10 Years After Matthew's Death

Pictured above is a memorial bench honoring slain University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard. Presented by University President Tom Buchanan and Judy Shepard, Executive Director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation and mother of Matthew. Matthew was murdered in October, 1998.

"It’s hard to believe that it has been ten years since Matthew’s death. So much has changed yet so much remains the same," Judy Shepard said in a statement marking the 10 year anniversary of her son's death. "I want to thank all of the individuals and organizations that have given us the [Matthew Shepard] Foundation and our family their unwavering support. Our work is far from over. I don’t mean the work of the Foundation only, I mean the work we all need to do at a personal level. We need to continue talking to our friends, families and co-workers. Unless we are honest about who we are and are able to share with those who love us what our lives are like, they will not know how to help us. We need those allies in this struggle to achieve equality across the board to realize all of our civil rights."

10 years ago, shortly after midnight on October 7, 1998, two men, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, lead Matthew Shepard to a remote area east of Laramie, Wyoming. Matthew was tied to a split-rail fence where he was beaten and left to die in the cold of the night. Almost 18 hours later he was found by a cyclist who initially mistook him for a scarecrow. Matthew's death sparked a national movement against hate-based crimes.

What You Need To Know:
How To Avoid A Hate Crime