21-Year-Old Louisiana Man Sentenced to 45 Years for Kidnapping and Attempting to Murder a Man He Met on Dating App
21-Year-Old Louisiana Man Sentenced to 45 Years for Kidnapping and Attempting to Murder a Man He Met on Dating App
Lafayette, Louisiana – A 21-year-old Louisiana man has been sentenced to 45 years in federal prison for kidnapping and attempting to murder a gay man as part of a months-long scheme to kidnap and murder gay men.
Chance Seneca, 21, of Lafayette, Louisiana, was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, by United States District Judge Robert L. Summerhays for kidnapping and attempting to murder a gay man as part of a months-long scheme to kidnap and murder gay men.
The court based its sentence on a number of factors, including the defendant’s determination that the victim and other gay men were intentionally targeted because of their gender and sexual orientation.
“No one should ever be subject to the type of horrendous actions that this defendant inflicted upon the victim in this case,” said United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “The victim never thought that he would find himself falling prey to a predator in such a way. Hate crimes are a top priority for the Department and this office and we take these kind of cases very seriously. It is important that we all remain vigilant and cautious as we use the internet in our everyday lives to avoid situations that may lead to destructive behavior of others towards us.”
“The facts of this case are truly shocking, and the defendant’s decision to specifically target gay men is a disturbing reminder of the unique prejudices and dangers facing the LGBTQ+ community today,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The internet should be accessible and safe for all Americans, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation. We will continue to identify and intercept the predators who weaponize online platforms to target LGBTQ+ victims and carry out acts of violence and hate.”
According to evidence presented at sentencing and in an earlier hearing where the defendant pleaded guilty, Seneca kidnapped and attempted to murder H.W., a gay man, in June 2020 using Grindr, a dating app for gay and bisexual men. Seneca specifically used Grindr to propose a meeting with H.W. with the intent of murdering and dismembering him, and then drove H.W. to an isolated house, took out a handgun, instructed him to put on handcuffs, and then attempted to murder him using several methods. Seneca attempted to dismember H.W. after concluding that he was dead. Seneca admitted after his arrest that he intended to continue murdering gay men until he was apprehended or killed.
Seneca admitted to kidnapping and attempting to murder H.W. to satisfy a compulsive murder fantasy. Seneca had become obsessed with the idea of murdering gay men, and this obsession led him to spend months planning a murder-kidnapping scheme modeled after the murders of gay men committed by the notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer. Seneca, like Dahmer, deliberately targeted gay men. Seneca, like Dahmer, planned to eat and preserve the bodies of his victims.
“The preservation of civil rights and the investigation of Color of Law violations are of utmost priority for the FBI,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams, Jr. of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that individuals like Chance Seneca will be held accountable. We thank our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office, Western District of Louisiana, Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and Lafayette Police Department for their strong partnership and dedication to protecting the civil rights of every citizen.”
The FBI and the Lafayette Police Department investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Myers Namie for the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Thomas Johnson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
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Louisiana Man Indicted for Attempted Murder and Plot to Kidnap and Murder Gay Men
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