Brandon Fernandez: Where is the Murder Accomplice Now?

In September 2003, the discovery of Justine Vanderschoot’s remains in Applegate, California, left the entire community in shock. She was a bright 17-year-old with a promising future ahead of her. Within just two weeks, police secured a confession from Brandon Fernandez, who admitted to assisting his roommate, Daniel Bezemer, in the murder and even witnessing the crime. CBS’ episode of ’48 Hours’, titled ‘Justine’s Voice,’ features Brandon’s involvement and how he ultimately decided to cooperate with law enforcement.

Brandon Fernandez Claimed That He Had Witnessed Daniel Bezemer Kill His Girlfriend

In 2003, 20-year-old Brandon Alexander Fernandez was living with Daniel Bezemer in Placer County, California. He had a strong interest in technology and spent much of his free time exploring and learning about various aspects of it. While he had committed minor offenses, such as hacking into school records to alter students’ grades, there was no prior indication of violent criminal behavior. According to Brandon, when Daniel discovered that his girlfriend, Justine Vanderschoot, had been communicating with another boy, he became furious. Daniel then asked for Brandon’s help in tapping into her phone, which he agreed to do, and he even recorded some of her conversations with the other guy.

Justine Vanderschoot

Brandon stated that tensions had been escalating, leading the two of them to devise a plan to lure Justine out of her house and take her to a park-and-ride location. They left in Brandon’s car and brought along a mixtape that Daniel had created to emotionally torment Justine, which included spliced recordings of her conversations. According to Brandon, on September 2, 2003, they drove her to the woods near a small hole they had dug a few days earlier. He claimed that he stepped away from the car briefly but then heard Justine scream. When he turned back, he allegedly saw her on the ground with a taser nearby. Brandon then assisted Daniel in burying Justine at the site, and they poured a chemical solution over her remains to accelerate decomposition.

Brandon Fernandez Was Found Guilty of Second Degree Murder

When questioned by the police about Justine Vanderschoot’s disappearance, Brandon Fernandez initially claimed that he and Daniel Bezemer had been at home that night and knew nothing about it. However, authorities were already suspicious of them and soon discovered that two other friends had been with them that evening. One of these friends agreed to cooperate with the police and secretly recorded a conversation with Brandon, in which he urged the friend to “stick to the plan.” The police brought the latter in for questioning once again, and although he initially maintained his innocence, he broke down when asked if he had ever seen a dead body before.

Investigators then played the recorded phone conversation in which he urged his friend to “stick to the plan,” after which he confessed to the crime. When Daniel was questioned to verify the timeline of events, he instead accused Brandon of being the mastermind. Their trial was scheduled for March 2005, but Brandon was offered a plea deal. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.

Brandon Fernandez is Incarcerated Even Today

Brandon became eligible for parole in 2017, but his first parole hearing was denied. Many members of Justine’s community, including her family and friends, strongly opposed his release and even signed a petition to prevent it. In 2018, Senate Bill 1437 was signed into law in California. This legislation reformed the felony murder rule and stated a person could only be convicted of murder if they directly killed someone, aided and abetted the killing with intent to kill, or acted as a major participant in the crime with reckless indifference to human life. This law was designed to reduce sentences for those who were not the actual killers or did not play a significant role in the murder.

Based on this, Brandon petitioned the court for resentencing and argued that his role in the crime did not meet the new legal standard for murder. However, his request was denied. In 2022, he was denied parole once again, with the board ruling that he would not be eligible for another five years. Brandon is currently incarcerated at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. Now 42 years old, his next parole hearing is scheduled for 2027.

Read More: Where is Justine Vanderschoot’s Family Now?

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