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

[JaneEyre]

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

No, I don't think so. If I, a woman, was the "aggressor" as you put it and suggested meeting a man in the park, that doesn't exclude the idea that this man may still premeditate my murder at any point between then and the end.

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[clearskies1]

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

Yes, I don't think LE has said that they believe that SW picked up BB at his home. I think they've been silent on that point. All I've heard LE say about what they know is: 1) there was a communication between the two to meet up in the park; and 2) BB and SW were at several locations in Foothill Ranch. Of course, it's possible that LE misspoke about those 2 points ....JMO

 

[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

I have felt this way since the beginning. I think SW has been trying to lure BB out during the break. And I think he has been fantasizing about murdering him. Winter break was coming to a close and SW saw his window of opportunity closing fast. So he turned up the heat...

Maybe BB thought he could help SW. These dark characters have a way of manipulating open, generous people and playing on their genuine sympathies. It is practically a sport.


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[clearskies1]

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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Where did the info about BB sending his address to SW come from? Did someone see this message? Or is that what SW said happened? TIA.

 

[Cora]

Where did the info about BB sending his address to SW come from? Did someone see this message? Or is that what SW said happened? TIA.

This has been widely reported. Here is one article:

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/...-Missing-Orange-County-Teenage-468211203.html


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[SleuthDr]

Where did the info about BB sending his address to SW come from? Did someone see this message? Or is that what SW said happened? TIA.

It was the Snapchat message that BB's parents found. It definitely contained the address info. There is lingering controversy over whether there was a 'meet in the park' portion.

 

[Steelslady]

Yes, I don't think LE has said that they believe that SW picked up BB at his home. I think they've been silent on that point. All I've heard LE say about what they know is: 1) there was a communication between the two to meet up in the park; and 2) BB and SW were at several locations in Foothill Ranch. Of course, it's possible that LE misspoke about those 2 points ....JMO

Here is something that has puzzled me. From what I understand, the homes in that area are pretty close together. Yet, to my knowledge, no one saw or heard a car pull up in front of Blaze's house that night, including his parents or siblings. I'm assuming when Blaze left, he shut the front door very quietly to either not wake his family up or to sneak out. It just seems strange that no one heard or saw the car in that neighborhood. I'm sure there are other young adults that live in that area and some might have been coming back from a night out to the movies or some other activity. Yet no one saw Blaze in a car leaving the neighborhood.

Then again, maybe no one is observant in that neighborhood and my point is moot, but I have wondered if Blaze didn't walk somewhere to meet Sam other than his house.

 

[CoreyRocks]

really? that makes him 19 then.

According to the intake records first on ocsd SW supposedly stated this was his birthday. More games as this is BB birthday.

 

[DAnthrplgst]

No, I don't think so. If I, a woman, was the "aggressor" as you put it and suggested meeting a man in the park, that doesn't exclude the idea that this man may still premeditate my murder at any point between then and the end.

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True but I think it would make it a lot harder for the prosecutor to prove intent without some damning evidence to sustain it. I know the argument that theoretically pre-meditation can be formed within a second but practically that would be impossible for a prosecutor to prove. They need evidence of pre-meditation, a prosecutor can't introduce what they think you are thinking as evidence.

Unless there is some solid evidence to back it up I don't think the prosecutor is going to even suggest a first-degree charge of anything, unless of course they are hell-bent on losing a trial like the Casey Anthony prosecutor. I have a sneaking suspicion the DA is gonna charge this as either 2nd degree Murder or Manslaughter.

The one thing I hope the DA or prosecuting attorney doesn't do is try to use Blaze's death as a political football, which I'm afraid they are plotting to do. This case has all the hallmarks of a great political ad.

 

[clearskies1]

Thins has been widely reported. Here is one article:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nb...ng-Orange-County-Teenage-468211203.html?amp=y


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The article says a family attorney said this: "At 9:30 p.m., he sent a text message with his family's Lake Forest address for a high school buddy to pick him up and take him to the park to meet the third person." But it doesn't say where the attorney got that info from. Did SW tell that to BB's mother? Does the attorney believe that BB sent a message to SW to take him to the park to meet a third person? I'm not clear on what info came from SW's statements and what info came from someone seeing the actual message.

 

[DAnthrplgst]

Here is something that has puzzled me. From what I understand, the homes in that area are pretty close together. Yet, to my knowledge, no one saw or heard a car pull up in front of Blaze's house that night, including his parents or siblings. I'm assuming when Blaze left, he shut the front door very quietly to either not wake his family up or to sneak out. It just seems strange that no one heard or saw the car in that neighborhood. I'm sure there are other young adults that live in that area and some might have been coming back from a night out to the movies or some other activity. Yet no one saw Blaze in a car leaving the neighborhood.

Then again, maybe no one is observant in that neighborhood and my point is moot, but I have wondered if Blaze didn't walk somewhere to meet Sam other than his house.

As I recall from an earlier post by someone who lives in the area: they said that the windows on those houses are pretty well insulated and that unless they are standing right in front of the window they won't hear anything going on outside. I'm sorry I don't know which post it was, it may have been on thread #4 or possibly #3.

 

[Steelslady]

As I recall from an earlier post by someone who lives in the area: they said that the windows on those houses are pretty well insulated and that unless they are standing right in front of the window they won't hear anything going on outside. I'm sorry I don't know which post it was, it may have been on thread #4 or possibly #3.

Ok, so much for that thought, HA!

It just boggles my mind, though, that no one saw them at all that night. Not in the car, parking lot of Hobby Lobby, nothing. Just an alleged sighting by a woman who claimed she thought she saw Blaze walking home near the toll road at am.

 

[Cora]

The article says a family attorney said this: "At 9:30 p.m., he sent a text message with his family's Lake Forest address for a high school buddy to pick him up and take him to the park to meet the third person." But it doesn't say where the attorney got that info from. Did SW tell that to BB's mother? Does the attorney believe that BB sent a message to SW to take him to the park to meet a third person? I'm not clear on what info came from SW's statements and what info came from someone seeing the actual message.

Good questions. I have read where the info came from. It's been vague.


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[JaneEyre]

This has been widely reported. Here is one article:

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/...-Missing-Orange-County-Teenage-468211203.html


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From the article (and thank you for finding it):

At 9:30 p.m., he sent a text message with his family's Lake Forest address for a high school buddy to pick him up and take him to the park to meet the third person, she said.

(The "she" is the family spokesperson.)

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[JaneEyre]

Here is something that has puzzled me. From what I understand, the homes in that area are pretty close together. Yet, to my knowledge, no one saw or heard a car pull up in front of Blaze's house that night, including his parents or siblings. I'm assuming when Blaze left, he shut the front door very quietly to either not wake his family up or to sneak out. It just seems strange that no one heard or saw the car in that neighborhood. I'm sure there are other young adults that live in that area and some might have been coming back from a night out to the movies or some other activity. Yet no one saw Blaze in a car leaving the neighborhood.

Then again, maybe no one is observant in that neighborhood and my point is moot, but I have wondered if Blaze didn't walk somewhere to meet Sam other than his house.

I never heard cars pull up to my neighbors when I lived within spitting distance of them except when they pulled into our shared driveway and the gravel crunched.

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[SleuthDr]

Ok, so much for that thought, HA!

It just boggles my mind, though, that no one saw them at all that night. Not in the car, parking lot of Hobby Lobby, nothing. Just an alleged sighting by a woman who claimed she thought she saw Blaze walking home near the toll road at am.

LE has stated that SW and BB went several places. One assumes that this is based on verifiable evidence: security cams, etc. They have not provided details. The nbc article linked above was from January 6, very early in the scheme of things (the body was discovered 1/9), so I'm not sure what to make of the reports near the toll road.

 

[LAhiker]

This has been widely reported. Here is one article:

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/...-Missing-Orange-County-Teenage-468211203.html


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Cora, thanks for finding the article. Here's an excerpt:

"Blaze N. Bernstein, who was visiting with family on winter break from the University of Pennsylvania, went to Borrego Park that night to meet someone for unknown reasons, said Annee Della Donna, an attorney and friend of the family. At 9:30 p.m., he sent a text message with his family's Lake Forest address for a high school buddy to pick him up and take him to the park to meet the third person, she said."

This article is from January 6th, relatively early in the investigation and days before Blaze's body was found. The info stated by the attorney friend of the family might originally have come from the service provider for the borrowed phone -- I'm guessing that the relative who lent BB the phone gave LE permission to access texts sent from the phone, assuming that can be done. It could be in error -- the affidavit implies that this was done by Snapchat. The report that BB contacted SW may be based on SW's version of events at that point -- on him saying that BB contacted him to ask for a ride to meet a third party.

So even though it's been reported that BB texted or otherwise contacted SW, I think at this point there's uncertainty about what really happened.

 

[DAnthrplgst]

Ok, so much for that thought, HA!

It just boggles my mind, though, that no one saw them at all that night. Not in the car, parking lot of Hobby Lobby, nothing. Just an alleged sighting by a woman who claimed she thought she saw Blaze walking home near the toll road at am.

Actually I'm not really surprised that no one saw them. Think about your daily life, when you're out and about do you look at people if they're not creating a ruckus? Speaking for myself I never notice anyone when I'm out and about unless they give me a reason to look at them.

 

[clearskies1]

Cora, thanks for finding the article. Here's an excerpt: "Blaze N. Bernstein, who was visiting with family on winter break from the University of Pennsylvania, went to Borrego Park that night to meet someone for unknown reasons, said Annee Della Donna, an attorney and friend of the family. At 9:30 p.m., he sent a text message with his family's Lake Forest address for a high school buddy to pick him up and take him to the park to meet the third person, she said."

This article is from January 6th, relatively early in the investigation and days before Blaze's body was found. The info stated by the attorney friend of the family might originally have come from the service provider for the borrowed phone -- I'm guessing that the relative who lent BB the phone gave LE permission to access texts sent from the phone, assuming that can be done. It could be in error -- the affidavit implies that this was done by Snapchat. The report that BB contacted SW may be based on SW's version of events at that point -- on him saying that BB contacted him to ask for a ride to meet a third party.

So even though it's been reported that BB texted or otherwise contacted SW, I think at this point there's uncertainty about what really happened.

I think there's uncertainty too. I haven't seen anything so far that makes me believe that BB actually sent/texted his address to SW.

 

[Elle*Bee]

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’m still trying to wrap my head around your use of the word “aggressor.”

Regarding LE’s comment that Blaze arranged to meet SW, that doesn’t equal aggressor. People can mutually make arrangements.

Aggressor does not equal person extending an invitation.
Aggressor does equal person who intends/attempts to harm someone else

IF Blaze made the suggestion to meet, that does not make him an aggressor, anymore than my inviting my co-worker to lunch makes me an aggressor. It comes down to whether or not one intends to harm or threaten. There’s no evidence that Blaze had any ill intent toward SW.

JMOO