Gay man in Idaho was brutally beaten and left to die
Four men have been arrested following a brutal attack on a gay man in Idaho. Steven Nelson, 49, was brutally beaten and left to die after answering an online gay escort ad.
Gay Star News reports that Nelson begged for his life as he was kicked 30 times by a man with steel-toed boots. The incident happened on Friday last week (April 29) when Nelson was stripped down, robbed and then beaten.
It is alleged that Nelson had met Kelly Schneider, the supposed ringleader of the group, in a Wal-Mart parking lot and drove with him to the Gotts Point area of Lake Lowell. The pair were later joined by three other men, Jayson Woods, Kevin Tracy and Daniel Henkel, all of whom have been arrested in connection to the attack.
After the beating, Nelson managed to get help from a nearby house but later died in hospital. However he was able to give details of the attack to the police shortly before his death.
Prosecutors: Lake Lowell suspects used Backpage ad to lure murder victim into trap https://t.co/UItt2YtQau pic.twitter.com/gXUYX0b8PH
— KTVB.COM (@KTVB) May 3, 2016
The four men were charged on Monday (May 2) to first-degree murder and robbery but Schneider’s companions blamed him for the attack.
Speaking to KTVB, Deputy Prosecutor Chris Boyd said, “The others are alleged that he’s the one who met with him, he’s the one who kicked Mr. Nelson over and over again, with steel-toed boots.”
“He’s the one, who in a very depraved fashion, took his clothes, his wallet, took his keys and left him literally naked out in 30 degree weather early in the morning.”
According to Gay Star News, the prosecutors haven’t ruled out a death penalty.
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