Pasley was the live-in girlfriend of Russell Henderson, who Only Henderson, McKinney, and Chasity Pasley were charged that day; separate proceedings had been arranged for Kristen Price. 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. Meanwhile, Chasity Pasley was found guilty of helping the two discard bloody clothing belonging to Shepard. OMalley said Jimenezs narrative has picked up in steam in Wyoming more than anywhere else. Pasley is serving 15 to 24 months in prison after pleading. Chasity was a resident of Utah at the time of passing. police station, sticking to a story she and Price had agreed Some of it, though, comes from not wanting to bear the blame for the crime, he said. She will be missed dearly and heaven has gained an angel to watch over her loved ones. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? } I dont necessarily think that the counternarrative necessarily comes from a place of hate or negativity in and of itself, Osborn said. 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. Still, he insisted, neither he nor McKinney was motivated by anti-gay hatred when they offered Shepard a ride home from a bar. Please know we are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and always have a funeral director on call to help answer any questions or concerns. "I think about Matthew every single day of my life. He helps imprisoned hospice patients and trains shelter dogs so they can be adopted. But were also trying to get to the next Aarons and the next Russells. Were nowhere near done, said Sara Burlingame, executive director of the Cheyenne-based LGBTQ advocacy group Wyoming Equality. She attended Laramie High School in Laramie, Wyoming and later obtained a degree from Stevens Henager College. 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. 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. I think about Matthew every single day of my life, Henderson said, according to the Associated Press. The Bible reminds us that God sees our pain and sadness and has promised that soon, death will be swallowed up forever. (Isaiah 25:8) He will heal our broken hearts by resurrecting our precious loved ones to life again. She received 120 days of credit for time already served following her initial arrest, and the remaining 60 days were suspended. Henderson and McKinney are serving life sentences for Matthew Shepard's murder. According to Oxygen, on October 6, 1998, Shepard was out at a gay bar in Laramie, Wyoming known as The Fireside Lounge. He helped investigate the Matthew Shepard case and is now the Albany County sheriff. 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.. The next day, a mountain biker found him, at first mistaking him for a scarecrow. Price originally was accused of accessory after-the-fact to first-degree murder, but the charge was later reduced. Shepard died less than a week later, on Oct. 12, 1998, at age 21. Trending News ___. Merry . with two other men after the Shepard beating. According to the Associated Press, she was sentenced to 15 months to 2 years in prison. 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. After Shepard's death, the attempted murder charges became full-on murder trials. }, First published on November 4, 1999 / 9:24 AM. display: none; All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Henderson and the other convicted murderer, Aaron McKinney, are currently serving life sentences for their crimes. The event was billed as an examination of what the media got wrong in its coverage of Shepards murder. By providing an email address. Chasity Pasley, 20 . His friend, Aaron McKinney, is scheduled to go on trial this summer and if convicted could face the death penalty. I think it is sad someone would make such a Related Articles ", Judge may bar 'gay panic' defense in Wyoming beating trial, 1 year after Shepard killing, tougher hate crimes laws still sought, First defendant gets life in gay student killing, Woman changes plea, admits helping gay student's accused killers, Fighting Hate Across the Nation -- Leadership Conference Education Fund. 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.. Henderson pleaded guilty last month to kidnapping and felony murder and was sentenced to consecutive life prison terms. Chastity Pasley. In this Oct. 9, 1999 file photo, a cross made of stones rests below the fence in Laramie, Wyo. Wyoming remains deeply defensive about the idea that Shepard was targeted because he was gay, Burlingame said. I dont agree with Jews, Muslims.. She attended Laramie High School in Laramie, Wyoming and later obtained a degree from Stevens Henager College. Known as the Equality State, Wyoming got its nickname for being the first to let women vote. Really? 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. 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. Don't miss out on the latest news and information. But were also trying to get to the next Aarons and the next Russells. /kga. He helps imprisoned hospice patients and trains shelter dogs so they can be adopted. Both Henderson and McKinney were found guilty of murdering Shepard and were both sentenced to life in prison. According to a 2018 Associated Press story posted byThe Mercury News, Sara Burlingame of the advocacy group Wyoming Equality says that the state continues to fight insinuations that Shepard was murdered because he was gay. 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). #inline-recirc-item--id-91eb6236-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-91eb6236-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { 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). In April,. Pasley was one of two women accused of helping McKinney and Henderson dispose of Henderson bloody clothes. Crime and Public Safety | after pleading guilty to being an accessory after the fact in In a recorded 10-hour interview, which was adapted into a new act of the play, McKinney revealed that people should have little doubt Shepards murder was a hate crime and that he feels no remorse. Pasley said she saw blood and a "fleshy" substance on one Prosecutors accused both Price and Chasity Pasley, who was Henderson's girlfiend, of helping dispose of Henderson's bloody clothes. She attended Laramie High School in Laramie, Wyoming and later obtained a degree from Stevens Henager College.?. Associated Press writers Brady McCombs in Laramie and David Crary in New York contributed to this report. His weakness. So, it was amusing that he tried to tell me that he knew better than I did the facts of the case.. display: none; McKinney slouched forward at the defense table during At a medium-security facility in Torrington, Wyoming, Henderson was working with hospice patients who were also serving jail time, and volunteering training shelter dogs, according to the report. ___ Then they left Shepard in the frigid darkness. Because of overcrowding at Wyomings maximum-security prison in Rawlins, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in multiple states. Police said Pasley, Henderson's girlfriend, and Kristen Price, McKinney's girlfriend, provided fake alibis and tried to destroy bloody clothing from the crime. She was charged with being an accessory after 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. According to the Matthew Shepard Foundation, Shepard was chosen to be a peer counselor at the school and was known to fight for the acceptance of everyone. 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. Stephen Jimenez, the events host, is the author of The Book of Matt that alleges drugs and not hate led to Shepards death. Henderson, now 41, said the U.S. should have laws that protect everyone, no matter who they are. He has also seen the drug-related hypotheses gain popularity over the years. chasity pasley wyoming obituary. Police said the women helped dump bloody clothing and initially lied about their whereabouts. 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. Lookup the home address and phone 2705768642 and other contact details for this person. 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? Then they left Shepard in the frigid darkness. Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this, Henderson said. 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. 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. But I think that nobody wants to believe that hate and violence exist in their community. He was her world. Because of overcrowding at Wyomings maximum-security prison in Rawlins, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in multiple states. Associated Press Writer Brady McCombs contributed to this report. 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. If you have recently experienced a loss we offer our most heartfelt condolences. The crime focused the national spotlight on hate crimes. He later died. McKinney and Henderson are each serving two consecutive life sentences. Were nowhere near done, said Sara Burlingame, executive director of the Cheyenne-based LGBTQ advocacy group Wyoming Equality. The killers girlfriends Chasity Vera Pasley, 20, and Kristen Leann Price, 18 were charged with being accessories after the fact. Shepard's parents started the Matthew Shepard Foundation to honor their son and to help parents understand and accept their children who may be questioning their sexuality. The Majority of her career life she worked in the education field and became the Dean of Students at Utah Career College. Livestreaming interviews with inmates is against prison policy, Horan said. As recently as Tuesday, days before the anniversary of Shepards death, about 200 people attended a forum in Laramie questioning the prevailing view that he was murdered because of his sexual orientation. Chasity had a big loving heart she would always put others before herself. She was born on October 4, 1978 in Salt Lake City to Rodney Pasley and Linda Larsen. Shepard had asked his friends if they wanted to go with him to The Fireside Lounge for a beer but didn't get any takers. In this Oct. 9, 1998 file photo, from left are Russell Henderson, Aaron McKinney, and Chasity Pasley, three suspects in the beating to death of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard wait to be arraigned in Laramie, Wyo. I dont like to spend a lot of time on them. 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. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File), Oct. 9, 1999 : A cross made of stones rests below the fence in Laramie, Wyo. But were also trying to get to the next Aarons and the next Russells.. Casper is known for its oil industry, which Shepard's father Dennis was part of. 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. 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. In a letter written from jail, McKinney admitted to being homophobic. I think about Matthew every single day of my life. ``I needed to face up to what I did, Pasley said during her sentencing hearing. 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. What Matthew Shepards killer has to say, 20, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Alameda County DAs new policy will reduce prison sentences through widespread elimination of sentencing enhancements, 20 years after killing Matthew Shepard, what Russell Henderson has to say, Matthew Shepards parents prepare to lay their son to rest at National Cathedral. LARAMIE, Wyo. 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. 8539 South 2200 West, West Jordan, Utah. Due to overcrowding at Wyomings maximum-security prison in Rawlins, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in multiple states. 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. "As tragic as it is, and as unfortunate as it is, and as hard as it is for Matthew's 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 told the Associated Press in 2018, 20 years after Shepard's murder. She said she lied during questioning later at the Laramie At no time did we know he was gay until he tried to get on me.. McKinneys lawyers also wanted to argue that Shepard caused McKinney to explode in a rage by putting his hand on McKinneys leg. She worked in the campus activities center and had helped Jim . 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. 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. shoes Henderson had been wearing that night in a shed in I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy. (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. A memorial celebration of . I think he has atoned. Chasity Vera Pasley, 20, cried repeatedly as she was sentenced to 15 months to two . Jim Osborn, the University of Wyoming Title IX coordinator and 1998 chair of the LGBTQ student group Shepard belonged to, is often the staff member who speaks to UW classes about Shepard. She would always put others before herself Students at Utah career College.? n't. Chasity was a resident of Utah at the time of passing time on them were suspended to Shepard fewer in... 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