Man accused of stabbing and torturing gay teen he met on Grindr will face hate crime charges
Chance Seneca has pleaded not guilty to a charge of second-degree attempted murder
A Louisiana man who allegedly stabbed, mutilated and tortured an 18-year-old man he met on Grindr will face hate crime enhancements on top of a charge of attempted murder.
Chance Seneca, of Lafayette, La., was charged with second-degree attempted murder after being arrested for an attack on Holden White, a man he had exchanged messages with on the popular gay dating app for about a month.
Last June, the two agreed to meet in person to play video games, with Seneca picking White up and driving him to his father’s house.
Once at Seneca’s father’s house, White claims Seneca — who is reportedly a fan of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer — choked him out, stripped him out of his clothes, and began slicing his wrists in the bathtub.
Read more: Gay teen stabbed, tortured by Jeffrey Dahmer fan during Grindr date
He faded in and out of consciousness while being stabbed and sliced, ultimately passing out before waking up in the hospital after being in a coma for three days.
According to The Acadiana Advocate, Seneca called 911 and told the operator he had just murdered a man and would wait for police outside of his father’s house. He was then arrested and charged for the attack on White.
White is still recovering from his injuries and undergoing physical therapy to regain strength in his hands. He suffered six stab wounds to the neck, blunt force trauma to the back of his head, deep cuts to his wrists, and popped blood vessels in his face from being strangled.
He spent nearly a month in the intensive care unit and rehabilitation before being released just prior to his 19th birthday.
Following news of White’s attack and Seneca’s arrest, the Advocate reported that Seneca had a Facebook profile under his name with a picture of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, an infamous serial murderer who killed and dismembered at least 16 men from 1978 to 1991.
Initially, law enforcement had declined to pursue hate crime enhancements against Seneca, claiming that the evidence pointed to other motives, besides White’s sexual orientation, for the crime.
But last week, prosecutors decided to pursue bias enhancements in addition to the murder charge, according to The Associated Press.
He has since pleaded not guilty to the second-degree murder charge. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 3.
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