Casper, Wyoming: Matthew Shepard, an openly gay student at the University of Wyoming, was beaten to death on October 7th, 1998 by two anti-gay assailants. They are currently serving life sentences for his murder. After the brutal attack, Shepard was left for dead, tied to a fence with his own shoelaces. The property owner in the remote location were he was found has since removed and destroyed the fence, preventing curious onlookers from visiting the site of the crime. Shepard’s murder generated international uproar, and raised public awareness about anti-gay hate crimes. While the location of Matthew Shepard’s grave has not been made public, a monument dedicated to his memory was designed by Chris Navarro. It is called “The Ring of Peace” and is located in his home town of Casper. Several anti-gay activists have attempted to mount a counter-memorial, but have been denied permission by city officials.
