November 4, 1999 / 9:24 AM Henderson pleaded guilty last month to kidnapping and felony murder and was sentenced to consecutive life prison terms. Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this, Henderson said. (Judy Shepard/The Matthew Shepard Foundation via AP), 1989: Matthew Shepard, age 12, in San Francisco. Linda(Candi),Angela & Andrew I want you all to know Chasity meet the world to me. He died less than a week later, on October 12, 1998, at age 21. Hendersons remarks dont change the facts of the case, which include McKinneys confession to police, Marsden said. Shepard, 21, a student at the University of Wyoming, was McKinneys lawyers also wanted to argue that Shepard caused McKinney to explode in a rage by putting his hand on McKinneys leg. He later died. University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard was severely beaten and left tied to a fence outside Laramie the night of Oct. 6, 1998. . Related Articles Bay Area federal judge orders extradition of woman suspected of killing MSU student in hit-and-run, San Jose: Home raided as part of explosives and narcotics investigation, Man arrested after explosives found in bag at Pa. airport. upon -- that they watched movies together the night of the Were nowhere near done, said Sara Burlingame, executive director of the Cheyenne-based LGBTQ advocacy group Wyoming Equality. The next day, a mountain biker found him, at first mistaking him for a scarecrow. Henderson tied Shepard to the fence after McKinney told him to do it, he said. In return, McKinney has promised not to appeal his felony murder and kidnapping convictions and sentence. 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. with two other men after the Shepard beating. 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. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! She said she had misgivings about getting involved and was Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Don't miss out on the latest news and information. It is among just five states along with Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana and South Carolina that have not passed laws focused on crimes motivated by the victims identity, such as their sexual orientation. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. 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. Also denying this allegation is one of Shepard's murderers, Russell Henderson. Wyoming Equality protested by holding a dance at a civic center down the street, using the slogan When They Go Low We Go Dance.. (Zeina Barkawi/The Matthew Shepard Foundation via AP). comment, May her family find comfort and peace, She made a choice that she ultimately paid the price for and I find it sad anyone would come to this forum and post such things, these are the same people that want to preach love, The reality is the truth can be found in the Bible such as John 13:34, Your email address will not be published. Henderson and the other convicted murderer, Aaron McKinney, are currently serving life sentences for their crimes. 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. After Shepard's death, the attempted murder charges became full-on murder trials. She is also watching out for her Ashton and mother and other loved ones left here in mortality. The next day, a mountain biker found him. 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. Meanwhile, Chasity Pasley was found guilty of helping the two discard bloody clothing belonging to Shepard. One gay rights activist argues that Henderson has paid his dues for what he described as being in the wrong place at the wrong time.. According to Oxygen, on October 6, 1998, Shepard was out at a gay bar in Laramie, Wyoming known as The Fireside Lounge. McKinney repeatedly used homosexual slurs in his confession, Marsden said. Crime and Public Safety | Lookup the home address and phone 2705768642 and other contact details for this person. 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. Earlier that evening, Shepard had been at a meeting with friends to plan on-campus events for an LGBTQ awareness week, per BBC News. Attitudes against homosexuality persist in Wyoming, but LGTBQ acceptance has advanced, said Jason Marsden, executive director of the Denver-based Matthew Shepard Foundation. She is survived by her son Ashton, mother Linda (Candy), father Rodney (Donna), Sister Angela (Sylvester), brother Andrew and sister Vera Pasley, many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. LARAMIE, Wyo. 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. At no time did we know he was gay until he tried to get on me.. Matthew Shepard was a junior in high school at the time and he wrapped up his high school years in Switzerland at The American School, where he studied several foreign languages as well as theater. A pipe bomb was detonated near McClure Street in Laramie. When two roofing workers beat a young gay man and left him to die in Wyoming, the gruesome crime quickly reverberated around the U.S. and turned the college student into a powerful symbol of the quest for acceptance and equal rights. It is among just five states along with Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana and South Carolina that have not passed laws focused on crimes motivated by the victims identity, such as their sexual orientation. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Chastity Vera Pasley, the girlfriend of murder suspect Russell Henderson, is pictured in court in Laramie, Wyo., on Friday, Oct. 9, 1998. The crime focused the national spotlight on hate crimes. The University of Wyoming created its diversity office only last year. Meanwhile, Chasity Pasley was found guilty of helping the two discard bloody clothing belonging to Shepard. The event was billed as an examination of what the media got wrong in its coverage of Shepards murder. Dear Abby: My wife said she doesn't like it, but it's part of my life, Harriette Cole: I don't want the neighbor's kids at my house, Ask Amy: I feel guilty for not speaking up about my co-worker's activities, Ask Amy: I'm your cabin housekeeper, and you apparently have no idea what I do. 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. 20 years after Matthew Shepard's murder, alternate narratives gain steam in Wyoming. Henderson, who pleaded guilty to avoid a possible death sentence, is serving his time at a medium-security prison in Torrington, a quiet farming-and-ranching town a few miles from the Nebraska line. Only Henderson, McKinney, and Chasity Pasley were charged that day; separate proceedings had been arranged for Kristen Price. 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. Please subscribe to keep reading. Henderson tied Shepard to the fence after McKinney told him to do it, he said. shoes Henderson had been wearing that night in a shed in she learned of the attack and then helped to cover it up. But were also trying to get to the next Aarons and the next Russells. Due to overcrowding at Wyomings maximum-security prison in Rawlins, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in multiple states. A memorial celebration of life service will be held on Wednesday, October 18, 2017, 11:00 AM at the Elm Creek Ward, 8539 South 2200 West, West Jordan, Utah. The night I did it, I did have hatred for homosexuals, McKinney told Pierotti,according to the Denver Post. taken to a hospital. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Police said Pasley, Henderson's girlfriend, and Kristen Price, McKinney's girlfriend, provided fake alibis and tried to destroy bloody clothing from the crime. Stephen Jimenez, the events host, is the author of The Book of Matt that alleges drugs and not hate led to Shepards death. Jimenez has argued in his book and various interviews that Aaron McKinney, who is incarcerated in a private Mississippi prison for his role in Shepards death, was trying to rob Shepard for methamphetamine, not petty cash and the pair of shoes he made away with. The murder of college student Matthew Shepard shocked the nation on multiple levels. Pasley said she lied because "I was protecting someone I Henderson and McKinney argued that the murder was the result of a robbery gone bad and that Shepard's sexual orientation wasn't a factor, though McKinney's own account of the night hurts that assertion. According to the BBC, McKinney himself said that he became angry when Shepard placed his hand on his leg, even saying that he told Shepard, "Guess what? (AP) _ The girlfriend of a man who pleaded guilty to killing gay college student Matthew Shepard was sentenced Friday to up to two years in prison for helping to cover up evidence in the killing. The judge prohibited the gay panic defense. chasity pasley wyoming obituary. Twenty years after the brutal killing of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming, one of the lead investigators in the case shared with the Coloradoan a letter sent between the suspects who were. #inline-recirc-item--id-91eb6236-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { Pasley wept throughout. After that, he mouthed off, so I hit him a few more times and his fag ass died, McKinney wrote. Chasity Pasley, 20 . "We need to do this for Matthew and for everybody else and to keep this from happening again.". right; he's OK," referring to Shepard, who died after he was Marie Maxfield. She also was charged with being an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder, but her trial has been delayed. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? Fireside Lounge with two men and being driven away in a She attended Laramie High School in Laramie, Wyoming and later obtained a degree from Stevens Henager College. Pasley testified McKinney has pleaded innocent and is scheduled to stand trial in August. 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. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? OMalley said Jimenezs narrative has picked up in steam in Wyoming more than anywhere else. Patterson was a lesbian, known for being very outgoing, and hit it off with Shepard, who had known about his own sexuality for years and came out to his mother while still in high school. The foundation also pushed for the passage of the United States' first piece of federal hate crime legislation the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. He died five days later. Wyoming remains deeply defensive about the idea that Shepard was targeted because he was gay, said Sara Burlingame, executive director of the Cheyenne-based LGBTQ advocacy group Wyoming Equality. aggravated robbery in the slaying of Shepard. Under cross-examination, she acknowledged she was not in. 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. 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. His accomplice, Russell Henderson, is also serving two consecutive life terms. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, Oct. 9, 2018: Russell Henderson at Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution, in Torrington, Wyo. Title: UMKCLAWKM_554e-20190826150502 Created Date: 8/26/2019 3:05:02 PM / CBS. Matthew Shepard was born in Casper, Wyoming in 1976. Theres nothing that was in the investigation that indicated that McKinney and Henderson were under the influence of anything other than a little bit of beer the night that they killed Matt. LARAMIE, Wyo. 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. After leaving Shepard tied to a fence post in rural Wyoming, Henderson and McKinney returned to Laramie, where they got in a street fight with two other men, according to The Coloradoan. . Pasley is serving 15 to 24 months in prison after pleading. Shepard died less than a week later, on Oct. 12, 1998, at age 21. Wyoming remains deeply defensive about the idea that Shepard was targeted because he was gay, Burlingame said. McKinney slouched forward at the defense table during ``I needed to face up to what I did, Pasley said during her sentencing hearing. (Dennis Shepard/The Matthew Shepard Foundation via AP), Matthew Shepard with his parents, Judy and Dennis Shepard in an undated photo. Henderson and McKinney are serving life sentences for Matthew Shepard's murder. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File), Nov. 4, 1999: Judy Shepard stands with Detective Sgt. The acrimony over Shepards legacy runs high here, just as it did when anti-gay and gay-rights protesters squared off at his funeral in Casper. Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. McKinney is now in a Mississippi prison and not agreeing to interview requests, according to the Wyoming Department of Corrections. knee of Henderson's pants. consecutive life sentences. Both men were the same age as Shepard and saw the slightly built Shepard who was just a couple inches over five feet tall and didn't weigh much more than 100 pounds as a target they could easily overpower. Osborn said that the intolerant reputation that the national media placed on Wyoming was, to an extent, unfair. The federal government wouldnt move substantially to address the kind of hatred that took Shepards life for almost 20 years, as explained onOxygensnew special, Uncovered: KilledByHate.. 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). I think about him and every single one of those days that I've had that he hasn't had, his family hasn't had, his friends haven't had. His parents, Dennis and Judy Shepard, declined to comment for this story. Henderson reiterated that he was deeply sorry for Shepards murder. LARAMIE, Wyo. Henderson, who pleaded guilty to avoid a possible death sentence, is serving his time at a medium-security prison in Torrington, a quiet farming-and-ranching town a few miles from the Nebraska line. 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. Pasley's testimony. LARAMIE Russell Henderson, one of two men convicted of murdering Matthew Shepard, was scheduled to appear by live video at an event Tuesday in Laramie called Why Truth Matters.. Your email address will not be published. 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. She was born on October 4, 1978 in Salt Lake City to Rodney Pasley and Linda Larsen. LARAMIE, Wyo. She said her organization will continue its unapologetic advocacy, reaching out to churches, businesses, legislators and regular citizens about their policies and attitudes. That is one of the last things she told me. Required fields are marked *. LARAMIE, WYOMING The girlfriend of a man who pleaded guilty in the kidnapping and murder of a homosexual college student was sentenced Friday to 15 to 24 months in prison for lying to police and destroying evidence. Sometimes Chasity goes by various nicknames including Chasity V Pasley, Chasity V Pasley, Chasity Haines, Chasity Vera Haines and Chasity V Haines. Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this..