Chance Seneca: Louisiana man who tried to kidnap and kill teen Jeffrey Dahmer-style gets 45 years
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers' discretion advised
LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA: A Louisiana man who allegedly kidnapped and tried to murder gay teens Jeffrey Dahmer-style has been sentenced to 45 years in prison. Chance Seneca, 21, used the dating app Grindr and Snapchat to lure victims into meeting him with the goal of "murdering and dismembering" them. He pleaded guilty in September to his callous crime.
Seneca allegedly spent months trying to perfect a murder-kidnapping MO to mirror Dahmer's. The infamous serial killer targeted gay men, killed them, and ate their remains. Seneca's first victim was 18-year-old Holden White, whom he successfully persuaded to accompany him before stabbing him multiple times. "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," Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said.
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On June 19, 2020, Seneca who is also gay, drove his victim White to an isolated Lafayette Parish home. Upon arrival, he pulled out a handgun forcing the victim to put on handcuffs. Seneca repeatedly stabbed, strangled, and battered White until he believed the 18-year-old had died. "Seneca then attempted to dismember him," the Department of Justice wrote in a press release, revealed Daily Mail.
However, even though he originally intended to commit more crimes, Seneca later called Lafayette police and confessed to killing a man. He even suggested the police admit him into a mental institution, according to an affidavit. A hammer, a saw, and an ice pack were discovered at the crime scene. Fortunately, White managed to survive his life-threatening injuries. The 18-year-old then spent days in a coma and nearly a month in the hospital.
Police later learned White was not Seneca's first victim, He had apparently used the dating app to meet another gay man the night before, but eventually let him live. White attended Seneca's hearing and spoke about the horror night and the lingering physical and mental pain of the attack. He also revealed the attack resulted in a loss of feeling in his left hand, according to The Advocate.
White even posted a Facebook update on Seneca's sentencing and wrote, "45 years." That said, he feels the sentence is too light. "I'm scared for me and for other future victims he might harm," White said. "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."