.

He reminds me somewhat of Scott Dyleski also from CA who admired serial killers for years. He had dark thoughts he tried to hide of murdering someone for the thrill of it so he murdered a totally innocent woman by bludgeoning her 39 times to satisfy those sadistic dark murderous thoughts.

I feel there is so much we really don't know about SW. I hope he had a least one friend who will come forth and tell who he really is and what sinister negative thoughts he may have had for a very long time. I wonder if we will find out that he also likes to hurt animals. Something about him is very sinister and bone chilling. There is something hidden behind his 'mask' and it isn't pretty. IMO

JMO though

 

[Voice4theSilent]

I read through all the posts here and the following are my questions / observations:


3. BB seemed close to his family. Why not tell them where you are going and why leave all your stuff behind?

5. Maybe the reason the dogs didn't find BB at the park at first is he was not at the park? SW had him somewhere else and maybe the day the police questioned him, maybe even the night before was when he placed him there.

**All my opinion, no real hard facts here**

RSBM BBM

Great post.

MOO (to the points above)

I think his parents were asleep and therefore he didn't want to wake them up to tell them he was going out for a short bit because he expected to be back before they woke up and knew he was gone.

I don't think there is even a slight chance he moved BB's body after that first 24 hour period. I think LE were watching SW from very early on in their investigation and, once Blaze was reported missing and they knew about the park, LE presence at the park was pretty constant. As several people have stated, (and I have seen so many times on these threads) dogs miss bodies A LOT.

 

[iscaremyself]

If there was communication to meet in the park, then I hope LE will be forthcoming with the specifics. In particular, who initiated the meeting? What else may have been said?

What's confusing the information is the nature of the Snapchat message that BB's parents found. As I understand it, it was BB giving SW his street address, with no mention of the park. You can see the conflict of info here. Possibly the meeting in the park was suggested after this Snapchat, or prior. Come to think of it, do we know for certain that SW stopped by BB's home in the first place? In fact, we have no details about how BB may have actually exited his home.

now that you mention it.. blaze could have walked to the park..'IF' the police spokesperson communicated correctly "meet up in the park"

 

[Bravo]

I realize I am making a bold statement on little fact but I am getting a narcissistic sociopathic killer vibe. IMO

 

[SleuthDr]

now that you mention it.. blaze could have walked to the park..'IF' the police spokesperson communicated correctly "meet up in the park"

Exactly. About the only thing we know with some certainty is that BB did not take his own vehicle (no mention of it, left wallet behind anyhow, parents would know, no report of their vehicle taken).

I hope police spokesmen are basing their 'meet in the park' comments in established-with-LE facts. If not, this is going to get confusing.

 

[DAnthrplgst]

If the comment by LE that Blaze arranged to meet SW in the park is correct then that could change the entire tenor of how this case proceeds. If Blaze was the "aggressor" here, meaning that he suggested to SW to meet in the park and it wasn't SW who made the suggestion then I think that will take any sort of pre-meditation charge off the table. JMO

 

[Bravo]

If the comment by LE that Blaze arranged to meet SW in the park is correct then that could change the entire tenor of how this case proceeds. If Blaze was the "aggressor" here, meaning that he suggested to SW to meet in the park and it wasn't SW who made the suggestion then I think that will take any sort of pre-meditation charge off the table. JMO

Not really. If he was and I mean if he was strangled that takes several minutes. pre-med can legally be defined under these conditions.

 

[SleuthDr]

He will not be charged with manslaughter IMO nor even second degree. I think the evidence points to premeditated murder and he will be charged accordingly.

He certainly cant go with diminished capacity as a defense. The hiding of Blake's body, and the lies he told to LE trying to cover up his crime shows he knew wrong from right all along, and was hoping to get away with murdering Blaze. All of his actions afterwards shows a consciousness of guilty which can be used against him when he goes to trial.

He knew Blaze would be no match for him( size wise) if he assaulted/attacked, and brutalized him. I hope the ME did a rape kit on Blaze to see if he had been sexually assaulted before death or even after.

JMO though

I pruned some of your comments, but

1) YES the exact charges will be key. Presumably these are read at the hearing on Wednesday morning. Any chance that this had an accidental component could reduce things to a 'second degree' situation. One hopes LE has been able to access communications between BB and SW that would shed light on who-did-what and what situation was in place when the meeting was instigated.
2) And YES, the concocting of an alibi would mitigate against mental capacity issues.
3) DNA analysis was expedited for purposes of the arrest. This could be blood, semen or skin cells, with no info yet from LE as to specifics. A rape kit might be required as part of a thorough investigation. Whatever they found was sufficient for LE to go into arrest mode ASAP.

 

[Elley Mae]

So I'm finally caught up with the posts. Just one thing is kicking around my head at the moment. I got a look at SW's mugshot and as my best friend's momma would say: bless his heart, that boy is unfortunate looking.

On a more serious note, after checking out his photo and getting a good look at him, I have serious doubts that there is any sexual motive involved here or some quiet sexual relationship between him and Blaze. Knowing how younger gay guys are and how picky they are, I can't imagine Blaze going after someone who looks like SW. JMO.

I thought the same. I can’t imagine Blaze having anything to do with sw. seeing sw mugshot first thought was meth.

 

[Cora]

What can be frightening at times is even if someone thinks they know some well they really never know what is in their mind at all. People can appear to be normal as far as normal goes but deep down inside they may hold dark destructive thoughts/secrets they never let anyone see until those dark thoughts become a reality.

None of us really knows SW motive for doing such a heinous act against someone so much smaller than him. For all we know he may have had dark thoughts for years and wanted to murder someone for the thrill of it. If he did this because he wanted to kill another human being then I think he would have selected someone much smaller than him.... like Blaze. Someone he knew who didn't have a violent bone in his body but was known to be extra kind, passive, and loving to others.

He could have targeted Blaze and pretended he wanted to be friends again. For all we know it may have been a setup all along.

I absolutely do not believe Blaze's death was due to any accident, and I firmly believe LE and the DA will not believe it either. I think SW lured him away from his home under false pretenses with plans to murder him all along.

He will not be charged with manslaughter IMO nor even second degree. I think the evidence points to premeditated murder and he will be charged accordingly.

He certainly cant go with diminished capacity as a defense. The hiding of Blake's body, and the lies he told to LE trying to cover up his crime shows he knew wrong from right all along, and was hoping to get away with murdering Blaze. All of his actions afterwards shows a consciousness of guilty which can be used against him when he goes to trial.

I will be very surprised if the DA agrees to any plea deal even if offered by him and his attorneys. They aren't going to believe some wild concocted sex story either. I think the evidence they have tells a much different story. I see no need at this time for the DA to even contemplate such deal. I do not see the DA devaluing Blaze's beautiful life by making a deal with the one who took him away from all that loved him.

If he outright murdered Blaze ( I believe he did), then he should receive the maximum punishment, and be charged with the top charge of first degree murder.

He knew Blaze would be no match for him( size wise) if he assaulted/attacked, and brutalized him. I hope the ME did a rape kit on Blaze to see if he had been sexually assaulted before death or even after.

I think SW has had sadistic dark thoughts for awhile and unfortunately sweet Blaze became his prey so he could act out on those dark secrets.

He reminds me somewhat of Scott Dyleski also from CA who admired serial killers for years. He had dark thoughts he tried to hide of murdering someone for the thrill of it so he murdered a totally innocent woman by bludgeoning her 39 times to satisfy those sadistic dark murderous thoughts.

I feel there is so much we really don't know about SW. I hope he had a least one friend who will come forth and tell who he really is and what sinister negative thoughts he may have had for a very long time. I wonder if we will find out that he also likes to hurt animals. Something about him is very sinister and bone chilling. There is something hidden behind his 'mask' and it isn't pretty. IMO

JMO though

Spot on.


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[Deleted member 158085]

We have two seemingly conflicting bits of information here. One is that LE said they were meeting in the park, and the other is the information that he sent his address to SW. Maybe both are right and plans changed.

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[oceanblueeyes]

If the comment by LE that Blaze arranged to meet SW in the park is correct then that could change the entire tenor of how this case proceeds. If Blaze was the "aggressor" here, meaning that he suggested to SW to meet in the park and it wasn't SW who made the suggestion then I think that will take any sort of pre-meditation charge off the table. JMO

I am very puzzled why you think that would make Blaze the aggressor. He did not force SW to meet him in the park so how does that make Blaze an aggressor of SW? It does not.

As far as we know they did meet and its very obvious who the real aggressor is in this case, and its certainly NOT the murdered victim.

Both agreeing to meet will not have one thing to do with whether this case is premeditated murder. SW very likely agreed to meet so he could carryout his plans to murder Blaze.

Agreeing to meet someone isn't illegal nor does it make anyone an aggressor. Are you saying Blaze who weighed 130 pounds soaking wet was the aggressor against a much larger man? An aggressor would be making someone meet them by force.

How is agreeing to meet someone make one an aggressor of anything when both evidently agreed?

Respectfully I don't understand your logic.

IMO