Kelly Schneider, 23, of Nampa, Idaho, admitted in federal court to murdering Steven Nelson in a vicious anti-gay attack that ended in the victim’s death. Schneider pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act, capping a case that laid bare the deadly consequences of homophobia and premeditated violence.
The assault occurred in the early hours of April 29, 2016, at Gott’s Point, a remote wildlife area near Lake Lowell. According to court documents, Schneider had lured Nelson to the isolated spot under false pretenses of a sexual encounter, then launched a relentless physical assault. Wearing steel-toed boots, he kicked Nelson 20 to 30 times while hurling homophobic slurs. Nelson never resisted. He died later that day from his injuries.
The crime was not spontaneous. Prosecutors revealed that on April 27, Schneider placed a sex ad on backpage.com with a shirtless photo. When Nelson responded, Schneider met him, took his money, and made it clear to friends he was not gay and would not allow gay men to touch him. By April 29, he reconnected with Nelson as part of a planned robbery scheme, enlisting two accomplices to lie in wait — though they never joined the attack.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division condemned the crime: “Kelly Schneider assaulted and killed a man because of the man’s sexual orientation. This is a federal crime, and the Department of Justice will continue to work with our federal and state law enforcement partners to enforce our federal hate crimes laws.”
U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson, District of Idaho, added: “Steven Nelson was assaulted and later died because he was gay. This is precisely the kind of bias-motivated violence that the Shepard-Byrd Act was passed to address.” She emphasized that the federal prosecution sends a clear message: attacks based on who someone loves will be met with full legal force.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 26, 2017, before Chief U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill. The charge — willful assault based on sexual orientation resulting in death — carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Schneider also pleaded guilty in state court on January 23, 2017, to first-degree murder. The investigation was led by the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office with support from the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crime Task Force and the FBI. Federal prosecution is being handled by U.S. Attorney Olson and Trial Attorney Aejean Cha of the Civil Rights Division.
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Key Facts
- State: Idaho
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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