A man was sentenced to 45 years in jail for trying to murder a gay teenager after attempting to recreate serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer's crimes.
Chance Seneca, 21, from Louisiana, US, used Snapchat and the dating app Grindr, which is used by gay and bisexual men, to convince men into meeting him in June 2020.
He pleaded guilty to a federal kidnapping charge in September in a plea deal that saw an earlier hate crime charge dropped after Chance admitted he wanted to "satisfy a compulsive murder-fantasy."
The Department of Justice said Chance planned his actions for months and wanted to recreate Dahmer's heinous crimes by killing gay men, eating them and keeping their bodies.
His first victim was Holden White, 18, who he tried to murder and dismember on June 20, 2020.
A day earlier, he said, he used the apps to set up a meeting with another gay man but decided not to kill him.
Chance handcuffed, choked, stabbed and slit Holden's wrists before ending the attack, dialing 911 and waiting for police outside the residence where the attack occurred.
Police found Holden in a bathtub inside.
A hammer, a saw and an ice pick were among the weapons on the scene, some of them having been ordered on Amazon ahead of the attack, according to an FBI affidavit.
Holen survived, but his wrists, cut to the bone, “required extensive medical care to rehabilitate the damaged and severed tendons.” His left hand has permanent nerve damage, according to court documents.
White and his family members attended the sentencing hearing, according to The Advocate.
In court, he talked about the lingering physical effects of the attack, including scars, the loss of feeling in his left hand and a finger on his right hand, and his skull’s sensitivity to weight and pressure.
He said he fears for his safety and the safety of others when Chance leaves prison.
“I’m scared for me and for other future victims he might harm. I’m scared an 18-year-old, like I was, will have their life forever changed by a date. … I don’t need anyone getting hurt the way that I did,” Holden said.
Holden said the attack has coloured the way people view him and treat him and has at times been used in verbal or online attacks during arguments or disagreements.
“People tell me he should have killed me that night. He should have finished the job. They should bond him out so he can kill me,” White said.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said in a statement: "'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."
