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Matthew Shepard murder timeline

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Tuesday, October 7, 2008 3:27 PM MDT

Oct. 6, 1998

10:30 p.m. -- Matthew Shepard enters the Fireside Bar in Laramie.

11:45 p.m. -- Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson enter the Fireside and order a pitcher of beer.

Oct. 7, 1998

Shortly after midnight -- McKinney and Henderson offer to give Shepard a ride home. The three men leave the bar and drive west. Somewhere near Wal-Mart, McKinney turns to Shepard and says, "Guess what? We're not gay, and you just got jacked," and starts beating him.

12:30 a.m. -- After tying Shepard to a fence and beating him with a pistol, McKinney and Henderson take his shoes, $20 and a credit card and head back to town.

12:43 a.m. -- McKinney is involved in a fight with Jeremy Herrera and Emiliano Morales at Seventh and Harvey streets. McKinney hits Morales with the same pistol he used to beat Shepard. Herrera hits McKinney with a stick.

McKinney and Henderson run when the police arrive. Police find McKinney's father's truck, with Shepard's credit card and shoes inside and the .357 Magnum covered in blood in the truck bed.

1:30 a.m. -- Aaron McKinney comes home disoriented and covered in blood.

2 a.m. -- Morales goes to Ivinson Memorial Hospital.

4:25 p.m. -- Kristen Price, McKinney's girlfriend, tells a friend that McKinney might be charged with attempted murder "for beating some gay guy up."

5 p.m. -- Price takes McKinney to Ivinson Memorial with a hairline skull fracture from the fight the night before.

Shortly after 6 p.m. -- Aaron Kreifels, out on his bike, finds Shepard tied to the fence near Snowy Mountain View Road.

6:22 p.m. -- A 911 call reports that a man is tied to a fence on the outskirts of town.

Albany County Sheriff's Deputy Reggie Fluty arrives, along with an ambulance to take Shepard to Ivinson Memorial. The sheriff's office receives a missing person's report about Shepard.

Price and Chasity Pasley, Henderson's girlfriend, drive 50 miles to Cheyenne to dispose of Henderson's bloody clothes. They put his shoes in a storage shed at Pasley's mother's house.

8:45 p.m. -- Detective Rob DeBree interviews McKinney, who claims a stranger took the truck.

McKinney is sent to Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colo.

9:15 p.m. -- Shepard is admitted to Poudre Valley Hospital in critical condition.

Oct. 8, 1998

1 a.m. -- Henderson, Price and Pasley go to Henderson's house to discuss their story.

4 a.m. -- Friends of Shepard identify the shoes found in McKinney's truck as Shepard's.

Later that morning, McKinney is released from Poudre Valley Hospital.

Henderson is arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder. Price and Pasley are charged as accessories after the fact to attempted first-degree murder.

4:30 p.m. -- Albany County Sheriff Gary Puls announces the three arrests and said others may be pending. He says they believe Shepard may have been the victim of a hate crime because he is gay.

Oct. 9, 1998

10:40 a.m. -- DeBree interviews McKinney again, and he confesses.

McKinney, Henderson, Price and Pasley make their initial appearance in Albany County Court.

7 p.m. -- Shepard's parents, Dennis and Judy, arrive in Fort Collins after a flight from Saudi Arabia. Shepard is on life support.

Oct. 11, 1998

Debree goes to Poudre Valley Hospital to see Shepard, who is still in a coma.

Oct. 12, 1998

12:53 a.m. -- Shepard dies in Poudre Valley Hospital.

Gay Awareness Week starts at the University of Wyoming.

Oct. 16, 1998

Funeral for Matthew Shepard is held in Casper. Rev. Fred Phelps of Wichita, Kan., shows up to protest.

Dec. 23, 1998

Pasley changes her plea to guilty as an accessory after the fact to murder.

April 5, 1999

Trial of Russell Henderson is scheduled to begin. It abruptly ends when Henderson pleads guilty to kidnapping and murder, and is sentenced to two life terms served consecutively.

May 21, 1999

Pasley is sentenced to 15 to 24 months in prison as an accessory after the fact.

Oct. 11, 1999

Jury selection begins for the trial of McKinney.

Oct. 26, 1999

McKinney's trial begins.

Nov. 4, 1999

McKinney is convicted of two counts of felony murder, second-degree murder, kidnapping, and aggravated robbery.

Nov. 5, 1999

Dennis Shepard makes an emotional statement to the court. McKinney is sentenced to two life sentences, to be served consecutively.

Nov. 10, 1999

Price pleads guilty to misdemeanor interference with a police officer. She is sentenced to 180 days in jail, and receives credit for 60 days already served. The rest of the sentence is suspended.

Nov. 20, 1999

Pasley is released from prison after seeking a reduced sentence.

Sources: Star-Tribune archives; Walpole (Mass.) Footlighters Web site (www.footlighters.com)


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There are 14 comment(s)

Comments to this story.

We wrote on Oct 9, 2008 11:05 AM:

" CST....let this story die please! It's sure getting old! What makes MS more special than any other individual who has died a terrible death.....and it happens every day somewhere in our country and you don't relive or rehash those stories over and over! Whoever reviews these comments must be gay or lesbian. The only reason I can figure out why we keep rehashing the MS story! "

mountainmama wrote on Oct 9, 2008 11:52 AM:

" OK, Enough already! If the Shepard's find it necessary to keep dragging this up, they do so need to move on! At least let the community do so. Bringin this up is not going to change what happened. If they really want to keep bringing it up then it needs to be brought up with ALL the facts. SInce they were in the Courtroom when the GAG order was issued they know exactly what facts I am referring to. Most of the town of Laramie knows the truths and it sure didn't come out in the movie the "Laramie Project" either. It should not matter what any person's sexual preference was or was not. Murder is murder. Striving for more Gay RIghts does not assure there will be anymore or any less violence. Murder is done for one of three reasons;Love, hate, or fear. As humans we all deserve the same resepct, and consideration. No one is more entitled than another. No one should be judged differently for a crime they commit whther it be to a gay, a mother of three or a prostitute. Murder is murder. We all have the same laws and rights. Let Matthew and the town have some peace! "

because wrote on Oct 9, 2008 1:18 PM:

" because of the wyoming value of bigotry as expressed by you in the related post over lost records and based on your comment in this one. it appears it is ok with you to do this to someone (hate crime action) because they are different. no one has the right to take the action as was taken with mathew shepard.

this story needs to be run frequently so as to be in your face and all those who think like you.

oh and i am married with wife and son so we will stop your next stupid comment before you post it. "

Really... wrote on Oct 10, 2008 10:44 AM:

" They DO need to keep bringing it up. I didn't even know about this, because I am from the generation after MS. It is very important for everyone to hear about this story, so we know what happened to him. It's a very good story in my opinion, and I really wouldn't mind reading up on it every once in a while. "

We wrote on Oct 10, 2008 10:50 AM:

" mountainmama hit the nail on the head! "Most of the town of Laramie knows the truth and it didn't come out in the movie"! I was living there at the time, and there is a lot more to the story than what you know "because"! And I assure you we got sick and tired of it! And it's time to put it to rest, PERIOD! "

We wrote on Oct 10, 2008 10:54 AM:

" To because: And I'll say it again......three people in the wrong place, at the wrong time, wanting to do the WRONG things! It's over, let it go and move on! "

because wrote on Oct 10, 2008 1:23 PM:

" To Really that is exactly why it should not be forgotton as we know those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

To the others when exactly should we forget it when it is one person or 6 million? every life has value and regardless of how sick one is of hearing it if it prevents one other inciident then it is worth running the story. Then we can all move on not doing things like this again. "

REZ wrote on Oct 10, 2008 2:46 PM:

" Forget, that is the easiest way for a guilty mind to sleep. It is no surprise to see these comments. I do agree that violent crimes happen and Matthew Shepard died violently, but if Wyoming can forget about how the Wind River Reservation preceded it, then these bigotted comments should only serve as a reminder. But be weary of their reaction to being reminded or educated of how racist Wyoming really is. "

because wrote on Oct 10, 2008 8:33 PM:

" Tell me about the wind river incident i really want to know. I agree it should also be mentioned as i am not from here originally and was not here when it happened if it was before MS. MS was national news i suspect wind river was not.

I also am aware re the racism i hear it often and it is appaling. the fact that it is accepted and not challenged is more appaling. i just assumed it was one of those wyoming values i hear about all the time along with the sweep it under the rug and it will go away one.

If what i say disturbs anyone too bad. if anyone wants to explain how many roads lead out of wyoming the same roads are available to you. i think i will stay and do my part to change things. "

We wrote on Oct 11, 2008 7:14 AM:

" The Rez issue is exactly what I'm getting at "because", why not relive this issue! What makes MS more special that the Rez issue? It doesn't!! What part of this don't you get? These things happen somewhere almost everyday and life goes on! Or maybe you can find one of those roads heading out and get on one! You want to attack anyone from here, and call us a bunch of prejudice rednecks but, you don't want to contribute nothing but grips! You idiot! "

because wrote on Oct 12, 2008 5:29 AM:

" WE, I have 20 years military service 2 tours in combat was a union rep at the federal sector dealing with eeo issues after medical retirement from the army (if not for the disabling in line of duty condition I would still be in the military BY CHOICE) .

You ever sacrifice anything but your brush shot mouth and hot air?

MS was a hate crime extremely brutal and cruel and if it upsets poor little baby to be reminded then I suspect it is because you do not care, find it to have been an ok thing to do or a number of other reason that bring to the light of day attitudes such as yours that need to change.

As for the reservation issue it did not make national news and I wonder why. Is it because it was on the reservation? What did you do to help make it known to all? Or do you only use it at times such as this to deflect the issue?

I HAVE NEVER CALLED ANYONE A REDNECK because it is used inappropriately as a bigoted term and I know what the term really means and it is not the way you use it YOU UNEDUCATED IDIOT.

It does not make a difference at to if it was one hate crime murder ANYPLACE or 6 million of my countrymen (including my eldest sibling) you do not ever let it be forgotten.

If you do not want to be seen as prejudiced then do not be, but to try to tell me many (not all) are not in this state is laughable. I have heard, seen and experienced it here and it has changed little if at all since the 70's and 80's when I was through here for short periods.

By virtue of being a citizen of the USA and that military service I have right and WILL LIVE any place in this nation I want and in doing so it is none of your business.

So as I said you do not like it those roads out of the state are available to you. If you decide to take one it will at least solve one of the problems of removing what I suspect is a bigot who is part of the problem that wants the issue hidden.

I intend on staying and making a difference no matter if you like it or not so you can either leave or live with it I do not really care which choice you make. "

Love-N-Peace wrote on Oct 12, 2008 7:49 AM:

" You should be so lucky to have this story stop running, just so you won't have to read and admit to yourself that your Hate values are running free adn how they are ignorant and low self unstandering you all seem to have about yourselves.

You and your small minded kind should consider the fact that your state as yet to pass any laws for Hate crimes of any sort. So, yes this story should be printed over and over until you all wake up and realize Peace can be accomplished by love and compation. We all are someones Child and have a family no matter what lifestyle we live.

I'm glad I was raised to see the individual for whom they are and judge them as I would like to be judged for I am no better than anyone else. I plan to make the best of my time on this planet and that doesn't include Hate, no allowing same-sex to enjoy their time on this palnet as well. "

MFA wrote on Oct 24, 2008 1:00 PM:

" I am glad that this story ran. I try to get as much information as I can about the MS murder as possible as I am writing my thesis paper on the symbolic sacrifice MS has become. I know some of you are sick of the story but it's the message behind it that compels people to become more aware and compassionate. "

Tolerance wrote on Oct 30, 2008 8:20 PM:

" The people here commenting on this story are not all gay and lesbian. In fact I am a straight girl in high school! And people have their specific reasoning to be commenting on this site. And i agree with the statement about how this story needs to be remembered. Look at what happened when we forgot about the Armenian genocide. The world forgot about it and Hitler came around beginning the Jewish genocide. Hate crime stories must be retold as a constant reminder of what people can do to others and why it is wrong. To me, tolerance is the key to peace, health, and happiness. "

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