GUILTY ID - Steven Nelson, 49, dies after Backpage robbery, Lake Lowell, 29 April 2016

Canyon County is calling it a heinous and disturbing crime-- one that led to a Nampa man dead and four suspects in custody.

In a press conference this afternoon the Sheriff Kieran Donahue said Steven Nelson, 49, was attacked and robbed Friday morning near Lake Lowell during an exchange of money for sex...

When officers responded, Nelson told them that he went around to houses in this area of Gott's Point at Lake Lowell Friday morning after he was beaten. He was knocking on doors, trying to get help.

Click to expand...

Steven Nelson, 49, died of cardiac arrest hours after police say he was robbed, beaten, stripped and left for dead by a group of assailants. Four men have been arrested and are facing first-degree murder charges in connection to his death...

Nelson died Friday after responding to an ad for a male escort posted on Backpage.com. Police say he met up with the man featured in the ad, 22-year-old Kelly Schneider, and drove with him to the Gotts Point area of Lake Lowell. Nelson believed he would pay the man for sex, but the ad had been a setup, police say...

Schneider, 21-year-old Kevin Tracy, 28-year-old Jayson Woods and 23-year-old Daniel Henkel were arrested and charged with murder and robbery. Schneider faces an additional charge of grand theft.

Click to expand...

Steven Nelson, who died on April 29th, was openly gay.

In 2014 he was featured in a documentary, "Little Blue Dots," which used the perspectives of many members of Idaho's gay community to discuss civil rights issues in the state...

The US Attorney has not at this point decided whether hate is what motivated the men charged for Nelson's murder.

Click to expand...

Prosecutors agreed not to pursue the death penalty against three men suspected of being connected to the murder of Steven Nelson. All pleaded not guilty Friday.

Nelson, 49, was brutally beaten in a planned robbery on April 29 near Lake Lowell, dying of cardiac arrest shortly afterward.

Four men are suspected of planning or helping execute the robbery, in which Nelson was beaten, robbed, stripped naked and left for dead at Gott’s Point. Kevin Tracy, Jayson Woods and Daniel Henkel all pleaded not guilty to their alleged involvement Friday. Kelly Schneider is believed to be the ringleader in the attack, according to police.

Click to expand...

Defendant Kelly Schneider was not present at Monday’s hearing in Third District Court. Attorneys representing the prosecution and defense told Judge Thomas Ryan that they understand his frustration with the status conference being continued yet again, but they want to wait for word from U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson’s office.

Federal prosecutors are looking into whether Schneider, charged by the state with first-degree murder, can be charged with committing a hate crime.

Schneider would have had a trial by November in accordance with state law requiring a trial within six months, but he waived his right to a speedy trial in September.

Click to expand...

An Idaho man has agreed to plead guilty to a federal hate crime in the death of a gay man in exchange for a chance at a 28-year sentence instead of life in prison.

Kelly Schneider, 23, acknowledges in court documents he lured victim Steven Nelson to a remote area and used steel-toed boots to kick Nelson roughly two-dozen times while Nelson begged for his life.

Click to expand...

On April 27, 2016, according to the document, Schneider posted a solicitation for sex on Backpage.com, along with a shirtless photo of himself. Nelson responded to the posting, and the two met that same night. Though Schneider took Nelson's money, the two didn't engage in any sexual acts, according to the plea agreement.

Schneider contacted Nelson and agreed to meet him at a local Wal-Mart parking lot. There, he asked Nelson to drive to an isolated wildlife area outside of town for a romantic encounter.

Unbeknownst to Nelson, however, Schneider planned a robbery and had two of friends lying in wait at the wildlife area in case Nelson resisted.

Schneider began beating Nelson as soon as they arrived, and Nelson never resisted, according to the plea agreement.

Instead, he volunteered his ATM number and begged for his life, saying, "Please don't kill me. Take whatever you want," Olson wrote.

Click to expand...

Felony robbery, theft and robbery conspiracy charges against Schneider, 23, were dropped in exchange for his guilty plea on the murder charge. He faces up to life in prison when sentenced March 20 in 3rd District Court. Prosecutors can recommend a fixed sentence as high as 28 years before parole eligibility, and the defense can ask for as little as 10 years,

The trial of co-defendant Jayson Woods, 28, began in 3rd District Court on Monday, and the other two suspects, Kevin R. Tracy and Daniel Henkel, are scheduled as witnesses in that trial, a Canyon County spokesman said.

Woods, 28, of Nampa, is accused of helping Schneider as he beat and robbed Nelson of his car, wallet and other possessions. Tracy, 21, of Nampa, and Henkel, 23, of Wilder, are accused of hiding nearby in case Nelson put up a struggle and Schneider needed more muscle.

Tracy is scheduled to go to trial Feb. 6 for first-degree murder, robbery and conspiracy charges. Henkel is set for trial March 6 on the same charges. They have both pleaded not guilty.

Click to expand...

Kevin Tracy, 21, of Nampa, was one of the defendants charged with first-degree murder, robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery in the beating death of Steven Nelson in the early morning hours of April 29 of last year. He testified Tuesday in the trial for his co-defendant, Jayson Woods.

Tracy (pictured) told the court he wanted to testify “so the truth will come out” –- and to give closure to the victim’s family.

Tracy testified he was under the impression that the arranged attack was supposed to simply be what was termed a “grab and go” -– A scenario where he says he thought they would take the victim's money and run.

Click to expand...

In court Tuesday, the jury watched the roughly twenty-minute body cam footage from the patrol deputy who first arrived on scene.

In the video, the victim, Steven Nelson was found naked, using a doormat to cover his groin area.

Following initial contact with the victim, Nelson told the deputy "I've been robbed, they stole my car and my clothes," then asked for a blanket.

The responding deputy gave the victim a blanket, and allowed him to sit in his patrol car while he answered several questions.

The victim could be heard expressing disappointment saying he felt "really stupid" and made "bad judgment".

Click to expand...

The man who helped set up the brutal beating of 49-year-old Steven Nelson near Lake Lowell last year was convicted Thursday of first-degree murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and accepting the earnings of a prostitute.

Jayson Woods, 28, of Nampa, was accused of helping Kelly Schneider, 23, before Schneider beat and robbed Nelson of his car, wallet and other possessions near Lake Lowell.

Woods previously described himself as the “salesman” in the crime. Woods and his ex-girlfriend reportedly dropped Schneider off at Wal-Mart before the attack, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Woods’ ex-girlfriend told police that Woods had, in the past, driven her around and forced her to perform sexual acts with various men for money. He admitted to police that he had set up people for sexual acts in the past and at the end of each night, divided up the money.

Click to expand...

Kevin Tracy and Daniel Henkel both await trial.

Woods will be sentenced April 6.

Click to expand...

A Nampa man involved in a robbery ring that led to one man being kicked to death in a remote area near Lake Lowell last April pleaded guilty Monday.

But Kevin Robert Tracy, 21, is no longer facing murder charges after striking a deal with prosecutors. Tracy admitted to aiding and abetting felony robbery in exchange for the state dropping additional charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit robbery...

Tracy's sentencing is set for April 24. He faces a minimum of five years, and up to life in prison.

Click to expand...

Daniel Aragon Henkel haltingly admitted Friday that he was nearby, ready to assist in the robbery of Steven Nelson, while Kelly Schneider robbed, stripped and brutally kicked Nelson after luring him to the remote spot with an ad for gay sex.

Before accepting Henkel’s guilty plea to felony aiding and abetting robbery, 3rd District Judge Christopher Nye repeatedly prompted Henkel to describe what he did beyond simply saying “I aided and abetted.”

Click to expand...

Henkel’s plea agreement would put him in a prison-based treatment and evaluation program for up to a year. Depending on its outcome, the judge could release him on probation or send him back to prison to complete his full sentence.

The 23-year-old could receive 5 years to life in prison for the aiding robbery conviction, but no specific sentence is called for in the plea deal.

Henkel had been scheduled to start trial on murder and robbery charges Monday, but now is set for sentencing on May 1. According to the deal, he can withdraw his plea and go to trial if Nye, after reviewing a presentence evaluation, decides not to agree to the prison-based treatment program.

Click to expand...

Schneider is scheduled to be sentenced April 10 in 3rd District Court for first-degree murder, two counts of robbery and grand theft. Schneider is scheduled to be sentenced April 26 for hate crime charges.

Woods is scheduled to be sentenced April 11 in 3rd District Court after a jury convicted him of first-degree murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and accepting earnings from a prostitute.

Tracy is scheduled to be sentenced April 24 in 3rd District Court after entering a plea agreement for his role in the crime.

Click to expand...

His father, Edgar Nelson, wakes each night and “walks that last mile” with Steven, who in April 2016 was badly beaten, stripped naked and robbed by four men in the night near Lake Lowell in Nampa.

Dennis Nelson, Steven’s oldest brother, still suffers nightmares in which he sees Steven being kicked repeatedly with steel-toed boots. Steven’s mother, Mary, misses her youngest son’s daily phone calls.

Steven’s family, including his two other brothers and his sister, gathered Monday in a Canyon County courtroom, their victim impact statements in hand as they waited for the first of Steven’s attackers to be sentenced.

“You want to talk about impact on our lives?” Edgar Nelson asked 3rd District Judge Thomas J. Ryan. “I don’t know where to start. After 49 years, his prints are in our lives and in our hearts everywhere.”

Click to expand...

Head bowed, Kelly Schneider listened to the Nelsons speak for about an hour. His head stayed down as the judge handed down his sentence: Life in prison, with 28 years before he’ll be eligible for parole.

The judge, whose sentence was more harsh than the standard for murder in Idaho, said he believed Schneider “should not be released any earlier than reaching the age of 60. And that may be too soon.”

Ryan’s decision Monday came after testimony from prosecutors that Schneider has a history of violent behavior. Prosecutors also pointed out that the group involved in the murder planned similar robberies in the same time frame.

Schneider, believed to be the “ringleader” of the crime, in January pleaded guilty to the murder and robbery. Accused of targeting Steven Nelson because he was gay, Schneider later pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime. He will be sentenced on that later charge on April 26, nearly a year to the day after the attack.

Schneider’s lawyer Monday said his client wished to apologize to Steven’s family.

“I understand that no matter what I do, I can never make right what I did wrong. ... I’m not asking anybody for forgiveness, because I don’t deserve it,” the soft-spoken Schneider then said.

Click to expand...

Jayson Woods didn't brutally kick Steven Nelson near Lake Lowell last April, but he assembled a "pack" and engineered the plan to lure the gay man to a remote spot to rob him.

For that, 3rd District Judge George Southworth said Tuesday, the 28-year-old should serve at least 28 years in prison -- the same total handed down Monday to Kelly Schneider, the violent homophobe who delivered the devastating blows that led to Nelson's death nearly one year ago.

Southworth gave Woods a somewhat shorter sentence — 23 years to life — for first degree murder and conspiracy to commit robbery. But he added on five years for accepting the earnings of a prostitute, to be served consecutively, for a total of at least 28 years in prison.

The difference in the murder sentence comes down to the fact that Schneider "was the one that made the decision to keep kicking Mr. Nelson long after it became unnecessary," the judge said.

Nelson's family turned out in force for the sentencing hearing, and brother Eric told the Statesman they agreed with the statements and sentencing handed down by Southworth.

"We thought he was equally or more responsible for Steven's death," Eric Nelson said after the hearing.

Click to expand...

Steven Nelson was someone who always tried to turn others away from hate and toward love, according to his family.

On April 29, 2016, Nelson was the victim of one of the most brutal hate crimes in recent Canyon County history.

Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill on Wednesday sentenced the 23-year-old Nampa man guilty of beating Nelson to death to 28 years in prison in a federal hate crime case.

Earlier this month, Schneider was sentenced in Canyon County to life in prison, with 28 years fixed, after pleading guilty to first-degree murder. The federal sentence will be concurrent to the Canyon County sentence.

Click to expand...

Victim impact statements from Nelson’s parents and his four siblings outlined his compassion and character for nearly an hour in court. The statements were similar to the those made in 3rd District Court before District Judge Thomas Ryan, explaining Nelson’s hopes, compassion and love.

Nelson’s father, Edgar Nelson, explained that Nelson faced harassment as a teenager for being gay.

“I pointed out to him once that he had chosen a difficult lifestyle,” Edgar Nelson said. “He said to me, ‘It wasn’t chosen, it’s just the way I am.’ ”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Lucoff noted that a 28-year sentence represents both society’s condemnation of what happened to Nelson and its condemnation of hate crimes, specifically those based upon a person’s sexual orientation.

“I thought about what I would tell people 10 years from now, 20 years from now, about what this case represents,” Lucoff told the judge prior to sentencing. “... What I came up with was this: Serious criminal punishment represents society’s strong condemnation of what that offender has done.”

Click to expand...

One of four men charged in the robbery and murder of Steven Nelson near Lake Lowell in April 2016 will spend six more months in jail and was ordered to complete 10 years of probation for his role in the crime.

Kevin Tracy, 21, appeared Monday in 3rd District Court in Caldwell for sentencing on one count of felony aiding and abetting robbery. He was originally charged with first-degree murder and felony robbery, but those charges were dismissed after he pleaded guilty to the aiding and abetting robbery charge.

Canyon County Deputy Prosecutor Christopher Boyd said Tracy “allowed aggressive prosecution of the crime’s main perpetrators,” including his own brother, 28-year-old Jayson Woods.

Click to expand...

“Mr. Tracy’s involvement in this case is superseded by what he did afterword,” Boyd explained.

He said that within 24 hours of Nelson’s beating and robbery, Tracy told a special investigator everything that had taken place the night of the crime.

“He came clean and told the truth without the promise of a deal,” Boyd said. “Tracy is a naive and simple person, and I believe he was coerced by his brother.”

Tracy, who bowed his head and cried throughout the hearing, told the court he was “truly sorry” for what he had done and that it “should have never happened.”

“I didn’t testify to get my brother in trouble,” he said, turning to Nelson’s family in the courtroom gallery. “I did it for Steven’s family.”

Click to expand...

Earlier in the hearing, Steven Nelson’s family offered statements to the court, much as they had done during Woods’ and Schneider’s sentencings.

Steven Nelson’s father, Edgar Nelson, said that it was hard to stomach the thought that Tracy saw his son being beaten and willingly left him bloody and naked with nobody around.

Edgar Nelson said that he recounts the mile his son walked that morning to a nearby house, over sharp gravel and goatheads, enduring broken ribs and a bitterly cold morning before he was able to contact police.

Steven Nelson died that day from a heart attack caused by his injuries.

“All I can say is we’ve walked that mile with Steven as long as we can,” he said.

Click to expand...

Earlier that day, a judge refused to follow the sentencing recommendations provided by Canyon County prosecutors in Henkel’s case.

Judge Christopher Nye announced his decision in court Monday morning during what was scheduled to be a sentencing hearing for Henkel, who pleaded guilty to one count of felony aiding and abetting robbery and a probation violation.

The judge’s decision pushes Henkel’s sentencing hearing back to May 8, allowing him time to either withdraw his guilty plea or continue with sentencing.

Click to expand...

Third District Judge Christopher Nye rejected a plea deal that would have put Daniel Henkel in a prison-based treatment and evaluation program for up to a year, after which he could have been considered for probation rather than completing his prison sentence.

Instead, Nye sentenced Henkel Monday morning to at least four and up to 20 years in prison, with no provision for retained jurisdiction for evaluation.

Like Kevin Tracy, who was sentenced last week to six months in jail with an underlying prison sentence of 10 to 25 years if he violates probation, Henkel admitted waiting nearby while Schneider brutalized Nelson. The two men were reportedly on hand in case Schneider needed backup, and Henkel admitted in court he was carrying a brass pipe during the pre-dawn attack.

Click to expand...

While struggling to hold back tears, Henkel told the court shortly before being sentenced that though he only met Nelson once, it was “enough to see what a great person he was.”

“To the family of Steven Nelson, I’m sorry that I never tried to help him when I should have,” he said.

Third District Judge Christopher Nye said that even though Henkel said he ran away because he recognized Steven Nelson the morning of the beating and robbery, he may have run because Steven Nelson could have recognized him after Schneider yelled his name when telling him to come out of hiding.

“You went about your business that day as if nothing had happened,” Nye told Henkel. “You won’t get a rider for that. You deserve prison for that.”

Click to expand...

For the fourth time in a month, Steven Nelson’s family offered heart-wrenching statements to the court about their brother’s murder.

Dennis Nelson, Steven Nelson’s oldest brother, said that on the morning of April 29, while his brother was fighting for his life in a Boise hospital, he was watching the sun rise from the comfort of his kitchen window.

He recalled the moment in Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise when his mother told him that his youngest sibling had died of a heart attack caused by his injuries.

“My mother looked small, frail and defeated,” he said.

Edgar Nelson, Steven Nelson’s father, told Henkel that it wasn’t what Henkel did the morning his son was murdered, it was what Henkel didn’t do.

“He didn’t say to Schneider, ‘That’s enough, don’t kill him or we’ll all be in trouble,’” he said. “None of the four came to his aid at a time when it would have made a difference.”

Click to expand...

After the sentencing hearing, Dennis Nelson told the Idaho Press-Tribune that the way his brother’s case was handled renewed his faith in the judicial system.

“In some of these sentences, we didn’t get everything we would have liked to, looking at it from a personal perspective,” he said. “But looking at it from a societal perspective, our system of justice and the courts have worked.”

Egdar Nelson said that he and his family members have endured a “long year,” and that he appreciates the efforts of local and federal authorities.

“I don’t think we’ve ever advocated revenge,” he said. “We just wanted justice.”

Edgar Nelson said that besides Woods, all of the other three co-defendants charged with his son’s murder expressed remorse for their actions, for which he is grateful.

“We just hope that the status of the gay community can be helped out a little bit by reviewing the life of our son,” he said.

Click to expand...