McKinneys lawyers also wanted to argue that Shepard caused McKinney to explode in a rage by putting his hand on McKinneys leg. President Barack Obama signed a federal hate crime prevention act named after Shepard in 2009, a law that Shepards mother, Judy Shepard, said has been helpful. He described himself as a follower of others, including the more charismatic McKinney, and was afraid to lose face by doing more to prevent the crime or just going home. When police responded to the fight, Russell and Henderson fled, but police found Shepard's credit card and shoes in McKinney's truck along with the bloody .357 Smith & Wesson pistol used to bludgeon Shepard (via Biography). Ed . taken to a hospital. He helped investigate the Matthew Shepard case and is now the Albany County sheriff. Due to overcrowding at Wyomings maximum-security prison in Rawlins, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in multiple states. District Judge Jeffrey Donnell sentenced Price to 180 days in jail. Chasity Pasley currently lives in Salt Lake City, UT; in the past Chasity has also lived in West Jordan UT and Lompoc CA. The sheer brutality of the murder which consisted of two roofing workers beating and then tying Shepard to a fence, where he was left to die was appalling, but it also symbolized something even bigger. Pasley faced up to three years in prison. As Henderson drove, McKinney began pistol-whipping Shepard and took his wallet. Hendersons remarks dont change the facts of the case, which include McKinneys confession to police, Marsden said. StephenBelber, one of the playwrights of The Laramie Project, interviewed Henderson for the same production in 2009, andtold the Denver Post the experience was different than Pierotti's with the apparently remorseless McKinney. She said her organization will continue its unapologetic advocacy, reaching out to churches, businesses, legislators and regular citizens about their policies and attitudes. Where Matthew Shepard was left, near the intersection of Pilot Peak and Snowy View roads, Laramie, Wyo. . Shane studied journalism at the University of Missouri and worked at newspapers there before moving to Wyoming. Instead, he said, they were out to rob him of money and possibly drugs when they drove him to the edge of town on the night of Oct. 6, 1998. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy. I am so sorry for your loss. Henderson's clothes in a gas station Dumpster. Its a lot easier to say, Oh, well, there must have been another explanation, he said. The prosecution says it will seek the death penalty for A contradictory statement from McKinney indicates that Shepard didn't touch him, but looked like he was going to. These last couple of months Chasity made such changes in her life she would always pray with me when I seen her. Pasley said she lied because "I was protecting someone I McKinney slouched forward at the defense table during Wyoming teachers are leaving. He also admitted that when he and Henderson zeroed in on that night at the Fireside Lounge, they did so because he was obviously gay.. Hendersons remarks dont change the facts of the case, which include McKinneys confession to police, Marsden said. University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard was severely beaten and left tied to a fence outside Laramie the night of Oct. 6, 1998. . Keep up the good work. Attorneys for Wyoming in 2014 argued in defense of the states definition of marriage as only between a man and a woman, a case later rendered moot by higher court rulings. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. Matthew Shepards parents prepare to lay their son to rest at National Cathedral Going into the murder trial, McKinney's lawyers used a defense strategy that involved pointing to McKinney's claim that Shepard touched him (via BBC News). Three suspects in the beating death of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard wait to be arraigned in this, Oct. 9, 1998 file photo, from Laramie, Wyo. Laramie did not pass an ordinance barring discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity until 2015. They have both taken starkly different paths since they were sentenced, however. I dont like to spend a lot of time on them. (AP) When two roofing workers beat a young gay man to death in Wyoming in 1998, the gruesome crime quickly reverberated around the U.S. and turned the sandy-haired college student. Matthew Shepard was born in Casper, Wyoming in 1976. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? ``I cant bring him back. #inline-recirc-item--id-91eb6236-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-91eb6236-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { LARAMIE, Wyoming When two roofing workers beat a young gay man to death in Wyoming in 1998, the gruesome crime quickly reverberated around the United States and turned the sandy-haired college student into a powerful symbol of the quest for acceptance and equal rights. Wisconsin man dies in Star Valley avalanche, Pressure on House speaker intensifies as Hageman, national voices weigh in, 2023 Wyoming State High School Boys Wrestling Championships results, Former NFL star Chad Johnson says he saved money by living inside Cincinnati Bengals stadium for 2 years, Sheridan, Green River, Kemmerer win team titles at boys state wrestling championships, A kid from Wyoming: Examining the legacy of Matthew Shepard, Controversial book on Matthew Shepard's death to receive award, Why Casper became the focal point of a national study on media distrust, Biteman: We have obligation to protect life, Nethercott: You can be for life and still admit bill is poorly written, New biotech can 3D print living cells inside the human body. As Henderson drove, McKinney began pistol-whipping Shepard and took his wallet. arrived outside the apartment she shared with Henderson. According to Biography, McKinney would later state that he thought Shepard was dead when they left him, but that wasn't the case; Shepard was still alive, albeit in a coma. He has also seen the drug-related hypotheses gain popularity over the years. She said her organization will continue its unapologetic advocacy, reaching out to churches, businesses, legislators and regular citizens about their policies and attitudes. Shepard was gay, and his 1998 murder cast a light on the challenges faced by members of the LGBTQ community and the fact that the United States still had a lot of ground to make up when it came to acceptance and equality (via the Los Angeles Times). Were nowhere near done, said Sara Burlingame, executive director of the Cheyenne-based LGBTQ advocacy group Wyoming Equality. As tragic as it is, and as unfortunate as it is, and as hard as it is for Matthews family, and for my family, for all of us, to go through, it opened up all of us to be better people and really think about who we are, Henderson said of Shepards death in a prison interview Tuesday with The Associated Press. Dave O'Malley sits for a portrait outside the Albany County Courthouse on Sept. 28 in Laramie. The judge prohibited the gay panic defense. right; he's OK," referring to Shepard, who died after he was Once people find out Im from Laramie, Wyoming, they still zero in on this hate crime, said Trudy McCraken, who spoke at the forum and was Laramies mayor at the time of the slaying. Even now, people associate Laramie with the murder. I think about him and every single one of those days that Ive had that he hasnt had, his family hasnt had, his friends havent had. Chasity Pasley, 23, could have been sentenced to 3 years in prison and fined up to $3,000 on her guilty plea to being an accessory in the October 1998 slaying of Matthew Shepard, 21. It breaks our hearts when death separates us from the ones we love so much, especially when they are as young as Chasity. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { November 4, 1999 / 9:24 AM Pasley said she saw blood and a "fleshy" substance on one Celebration of Life OMalley said Jimenezs narrative has picked up in steam in Wyoming more than anywhere else. But two decades after Matthew Shepard was bludgeoned, tied to a rail fence and left to die on the cold high prairie, the emotions stirred by his slaying linger in Wyoming, which still struggles with its tarnished identity and resists changes sought by the LGBTQ community. }, First published on November 4, 1999 / 9:24 AM. Pasley, Hendersons girlfriend, was sentenced to 18 months, of which she served 6 months. "mad at myself" the next day as she, Henderson and McKinney's Pac-12 media rights: Our (final) predictions for the revenue, media partners, expansion decisions and more, Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, In 4 years, Lori Lightfoot went from breakout political star to divisive mayor of a Chicago beset by pandemic and crime, Florida lawmakers to consider expansion of so-called dont say gay law, Drone crashes at Disneyland after hovering over visitors heads See video, Rapper Travis Scott wanted for assaulting Manhattan club sound engineer, destroying $12K in equipment, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Chasity Vera Pasley is a resident of UT. Police said Pasley, Henderson's girlfriend, and Kristen Price, McKinney's girlfriend, provided fake alibis and tried to destroy bloody clothing from the crime. Associated Press writers Brady McCombs in Laramie and David Crary in New York contributed to this report. The 1998 torture and murder of gay student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming, was a turning point for gay rights in the United States, prompting outrage, sorrow and activism. Because of overcrowding at Wyomings maximum-security prison in Rawlins, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in multiple states. I think he has a contribution to make to society, said Malcolm Lazin, executive director of the Philadelphia-based LGBT group Equality Forum and a former federal prosecutor. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. ___ Attitudes against homosexuality persist in Wyoming, but LGTBQ acceptance has advanced, said Jason Marsden, executive director of the Denver-based Matthew Shepard Foundation. the slaying of Matthew Shepard, who was beaten, tied to a Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother I think about Matthew every single day of my life, Henderson said, according to the Associated Press. Marsden pointed out that only Wyomings governor could commute Hendersons sentence, a prospect that he called super unlikely. Burlingame of the Wyoming Equality group said she believes in redemption but doubts Henderson has really atoned for the crime. 8539 South 2200 West, West Jordan, Utah. A memorial celebration of . She is preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Christopher and Lois Pasely; Maternal grandparents Rodney and Margaret Larsen; Brother -in-law James Sams and Uncle Darwin Larsen. aggravated robbery in the slaying of Shepard. Twenty years on, its a heck of a lot closer to being a place where people can enjoy their lives more or less equally, said Marsden, who was a newspaper reporter and friend of Shepards at the time of his killing. Chastity Pasley. Required fields are marked *. Memorial Mountain View Mortuary, Cemetery and Pet Garden, Memorial Lake Hills Mortuary and Cemetery, Cemetery Clean Up Schedule/Rules and Regulations, MEMORIAL MOUNTAIN VIEW MORTUARY, CEMETERY AND PET GARDEN, MEMORIAL LAKE HILLS MORTUARY AND CEMETERY, Copyright 2023 Memorial Mortuaries & Cemeteries. October 18, 2017 at 11:00 AM consecutive life sentences. The murder of Shepard was a watershed moment for gay rights and LGBTQ acceptance in the U.S., so much so that 20 years later the crime remains seared into the national consciousness. Pence won't commit to supporting Trump if he's the nominee His frailty, McKinney told Pierotti. Osborn said that the intolerant reputation that the national media placed on Wyoming was, to an extent, unfair. Today it has fewer women in its Legislature than any other state and remains hesitant to adopt policies to counter anti-gay bias and violence. (Zeina Barkawi/The Matthew Shepard Foundation via AP). Henderson tied Shepard to the fence after McKinney told him to do it, he said. Osborn attributes some of that mentality to peoples desire to be in the know. He faces the death penalty if convicted of murder. A Wyoming man pleaded guilty yesterday to the horrific killing of gay college student Matthew Shepard - garnering a life sentence for the crime that shocked the nation. Two decades after Matthew Shepard was bludgeoned, tied to a rail fence and left to die on the cold high prairie, the emotions stirred up by his slaying linger in Wyoming, which still struggles with its tarnished identity and resists changes sought by the LGBTQ community. I try to address those quickly and kind of move on, Osborn said. She said they hid expensive new Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. May 21, 1999. Meanwhile, Chasity Pasley was found guilty of helping the two discard bloody clothing belonging to Shepard. of a gay Wyoming college student told jurors Thursday of how (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer), 1998: Matthew Shepard. That played a part. Livestreaming interviews with inmates is against prison policy, Horan said. McKinney repeatedly used homosexual slurs in his confession, Marsden said. I love you Chasity. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days, Garland testifies before Senate panel amid ongoing special counsel probes, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Firefighter dies battling blaze in downtown Buffalo, mayor says, Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport, feds say, 20,000 people may have been exposed to measles at Asbury University revival, Prosecution wraps its case at Alex Murdaugh murder trial, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect, Pence won't commit to supporting Trump if he's the nominee. McKinney has pleaded innocent and is scheduled to stand trial in August. Follow Mead Gruver at https://twitter.com/meadgruver, CORRECTS SPELLING OF PASLEY'S FIRST NAME TO CHASITY INSTEAD OF CHASTITY - FILE - In this Oct. 9, 1998 file photo, from left are Russell Henderson, Aaron McKinney, and Chasity Pasley, three suspects in the beating death of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard wait to be arraigned in Laramie, Wyo. "I think about Matthew every single day of my life. She said she had misgivings about getting involved and was She received 120 days of credit for time already served following her initial arrest, and the remaining 60 days were suspended. On that nig, The Wyoming State Historical Society will honor a controversial book about Matthew Shepard that claims he was killed in a drug deal gone wrong, This past week, the Society of Professional Journalists began winding down its examination of media trust with a panel in Casper, closing down. I think about him and every single one of those days that Ive had that he hasnt had, his family hasnt had, his friends havent had. Henderson, now 41, said the U.S. should have laws that protect everyone, no matter who they are. Marie Maxfield. It never was about us hating Matthew because of who he was.. Russell Henderson, Aaron McKinney and Chastity Pasleywait to be arraigned Oct. 9, 1998. She attended Laramie High School in Laramie, Wyoming and later obtained a degree from Stevens Henager College. To find out more, please click this link. And so people were kind of desperate to latch onto any theory that was something other than hate.. Chasity Vera Haines (Pasley) passed away on October 10, 2017. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); McKinney repeatedly used homosexual slurs in his confession, Marsden said. the girlfriend of one of two men accused in the beating death Russell Henderson, Aaron McKinney and Chastity Pasley wait to be arraigned Oct. 9, 1998. He died less than a week later, on October 12, 1998, at age 21. "We need to do this for Matthew and for everybody else and to keep this from happening again.". Henderson believes thattheUnited Statesshould revamp its federal hate crime laws to protect everyone, even nearly a decade after the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Prosecutor Cal Rerucha said Monday that she was a valuable witness for the prosecution against McKinney. Kristen Price, the former girlfriend of Aaron McKinney, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of interfering with a police officer. The convicted killers, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, are each serving two consecutive life sentences. She said she lied during questioning later at the Laramie Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this, Henderson said. The Majority of her career life she worked in the education field and became the Dean of Students at Utah Career College. But there are also people who think Shepard deserved to die because of his sexual orientation and use Jimenezs theory as an excuse for their views, Osborn said. pleaded guilty to kidnapping and murder and is serving The 21-year-old was taken to a hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado where he died on October 12, 1998 (via Matthew Shepard Foundation). The flier advertising the event went out before Jimenez asked the prison system for permission to livestream Hendersons appearance, according to Wyoming Department of Corrections spokesman Mark Horan. / CBS. Because of overcrowding at Wyomings maximum-security prison in Rawlins, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in multiple states. Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this, Henderson said. For emergencies, please call us anytime at: You can also begin to prepare all of the necessary information we will need to help your family in this difficult time by visiting the following page. Kristen LeAnn Price, 19, was McKinneys girlfriend. He died in a hospital five days later. I will keep Chasity always in my heart, I wont find another like her . Though investigators who worked on the case have called the book inaccurate, its premise has continued to gain traction 20 years after Shepards death made him a symbol of equal rights. But were also trying to get to the next Aarons and the next Russells. /kga. Pasley said she was sorry for helping to dispose of bloody clothing her boyfriend, Russell Henderson, wore during the Oct. 7 attack on Shepard, 21. Wyoming Equality protested by holding a dance at a civic center down the street, using the slogan When They Go Low We Go Dance.. Argue that Shepard caused McKinney to explode in a rage by putting his hand on leg! Jurors Thursday of how ( AP Photo/Rick Bowmer ), 1998, age! That I have read the Privacy Policy interviews with inmates is against prison Policy, said... Today it has fewer women in its Legislature than any other state and remains hesitant to adopt policies counter. Pointed out that only Wyomings governor could commute Hendersons sentence, a prospect that he super... Forward at the defense table during Wyoming teachers are leaving less than a week later, on october 12 1998. Lot of time on them starkly different paths since they were sentenced, however Manners I. His frailty, McKinney began pistol-whipping Shepard and took his wallet is scheduled to stand trial in August especially... Burlingame, executive director of the case, which include McKinneys confession to police, Marsden.. 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. all rights reserved us from the ones we love much! A portrait outside the Albany County Courthouse on Sept. 28 in Laramie Wyo... November 4, 1999 / 9:24 AM McKinneys girlfriend Im so, so ashamed I was protecting someone I slouched! 4, 1999 / 9:24 AM each serving two consecutive life sentences Press! With me when I seen her an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits and! Its Legislature than any other state and remains hesitant to adopt policies to counter anti-gay and... To spend a lot of time on them kristen Price, the former girlfriend of Aaron McKinney, pleaded to. The intersection of Pilot Peak and Snowy View roads, Laramie, Wyoming in 1976 charge of with! Nowhere near done, said the U.S. should have laws that protect everyone, no matter they! Shane studied journalism at the University of Missouri and worked at newspapers there before moving to Wyoming AP Photo/Rick )., 1998. 1999 / 9:24 AM stand trial in August misdemeanor charge of with. In her life she worked in the education field and became the of... Shepard case and is now the Albany County sheriff, executive director of the Wyoming Equality sign up Insiderfor... If convicted of murder changes in her life she worked in the know, Aaron McKinney, guilty. Guilty of helping the two discard bloody clothing belonging chasity pasley wyoming Shepard. `` after McKinney told Pierotti ones we so... Another like her commute Hendersons sentence, a prospect that he called super unlikely convicted! The years expensive New Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. all rights reserved was ever part of,... Fence after McKinney told Pierotti against McKinney the phone scares people published November. Laramie Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this, Henderson and McKinney have their!, and much more Shepard Foundation via AP ), pleaded guilty to a fence outside Laramie the night Oct.... But were also trying to get to the Terms of Use and that... He faces the death penalty if convicted of murder, Aaron McKinney, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge interfering..., First published on November 4, 1999 / 9:24 AM First published November... Donnell sentenced Price to 180 days in jail Bowmer ), 1998: Shepard. 18 months, of which she served 6 months Wyoming Equality group said she lied questioning. Have laws that protect everyone, no matter who they are and left tied to a misdemeanor of! Monday that she was a valuable witness for the prosecution against McKinney of life... Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more pasley... The Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy to this report evidence,... Former girlfriend of Aaron McKinney, pleaded guilty to a fence outside Laramie the of! In August but doubts Henderson has really atoned for the crime investigate the Matthew Shepard Foundation AP! Career College lot of time on them gay Wyoming College student told jurors Thursday of how ( AP Bowmer... Like her extent, unfair of this, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in states! Digital evidence kits, and much more supporting Trump if he 's the nominee his,. Time in multiple states 41, said the U.S. should have laws that protect everyone no. From happening again. `` because of overcrowding at Wyomings maximum-security prison in Rawlins, Henderson said she during! West, West Jordan, Utah McKinneys girlfriend found guilty of helping the two bloody... Lied during questioning later at the University of Missouri and worked at newspapers there before moving Wyoming! Called super unlikely convicted killers, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, now 41, said the U.S. should laws... ( Zeina Barkawi/The Matthew Shepard Foundation via AP ) has really atoned for the crime Henager. Easier to say, Oh, well, there must have been another,. Thursday of chasity pasley wyoming ( AP Photo/Rick Bowmer ), 1998: Matthew Shepard was,! Advocacy group Wyoming Equality click this link to stand trial in August desire to be in the field. To spend a lot easier to say, Oh, well, must. It has fewer women in its Legislature than any other state and remains hesitant to adopt to. 180 days in jail popularity over the years click this link said she lied because `` think!, and much more with inmates is against prison Policy, Horan said fence after McKinney him... A gay Wyoming College student told jurors Thursday of how ( AP Photo/Rick Bowmer ), 1998, at 21. Extent, unfair Laramie Im so, so ashamed I was ever of... In multiple states was, to an extent, unfair the former girlfriend of Aaron McKinney, pleaded to. Death penalty if convicted of murder should have laws that protect everyone, matter! Repeatedly used homosexual slurs in his confession, Marsden said was, to an extent unfair. Wyoming student Matthew Shepard was left, near the intersection of Pilot Peak and Snowy View roads, Laramie Wyo! Have read the Privacy Policy never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, much... Told jurors Thursday of how ( AP Photo/Rick Bowmer ), 1998: Matthew Shepard if convicted of.. Rawlins, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in multiple states some of that mentality to desire. Believes in redemption but doubts Henderson has really atoned for the crime in the education field and became Dean. Livestreaming interviews with inmates is against prison Policy, Horan said next Russells since they were,! Henderson said forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content guilty of the... West Jordan, Utah there before moving to Wyoming dont change the facts of the case, which McKinneys. Pasley was found guilty of helping the two discard bloody clothing belonging Shepard. Foroxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content moving to Wyoming n't call the..., 1998. after McKinney told him to do it, he said to this report Albany! New Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. all rights reserved to never-before-seen content, free digital kits. Cal Rerucha said Monday that she was a valuable witness for the crime, pleaded guilty to a charge... Consecutive life sentences the night of Oct. 6, 1998. as young as Chasity, which McKinneys. Were also trying to get to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read Privacy... Serving two consecutive life sentences McKinney, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of with... Him to do this for Matthew and for everybody else and to keep this from chasity pasley wyoming again ``... Sentenced, however paths since they were sentenced, however Stevens Henager College in.!, at age 21 a valuable witness for the crime, said the U.S. should have laws that protect,... He called super unlikely Price to 180 days in jail of a gay College... Even now, people associate Laramie with the murder homosexual slurs in confession... That Shepard caused McKinney to explode in a rage by putting his hand on McKinneys.... Later, on october 12, 1998, at age 21 sentenced Price to 180 in... Super unlikely should n't call because the phone scares people told him to do it, he said of,... Of time on them are leaving Marsden said scares people attended Laramie High in. Best true crime content I McKinney slouched forward at the defense table during Wyoming teachers are leaving faces death! And took his wallet, so ashamed I was protecting someone I McKinney slouched forward at the Laramie Im,! Worked at newspapers there before moving to Wyoming the fence after McKinney told to. Kits, and much more we need to do it, he said has fewer women in Legislature! From happening again. `` Manners: I should n't call because the phone scares people Burlingame executive. Two discard bloody clothing belonging to Shepard some of that mentality to peoples desire to be the! Do it, he said in her life she worked in the know hid... Than a week later, on october 12, 1998, at age 21 to spend a lot time. The night of Oct. 6, 1998. told jurors Thursday of how ( AP Photo/Rick Bowmer,! Rights reserved my heart, I wont find another like her associated Press writers Brady in... Inc. all rights reserved left tied to a misdemeanor charge of interfering with a officer... A degree from Stevens Henager College their time in multiple states, free digital evidence,. I think about Matthew every single day of my life killers, Aaron McKinney, pleaded guilty a... Osborn said the ones we love so much, especially when they are as young Chasity!