The suspect "intentioned to dismember the victim's body and keep parts as trophies and mementos, food and drink."

After the attempted murder and kidnapping of a gay man, a Louisiana man aged 21 who was allegedly inspired to Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced to 45-years in prison.

Chance Seneca will spend 42 years behind bars and receive credit for the time that he spent in prison leading up to his sentencing. As part of a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty previously to one count kidnapping.

A Wednesday release by the Department of Justice stated that Seneca had a "month-long plot to kidnap, murder gay men." The court concluded that Seneca "intentionally targeted the victim" and other gay men due to their gender or sexual orientation.

Holden White was 18, at the time of the attack, is the main victim. Seneca and White first met via the gay dating app Grindr in 2020. They then arranged to meet in person. According to the DoJ, Seneca pulled a gun on the victim, made him handcuffs, and then tried to kill him.

"Believing H.W. Seneca believed that H.W.

White told The Acadiana Advocate that he had blacked out before getting naked in the bathtub. He is currently slicing my left wrist. It was extremely difficult for him to slice it. He was trying to cut my hands off, he stated.

"He just stared at me with a fearful expression on his face, almost like he just did this?" White remembered. White recalled, "I was naked and bleeding in the bathtub. The water was cold and the water was reddish." My last words were 'Stay Calm', which I repeated to myself over and again to keep calm.

Seneca was the one to call police while White was in hospital and in a coma three days.

White spoke out about the emotional and physical effects of the attack in court last week, before Seneca was sentenced. (via The Acadiana Advocate). He said that his left hand and one finger on his right aren't feeling, that his skull is sensitive and that he has anxiety and PTSD. White pushed for Seneca to be sentenced to life, saying he was scared for Seneca and other victims he might hurt in the future. I am afraid that an 18-year old, just like me, will have their lives forever changed by a date.

Seneca addressed White in court as well, reading a letter asking forgiveness.

He said, "I'm not able to change the circumstances, but I hope this letter sheds light on who I really am. I am a caring person, and I don't have any violent bones in my body."

The DoJ reports that Seneca confessed to his plan to murder gay men after his arrest. The agency had previously stated that Seneca attempted to kidnap one person and succeeded in kidnapping another during the week preceding White's attack.

"Seneca admitted that he attempted to kill H.W. To satisfy his compulsive murder-fantasy. Seneca was obsessed with the idea that gay men would be killed, which led him to spend months devising a murder-kidnapping plan that mirrored Jeffrey Dahmer's murders. "Seneca deliberately targeted gay men, just like Dahmer." Seneca also had the intention to preserve and eat the bodies of his victims as Dahmer did.

According to FBI Special Agent Daniel English, Seneca believed Dahmer was a fascinating person and named a rabbit after him. English said Seneca believed Dahmer was "not a bad guy". He even referred to some interviews of the serial killer for preservation and dismemberment advice. White claimed that Seneca had previously used a Dahmer photo as its profile picture on a Facebook page.

An earlier DoJ release stated that Seneca "intentioned to dismember the victim's body and keep parts as trophies and mementos, food, and clothing," such as Dahmer.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division stated in a statement that "the facts of this case were truly shocking" and that the defendant's decision specifically to target gay men was a disturbing reminder about the unique prejudices of the LGBTQ+ community today. "The internet should always be available and safe for all Americans, regardless their gender or sexual orientation. We will continue to track down and stop predators who use online platforms to attack LGBTQ+ victims and perpetrate hateful acts.

U.S. attorney Brandon B. stated that "no one should ever be subjected the kind of horrendous acts that this defendant committed to the victim in this instance." Brown for the Western District of Louisiana. "The victim didn't know he would be a prey to such a predator." Hate crimes like this are a top priority at the Department and this Office, and we take these types of cases very seriously. To avoid any situations where others may be threatening our safety, it is crucial that we remain alert and cautious when we use the internet.

Despite this being the federal sentencing, Seneca still faces a second-degree murder charge in the state court.

-----------------------------------

Title: Man Sentenced to 45 Years Behind Bars for Brutal Attack That 'Mirrored' Jeffrey Dahmer
Sourced From: toofab.com/2023/01/26/chance-seneca-attempted-murder-jeffrey-dahmer/
Published Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2023 19:50:52 +0000

Read More