Blake Schaufler was 23 years old when he was murdered on January 15, 2020. Three and a half years later on May 2, 2023, Alejandro Ponce, the man who shot him, was convicted of first-degree murder and will be serving a life sentence.
Blake, according to family, died doing what he always did – helping those around him. The 23-year-old died helping a woman in a domestic dispute against Ponce, according to his family.
Helping people is not only what he had been doing for quite some time, but what he was studying to do as a student at New Hope Christian College.
He was studying to be a pastor, Rick Schaufler, Blake’s dad, said. Blake had two other siblings, but his father said he was the child that broke the rules as a kid, making his career choice somewhat unexpected.
“What we found out and what someone said to us is that Blake had been pastoring way before he actually was training to be a pastor,” Rick said.
After the death, community members reached out with comments on how Blake helped them with struggles their children were having in school, Rick said, and with how much Blake meant to the community.
Now that the verdict is out, the family said they can finally begin the long overdue healing process.
“It’s actually helpful for us to help start the healing process of this because we really haven’t been able to do that because it was so long,” Rick said about the trial.
The three-and-a-half-year process was a result of many setbacks due to COVID and changes in Ponce’s team, Arlyn Schaufler, the CEO of the University of Oregon Duck Store and Blake’s uncle, said.
“The accuser has a right to a speedy trial, but so should the victims. And to take three-and-a-half years is way too long,” Arlyn said.
Just when the family thought they were getting close to a verdict in the trial, the process would get delayed again, Rick said.
Throughout the trial, Arlyn was the person who Blake’s immediate family chose to make decisions during trial meetings, and he was a big help in the entire process, Rick said.
“Arlyn was the one that we immediately said we wanted there because it’s a family thing. It’s a trust thing,” he said.
Rick said that having someone to make hard decisions and deal with the more tedious things aided in the healing process.
“What we found out is once Blake died, we had so many people come to us. We had a lady that we didn’t even know show up at our house and said ‘Your son helped my daughter through her brother’s drug addiction,’” Rick said.
The community response went beyond the family’s front door. According to Rick, Blake had two services: the first had over 500 people in attendance, and the second welcomed nearly six thousand attendees online and in person due to the pandemic.
The legal team the family worked with was a blessing, Rick and Arlyn said.
Despite getting closure from the verdict, the Schaufler family still fights through the healing process.
“You know, it’s funny because a lot of people will say ‘I’m glad you get to move on’ but it’s never over. It’s still there,” Rick said.
