Angel of Wyoming

Angel of Wyoming

Dedicated to Matthew Shepard
(December 1, 1976 - October 12, 1998)


Matthew Shepard, a kind young man, minded his own, wasn’t a bad person at all, killed senselessly. For what? Being gay? What is the difference between being gay, straight, lesbian, or bi? NOTHING.


Humans are to pig headed to actually realize that. An innocent boy killed. But not without purpose, thanks to him, some of those people who were to blind to realize the pain and hate that they generate hurts others, actually acknowledged that being Gay isn’t a crime, that he was not an abomination. He was an angel, someone caring, nice.


He was killed mercilessly by a boy, Aaron McKinney, and his friend, Russell Henderson. Leaving the innocent boy tied up to a fence in a rural area near Laramie, Wyoming.


“Subsequently, Shepard was robbed, severely beaten, pistol whipped, tied to a fence in a remote, rural area and left to die.”

I have to ask myself, why did he have to die? Why did he have to just fade? He wasn’t anything but good. He was an angel. Maybe that was why McKinney hated him. No one knows. The pain, the void his parents felt, it was great enough for them to wish McKinney the death sentence, and they wanted nothing more than that. However thinking on how their son would feel, they gave him the mercy, that McKinney himself didn’t give Matthew.



“…widely reported by international news media as a savage beating due to his homosexuality.”


Homosexuality, meaning, to like someone of the same sex, implying men who love men. Something most people would assume is wrong, and perhaps it is, perhaps it isn’t. Matthew’s father, a man who was true man, excepted his son as he was, loved him as he was, and cherished him as he was. As he stated “He wasn’t my gay son, he was my son who just happened to be gay”.

It’s hard for a father to sometimes except his sons preferences, especially if they lie in other men, but he accepted none the less, just as his kind mother did. Both parents have a huge hole in their heart, along with Matthew’s friends. Still, they live on, with the memory of their beloved angel.


McKinney and Henderson tried various excuses as to why the committed the act.


“McKinney's and Henderson's initial statement was that they were not guilty and had been with their girlfriends at the time of the crime. After the girlfriends retracted their alibis, they both attempted to use a gay panic defense, testifying that they attacked Shepard because he made flirtatious advances towards them. In November 2004, they gave a third story in a 20/20 interview with Elizabeth Vargas of ABC News. In this version the murder was not fueled by an anti-gay motivation but by a methamphetamine-induced rage. They said that the murder was actually a result of heavy drug use, a robbery and a beating gone awry. Both had mentioned this earlier to their lawyers after it had happened, but their attorneys at the time decided to go with the unsuccessful "gay panic" defense. “


“McKinney's friends said that he never made derogatory references to homosexuals. ABC News interviewed a friend of McKinney's who stated: "I know he's bisexual. There ain't no doubt in my mind. He is bisexual." The man also claimed to have been a sexual partner of McKinney. McKinney insisted in media interviews that he picked Shepard as a target for robbery and murder because he didn't think he would be a threat.”


“Henderson pleaded guilty on April 5, 1999, and agreed to testify against McKinney to avoid the death penalty; he received two consecutive life sentences. The jury in McKinney's trial found him guilty of two counts of felony murder. As it began to deliberate on the death penalty, Shepard's parents brokered a deal, resulting in McKinney receiving two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole.”


“Henderson and McKinney were incarcerated in the Wyoming State Penitentiary in Rawlins but were transferred to a Nevada prison due to overcrowding.”



Henderson and McKinney were not charged for a hate-crime, no Wyoming statute provided for such charge. The disturbing and brutal nature of Matthew Shepard's murder prompted calls for new legislation addressing hate crime, urged particularly by those who believed that Shepard was targeted on the basis of his sexual orientation.


There are many people who paid their tributes to this boy, this angel who was killed.


People in the entertainment industry expressed their own outrage and responded in various ways to the attack:
Ellen DeGeneres hosted Shepard's memorial services in Washington, D.C.
Three films were made about the Shepard's story: The Laramie Project (based on the play of the same name), The Matthew Shepard Story and Anatomy of a Hate Crime. The Laramie Project and The Matthew Shepard Story both won numerous awards. He can also be seen in the documentary Dear Jesse in a brief interview, released to the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival on October 10, 2 days before he died.[32]
Human rights activist and singer Melissa Etheridge wrote the song "Scarecrow" in tribute to Shepard, referring to his initially being mistaken for a scarecrow when he was found. It was featured on her 1999 album Breakdown and continues to be part of a political portion of her live performances to date. (November, 2006)
Elton John and Bernie Taupin wrote the song "American Triangle" as a tribute to Shepard. It was featured on John's 2001 album, Songs from the West Coast (with backing vocals by Rufus Wainwright).
Cyndi Lauper wrote a song entitled "Above the Clouds" in tribute to Shepard included on her 2005 album The Body Acoustic. Judy Shepard was involved in Lauper's tour behind the album and the singer/songwriter spoke of the events of that tragic day, as well as the mission to erase hate, before performing the song. In 2007, Cyndi Lauper launches the True Colors Tour 2007, a five-hour concert featuring Cyndi and other well-known artists to benefit the Human Rights Campaign and acquaint the audience with the work of the Matthew Shepard Foundation. It has been announced that Judy Shepard will make an appearance at the New York City concert.
Singer Songwriter Thea Hopkins composed a song "Jesus Is On The Wire" to retell Shephard's story. In 2001 Peter, Paul and Mary begin performing the song and later was added to their recent album In These Times. In 2004 the song was showcased in the trio's documentary on PBS Peter, Paul & Mary: Carry It On - A Musical Legacy
Tori Amos dedicated her song "Merman" to Shepard throughout her 1998 tour with Alanis Morissette. The song was never released on a CD, but appeared on her best collection A Piano.
Kristian Hoffman performs another song called "Scarecrow" on his album &. It is a duet with Wainwright.
Irish singer-songwriter Brian Houston wrote "The Ballad of Matthew Shepard", released on his 2006 album Sugar Queen
There are also several songs created by other artists. Singer Randi Driscoll released "What Matters"[33], the band This Ship Will Sink wrote "Dear Matthew", the band Best Revenge wrote "Sacrifice", singer Andrew Spice wrote the song "Matthew", and the band Good Riddance wrote the song "Cheyenne".
Coretta Scott King, widow of Dr. Martin Luther King, wrote to Judy Shepard expressing her sympathy and expressing her belief that civil rights include gay and lesbian rights.
Rishma Dunlop composed the poem "Copper Moon" in Shepard's memory. Suzanne Northcott then created a painting of the same name.
Geoff Rickly, singer of the band Thursday, wrote the song "M. Shepard" for their 2004 album War All the Time.
In the episode "Tommy's Not Gay" of Titus in the neutral space Chistopher mentions Shepard's death and how it was because he was homosexual. The episode dealt with the beating of Tommy's father also because he is homosexual.
Andrea Gibson mentions the incident in her poem "Dive"
Amy Ray's song "Laramie" from her solo album Stag (2001) references the Matthew Shepard incident.
The hardcore punk band Protest The Hero's song "Fear and Loathing in Laramie" from A Calculated Use of Sound EP is about the lack of homosexual rights, and directly mentions Matthew Shepard's death.
Singer-Songwriter Hamell on Trial mentions Shepard in the song "Hail" on his 2003 release Tough Love.
Metal band Trivium wrote a song, named "And Sadness Will Sear" based upon the anti-gay atmosphere and the murder scene itself, on their album The Crusade.[34]
Radio DJ, Howard Stern, invited members of the Westboro Church onto The Howard Stern Show. Stern allowed the group to build their own demise as the show cast and callers proceeded to insult and discredit the anti-gay cause. The group has appeared on the show several times since, each time Stern makes numerous comments denouncing the group and its cause.[35]
Sage Francis mentions Shepard in the song "That Ain't Right" ("I attended candle light vigils for Matthew Shepard/While you put out another 'fuck you, faggot' record").[36]


Please, I beg all of you out there who understand. Please, help stop these kinds of things, help stop the pain, the agony. Stop the loss, the hate, the suffering.

Share your love, your care. Don’t make another angel fall from grace. We already have killed so many.


A poem from me to Matthew Shepard. It is titled “Angel of Wyoming”.


Angel of Wyoming

You were the light that shone done from the blue, crisp clear sky.
You were the beauty on these, Wyoming hillsides.
You made the grass greener, with those tender sweet smiles.
Made the world cleaner, with those eyes of love shine.


Your spread out your wings, no matter how broken.
You flew to the clouds, God’s throne, he has spoken.
You were the angel, whom, he smiled down too.
You were a sweet angel, a child of our father.

How could such a demon, break and shatter those wings?
Take your light away from me?
You were there! I know you were!
But not anymore, wait, yes I see you, your shine evermore.

It goes through the battle, it’s the Eden in the end.
Where true lovers and friends,
Along with your mother and father, wait for your sweet rest.

And although you are no more,
Forgive me for this,
I steal away one sweet tender kiss,
From the angel of Wyoming, who died at Twilight, dusk, and dawn.


The scent of Wyoming on you, as you lay their my child,
No sin comes from you,
Except for that smile.
In peace may you rest,
Please don’t fall,
I remember you now, and always after all.