Schneider Gets Life for Hate-Crime Murder of Gay Man

BOISE – In a chilling case of bias-motivated violence, Kelly Schneider, 23, from Nampa, Idaho, has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of Steven Nelson. The federal hate crime conviction, resulting from Schneider’s violent assault on Nelson due to his sexual orientation, was announced by Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler and Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr.

Schneider was initially indicted on January 10, 2017, with a single count of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act. He pleaded guilty to this charge on February 7, 2017, before being sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Wheeler emphasized the severity of the crime, stating, “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 law enforcement partners to enforce our federal hate crimes laws.”

Gonzalez echoed these sentiments, noting, “Steven Nelson was assaulted and later died because he was gay. This is precisely the kind of bias motivated violence that the Shepard-Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act was passed to address. I commend the federal and local prosecutors and investigators who brought the defendant to justice.”

The horror of the incident unfolded on April 27, 2016. Schneider met Nelson after posting a solicitation for sex on backpage.com, taking Nelson’s money without engaging in any sexual act. According to the plea agreement, Schneider then conspired with others to rob Nelson again at Gott’s Point, an isolated wildlife area. There, Schneider physically assaulted Nelson, kicking him 20-30 times with steel-toed boots and using a homophobic slur before his death.

Schneider was also sentenced earlier this month in state court for first-degree murder, receiving a fixed term of 28 years plus life on indeterminate parole. His federal sentence will run concurrently with the state sentence. The Canyon County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI played pivotal roles in this investigation.

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