The Matthew Shepard story was pretty much “that moment” in history for me, at least until 9/11. When it happened, I was a gay man in college having only come out to my parents four years before. Events like the death of JFK or Martin Luther King certainly affect us because they are a part of this country’s history, but when history is made during our lifetime it becomes a different kind of resonation.
I admit that prior to reading this book, to me, the Matthew Shepard murder was a hate crime and it made Matthew into a martyr or symbol for the struggle that homosexuals have endured everywhere and the hate we face. Stephen Jimenez, the author, thought the same thing until he visited Laramie years later intending to write a story about the case. The prosecuting attorney advised Jimenez to take a deeper look. Court documents and evidence had just become available and Jimenez found an odd and anonymous letter among the documents addressed to the attorney himself. This prompted Jimenez to take the story in a different direction.
He discovered Matthew was a casual drug user, particularly a meth user and seller. It is already well-known that Matthew’s killers, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney, were drug users. Jimenez soon exposes an odd relationship that ties these three men together, suggesting that Matthew’s murder was not what the media made it out to be. So why was this also avoided during the trial?
Through numerous interviews of friends, lovers, and acquaintances of Matthew, Jimenez paints a pretty solid picture of the “real” Matthew Shepard and directly shows how the media turned this story into something completely different, the anti-gay hate crime it is known as today. Many have ridiculed this book, even before reading it, and I would urge those people to do some research of their own. I like to keep an open mind about such things and cure my own ignorance, so I did just that. If a person or event came up in the book and I wanted to know more, I stopped to research it a bit more just as Jimenez did.
Jimenez cites all of his sources and interviewees. Some wanted to remain anonymous, mostly because of their own ties to the drug trade in Wyoming. He even tells you when they could be lying to him or hesitating to tell the real story. What is really interesting is when one person does reveal a small piece of the puzzle, and then another completely different person reveals that same thing or another piece that fits. One example of this is the possibility that Aaron and Matthew knew each other before that night and had sold/bought drugs from one another, or possibly even had sex together before. Aaron’s bisexuality is referenced again and again, but was also a subject the courts avoided.
Jimenez does not change the picture we have of Matthew already; he just makes it clearer. We still see Matthew as a sad, depressed, friendly, and frail boy who never knew a stranger. Matthew’s own mother admitted that he “self-medicated” so his drug use is not a new topic either. The sexual abuse that both Matthew and Aaron had experienced in their past was new to me though, as was the possibility the two men knew each other prior to that night. Jimenez also explains the part that Henderson played in the crime and how he was really only guilty of associating with the wrong people.
Jimenez also exposes how this case became an accelerant for Clinton’s hate crime bill which was before Congress at the time, and that’s probably why the two guilty men received such heavy sentencing. America was watching so the court had to set an example, despite crimes that were just as harsh that happened around the same time in Laramie and those guilty received lesser sentences. One of these crimes was the death of Henderson’s own mother which happened less than four months after Matthew was killed.
Do I accept Jimenez’s book as the new truth as to what happened that night? No. It doesn’t change the fact that what happened to Matthew was horrible and wrong. And it won’t change the sadness I felt from it. But I will admit he’s opened my eyes a bit wider to this story, and any book that can do that is worth reading. It’s proof that you should not always believe the media and you should definitely question everything!
The Lone Writer: Shannon Yarbrough 
I haven’t yet read the book, but I did read an article several months ago that revealed a lot of what you discussed. It bothers me that the media so often twist and turn things to meet a political need or get the most controversial, interesting story. No matter what the reasons behind the murder were, it was still a terrible and gruesome murder of a troubled young man.
I have yet something new to add and it’s what I found on Wikipedia. Wikipedia says what former Chief David S.. O’Malley and investigator Sgt. Robert J. DeBree have said saying Stephen Jimenez’s claim that Methew Wayne Shepard being a drug dealer is humorous and laughable. Wikipedia has problems with accuracy but if what they said is true, here is my rebuttal. First, Chief O’Malley and Sgt. RJ DeBree’s both have been portrayed in Laramie Project and Chief O’Malley is a friend of Judy Peck Shepard. But their job as cops after to they found M.W. Shepard’s comatose body was to solve M.W. Shepard’s murder and they quickly found and arrested the 2 who did this. After that their job was to help prosecutors prove the 2 men guilty of murder which they did. Since M.W. Shepard is dead, he can not be arrested and prosecuted for any crimes he committed before October 1998. I don’t believe the 2 cops investigated whether Metthew W. Shepard was a drug dealer because there was no need for them to because he is dead and can’t be punished for it.
Both Chief David S. O’Malley and Sgt. R.J. DeBree know as cops that you don’t always know the secrets a person has in their life. Both have as policemen arrested child molesters and other criminals and both know that most criminals try to keep their crimes secret as they don’t want to be caught by the police. Many times when it’s discovered a person is let’s say a child molester, it’s friends and family who get surprised because a child molester is unlikely to admit that they commit this crime to their friends. Chief O’Malley and Sgt. DeBree in their lives have arrested drug dealers and they know how it’s the family and friends who reacted with surprise after they learned some1 is a drug dealer.
I don’t think Chief O’Malley and Sgt. DeBree are sincere in criticizing Stephen Jimenez as bias is meddling with facts especially again as Chief O’Malley is a friend of Judy Peck Shepard. I think both Chief O’Malley and Sgt. DeBree know that it’s unlikely M.W. Shepard told his friends and family that he was a drug dealer, because both have seen this many times as cops. M.W. Shepard kept it a secret. Both Chief O’Malley and Sgt. DeBree know as cops that they don’t always ID catch all the criminals. Stephen Jimenez to repeat interviewed over 100 witnesses and he did a 13 year investigation. He went into bars, interviewed drug dealers, junkies and they verified that both A.J. McKinney and M.W. Shepard knew eachother and that M.W. Shepard had a secret life as a drug dealer/courier. Again, Chief O’Malley and Sgt. DeBree interest in October 1998 was to solve the homicide and to help prosecutor Mr. Rerucha prove the 2 men gulity of murder. I don’t think Chief O’Malley and Sgt. DeBree investigated M.W. Shepard’s background because there was no need die them to. If that Wikipedia article is true then both Chief O’Malley and Sgt. DeBree’s critique sounds like they are saying either what they don’t believe or bias has meddled with facts that they are dishonest, delusional or both esp. again as Chief O’Malley is a friend of Judy P. Shepard and both Chief David S. O’Malley and Sgt. R.J. DeBree are portrayed in Laramie Project.
Yeah, isn’t it interesting that we are nearly always fed the storybook version of things? I think there was a class angle too. Matt’s parents seemed well-to-do; the other boys were from very rough backgrounds. The interesting thing is that Matt was on a self-destructive path. To hear he was selling meth is really shocking.
I completely agree with the “class” angle too. I respect Judy, but she has now made a living out of her son’s death. Near the end of the book it is also revealed that Matt sexually molested two 8 year old boys when he was 15, but this was purposely left out of the courtroom as well and covered up. They certainly couldn’t have both sides of the courtroom representing “sexual deviants.”
Judy P. Shepard’s main interest is money and to push an agenda. I read the Book of Matt by Stephen Jimenez about the Metthew Wayne Shepard killing. The book discloses ugly truths of who the victim was-most of it old news such as him being a junky (old news), but the new information is that the victim was a drug dealer. Stephen Jimenez who is gay interviewed over 100 witnesses and found ugly truths about the victim. While Stephen Jimenez has a pro-gay bias and tried to be sympathetic to the victim, he incidentally wrote about some things about the victim as what you wrote about him molesting 2 8 year old boys. Here are couple, though the last 2 are old news.
M.W. Shepard was himself a victim of child molestation (1 of his murderers A.J. McKinney was himself a victim of homosexual incest when he was 7 years old) and when M.W. Shepard was 15 years old, he was arrested for molesting 8 year old boys. M.W. Shepard got counseling for molesting the 2 8 year old boys. This information is new as you said.
A drunk M.W. Shepard in August 1998 (2 months before his death) attempted indecent exposure on a Cody bartender and bartender defended himself by decking M.W. Shepard. The next day, Metthew W. Shepard falsely accused the bartender of homosexual gang rape. M.W. Shepard was also once banned from a bar after a drunk M.W. Shepard committed assault and battery on the bouncer by grabbing bouncer’s crotch against will. M.W. Shepard should have been arrested and convicted by jury for those 2 incidents.
M.W. Shepard knew his killer A.J. McKinney and there are witnesses who saw both of them together numerous almost a year before he was killed. M.W. Shepard had a secret life as a drug courier/dealer. Honestly, M.W. Shepard was unlikely to tell his friends and family about his secret life. You don’t always know the secrets friends and family have. If a person is a drug dealer, then they are usually not going to tell their friends and family that they do this.
Why M.W. Shepard was killed, only he and A.J. McKiney knows. Stephen Jimenez in his book pleads Russell A. Henderson’s case. Stephen Jimenez is sincere though he has a pro-gay bias. But for me, him being killed and why he was killed is a minor topic. While gay groups complain about Stephen Jimenez saying the murder case is complicated and possibly not a hate crime, I think that is incidental. I think the main reason gay groups are offended by Stephen Jimenez’s book is because he talked about the ugly truths about who M.W. Shepard was.
Now with M.W. Shepard being a drunkard (possibly alcoholic) and junky who mixed drugs such as Meth with antidepressants, those are his issues. With M.W. Shepard being a drug dealer, no that is not the worst crime. But the fact that M.W. Shepard molested 8 year old boys when he was 15 years old is why I can’t sympathize with him. No normal straight man is going to accept what M.W. Shepard did to those 8 year old boys and no normal straight man is going to accept M.W. Shepard falsely accusing a man of homosexual gang rape.
Harvey B. Milk sexually abused a 16 year old boy in 1964 and he is a gay icon just as M.W. Shepard is. Both Harvey B. Milk and M.W. Shepard victimized others. With M.W. Shepard, no he should not have been killed but I am not going to mourn his death just as I do not mourn Ariel Castro committing suicide.
& with the topic of Laramie Project, my views on homosexuality and the fact that gay bashing cases must be judged individually by juries and my defense of what gay groups condemn as ‘gay panic.’ Here it is and if people have thoughts please comment. As you see, I have thought about this topic, so here it is.
First with Laramie Project and the movie Milk. If people want to watch the Laramie Project play, then it’s their right. The same thing with if people want to watch the 2008 movie Milk about Harvey B. Milk which starred Sean J. Penn. But what I oppose are schools pushing the movie Milk and the Laramie Project play on schoolchildren with little to no opposing views. I am against Harvey B. Milk day in California public schools. With Harvey B. Milk and M.W. Shepard, what has happened is adults pushing their agenda on schoolchildren. As said in my last post, both Harvey B. Milk and M.W. Shepard mistreated others with Harvey B. Milk sexually abusing a 16 year old boy (homosexual statutory rape in 1964) which he was not prosecuted for. Getting killed in 1978 (Milk) and 1998 (Shepard) does not change the ugly truths of who both were.
With homosexuality, if a gay or lesbian is living their own life but not pushing their views on others, most people don’t care. Homosexual behavior should be marginalised as tobacco use. You can be secular as I am and see the harms of homosexual and lesbian behavior as you can see the harms of tobacco use. I believe in abolishing sex changes because sex changes is medically maiming a person to make them a fake opposite sex member and I am against sex changes for the same reason as I am against trying to change a person’s skin color because they think they’re a White person trapped in a Black person’s body or vice versa.
As it’s about gays/lesbians, many suffered child molestation and had this not happened, the likelihood is less of them committing homosexual/lesbian behaviors. 33% of gays report homosexual rape in youth. Some people take part in gay/lesbian activities because maybe it’s biology such as hormones or genes, though they‘ve not conclusively proven it‘s inborn. Then some people take part in gay/lesbian activities because of childhood sex abuse reaction. It doesn’t take an expert to know that sex abuse esp. homosexual rape in youth can mess up the mind. There are people who take part in gay activities in adulthood due to reaction from homosexual rapes in youth. M.W. Shepard and A.J. McKinney both again were victims of child molestation whey they were boys and Stephen Jimenez incidentally mentioned in his book that M.W. Shepard had been molested by 3 different people including a distant relative (A.J. McKinney again had been a victim of homosexual incest when he was 7 years old). It’s my view that A.J. McKinney is retarded from the 3 years of drug junkyism-yes it’s his choice to have damaged himself but believe he is retarded from the drugs.
But if M.W. Shepard had not been a victim of repeated molestations, it’s possible M.W. Shepard would have turned out straight instead of gay. Any conduct can be learned including sexual conduct and M.W. Shepard suffering child molestation damaged his thinking and possibly caused him to behave sexually in ways he would not have had the molestation not happened. If a boy is repeatedly homosexually raped in his youth, the likelihood is more that he’ll do homosexual behaviors in adulthood because the sex abuse can damage mind and cause people to act in ways they normally wouldn’t. It’s like if a kid lives in a high crime neighborhood & sees muggings, the likelihood is more that he’ll be a mugger in his adulthood because of what he learned in his youth. It remains to be seen how many of Gerald A. (Jerry) Sandusky’s victims will think in their adulthood that they’re homosexual. No, not all boys who are homosexually raped in youth become gay in adulthood & yes, there are many gays who weren’t homosexually raped in their youths. But homosexual rapes in youth incr. risk of a boy turning out homosexual.
I have never heard straights such as a straight man blame sex abuse or any other bad thing for the reason he has sex with women and fathers children with her. Yet I’ve heard some gays & lesbians say that they think sex abuse in youth is a reason why they take part in gay/lesbian activities & it’s hard to know how sex abuse impacted mind. If adults want to do gay/lesbian conduct with other knowing and willing adults, then it’s their life, but it must be treated the same way as tobacco use by adults. If a cure is eventually found for homosexuality, then I would not lose sleep if gay/lesbian conduct disappeared. There possibly are other causes such as genetics or biology, but there are also proven biological reasons for tobacco use. If they discover cure for homosexuality, then this topic becomes a moot point. Uganda has laws against homosexuality and their reasoning is secular. Ugandan citizens are usually not telling other nations what their laws on homosexuality should be so we have no right to tell Uganda how to run their nation.
This finally gets to ‘gay panic’ and my defense of this. With ‘gay panic’, the defense raises a crime the gay did before man reacted violently. If a defense lawyer in a gay bashing case wants to raise a crime the gay did such as harassment, indecent exposure, etc. before man reacted violently, then that must be regarded in deciding verdict.
Proposing (straightorgay) in your house, singles bar or @ a private party is in most cases legal. The right thing to do is say no and leave. However, repeatedly proposing after some1 has said no is criminal harassment. If a homosexual is going to commit indecent exposure, then it’s a crime and there is no need for a man to say no to a crime the homosexual had no right to do-just as there is no need for a store owner to put up signs that say ‘don’t steal’-no need to say no to a crime the other person has no right to do.
& there is no need for a man to say no to a homosexual who is proposing to him in a public restroom because public restroom is not a house or a bar and it’s illegal to ask others for sex in public restroom. & again, for a homosexual to follow a man around and propose to him repeatedly after he said no is criminal. Again, if defense lawyer wants to bring up criminal conduct the homosexual did-harassment, indecent exposure, assault and battery, etc. before man reacted violently, then homosexual’s antisocial conduct must be regarded by jury in deciding verdict. A jury can acquit or if they convict, they can convict a person on lesser charge.
With gay bashing cases, I have found that gays often harass & or commit assault/battery on teenage boys to men in early 20s & the men react by bashing the gay. Most men and boys who are victims of gays usu. won’t call cops to report that a gay is committing indecent exposure, harassment or in worst cases molestation until some1 reacts violently and bashes the gay. A gay bashing case I know of from many years ago in Arizona. What happened was that an 18 year old boy had been in a park with friends. A gay who was much bigger than him grabbed the boy’s butt & made a sex comment. The boy then told his 2 friends. After this, the 2 men grabbed the gay, brought him to the boy who then hit the gay several times in the face. That ‘gay bashing’ victim committed a crime-assault&battery & boy reacted by bashing him. If that teenage boy had tried to walk away, that gay who was much bigger than him would likely have attacked him because the gay had a secret violent history (unreported to cops) of beating up teenage boys after harassing them for sex & these cases unpredictable.
With that gay, it’s highly likely the gay was trying to do something more violent, so that gay deserves no sympathy for getting hit in the face. This gay again had beaten up other teenage boys after committing assault & battery, was likely trying to do it to this teenage boy, but because teenage boy had 2 friends (1 a martial arts expert) who were with him, they were able to defend this boy. If the homosexual is high on drugs such as cocaine as that gay possibly was then it’s likely the gay would’ve done more violent crime in a cocaine rage if indeed the gay was high. Self-defense is a jury topic after hearing both prosecutor & defense lawyer & jury decides if gay basher used reasonable or excessive force. If it’s reasonable, then you acquit and if it’s excessive, then what degree. Those are my thoughts.
Shannon, you can also see my comments on Stephen Jimenez’s book here http://aattp.org/fox-contributor-says-story-of-matthew-shepards-brutal-murder-is-total-fraud What is inexcusable are the vicious insults on Mrs. Sandy Rios there and over Internet where I have read death threats against her. Ideology meddles with ugly truths. As I wrote there and here, both Metthew W. Shepard (1998) and Harvey B. Milk (1978) being killed and why they were killed are incidental topics and M.W. Shepard being a junky and drug dealer (which as you know is main part of Stephen Jimenez’s book) aren’t the worst crimes.
But the ugly truth is that both M.W. Shepard and Harvey B. Milk victimized others. M.W. Shepard’s family and friends exploit him for sympathy, push agenda and money. I hope Shannon you can share your view but let me repeat that M.W. Shepard (1998) and Harvey B. Milk (1978) deaths do not change the ugly truth that both people victimized others. Anyhow Shannon, since you read the book as I did, I hope you can comment here as well as on the site linked, because there is to repeat no excuse for the vicious attacks on Mrs. Sandy Rios. What Mrs. Sandy Rios said in the video link was made before Stephen Jimenez’s book was released and I don’t know if she has since read the book as what Stephen Jimenez wrote is somewhat different from what Mrs. Rios said as A.J. McKinney knew M.W. Shepard while it’s not believed R.A. Henderson had met M.W. Shepard until day of killing.
I spoke on April 16, 2014 to Sheriff David S. O’Malley about Book of Matt and gave facts about Methew Wayne Shepard being a child molester and drug dealer. He predictably said Book of Matt should be called Book of Lies, that he did investigation & hung up on me without explaining why it should be called book of lies. He has no rebuttal. Chief O’Malley said he is offended by Stephen Jimenez’s book but he’s dishonest.
Sheriff David S. O’Malley, Cop Regina S. Fluty and Sgt. Rob J. DeBree’s all have been portrayed in Laramie Project and Sheriff O’Malley is a friend of Judy L. Shepard. But their job as cops after to they found M.W. Shepard’s comatose body was to solve M.W. Shepard’s murder and they quickly found and arrested the 2 who did this. After that their job was to help prosecutors prove the 2 men guilty of murder which they did. Since M.W. Shepard is dead, he can not be arrested and prosecuted for any crimes he committed before October 1998. I don’t believe the 2 cops investigated whether Methew W. Shepard was a drug dealer because there was no need to because he is dead and can’t be punished for it.
Sheriff David S. O’Malley, Regina S. Fluty and Sgt. Robert J. DeBree all know as cops or former cops that you don’t always know the secrets a person has in their life. All know that many to most criminals try to keep their crimes secret esp. from friends and family as they don’t want to be caught. Many times when it’s discovered a person is let’s say a child molester, it’s friends and family who get surprised because a child molester is unlikely to admit that they commit this crime to their friends and family. Sheriff David S. O’Malley and Sgt. Robert J. DeBree in their lives have arrested drug dealers and they know how it’s the family and friends who get surprised after they learned some1 they know is a drug dealer.
I don’t think Sheriff David S. O’Malley and Sgt. Robert J. DeBree are honest criticizing Stephen Jimenez as bias is meddling with facts especially again as Sheriff O’Malley is a friend of Judy Lynn Shepard. Sheriff David S. O’Malley and Sgt. Robert J. DeBree know that it’s unlikely Methew W. Shepard told his friends and family that he was a drug dealer, because both have seen many times as cops as how criminals usually keep their crimes a secret esp. from their friends and family. M.W. Shepard kept it a secret. Even if Methew W. Shepard did tell his friends and family that he sold drugs, don’t think his family will admit this ugly truth about him, as they had tried to hide the fact that Methew Wayne Shepard molested 8 year old boys and got counseling for it. Both Sheriff David S. O’Malley and Sgt. R.J. DeBree know as cops that they don’t always catch all the criminals. Stephen Jimenez to repeat interviewed over 100 witnesses and he did a 13 year investigation. He went into bars, interviewed drug dealers, junkies and they verified that both A.J. McKinney and M.W. Shepard knew eachother and that M.W. Shepard had a secret life as a drug dealer/courier.
Again, Sheriff O’Malley and Sgt. DeBree interest in October 1998 was to solve the homicide and to help prosecutor Mr. Rerucha prove the 2 men gulity of murder. I don’t think Sheriff David S. O’Malley, Sgt. Robert J. DeBree and any1 else in the Albany County Sheriff’s Dept. investigated M.W. Shepard’s background because there was no need to. Sheriff David S. O’Malley and Sgt. R.J. DeBree’s critique sounds like they are dishonest, delusional or both esp. again as Sheriff f O’Malley is a friend of Judy L. Shepard and Chief O’Malley, Reggie S. Fluty and Sgt. DeBree are portrayed in Laramie Project. JC Marsden (executive Director of Shepard Foundation) and Tiffany C. Hunt are portrayed in Laramie Project. Both JC Marsden & Big Island Chronicle Tiffany Camille Hunt sees nothing wrong with Methew W. Shepard selling drugs and molesting children so their view is rubbish. Big Island Chronicle Tiffany Camille Hunt abuses her 2 children so farting Squaw Big Island Chronicle Tiffany Camille Hunt thinks child abuse is OK.
I spoke November 3, 2014 to Dennis W. Shepard (Methew W. Shepard’s dad) by calling his house-I found his phone # on Internet. I first asked him if he was the late Methew Shepard’s dad which he verified. I then told him that his son was a drug dealer (his son was a junky who associated with drug dealers and possibly was a drug dealer/courier himself) and a child molester. He said it was horseturd (profane word used) and asked where I got the information and whether I read the court documents (guessing from murder trial). I replied by telling Dennis that his son was a drug dealer and child molester-you know about the 8 year old boys who Methew molested & that Shepard’s exploit their son for money.
I found Mr. Dennis W. Shepard to be dishonest & he hung up on me. He said it’s horseturd but he didn’t give a rebuttal. I believe I was justified in calling Methew W. Shepard’s parents (I was trying to get his mom but instead got his dad) as Methew W. Shepard’s family exploits him for money & people need to tell them the ugly truth of who their son was. Do you think I did the right thing? I believe I did. Anyhow please share your view because don’t be surprised if the Shepard’s change their phone # as it’s possible others have done the same thing that I did which is to call the Shepard’s to tell them what a bad person their son was, especially if others have read the Book of Matt as we did. I think Mr. Dennis W.Shepard knows that some of us know the ugly truths of who his son was.
Anirban-
No, I don’t think you did the right thing. Despite other matters that have come out about Mathew (true or not), he was still their son and I think their privacy should be respected. I’m sure they’ve heard enough through the years and would prefer to remember their son in a loving and respectful manner.
-Shannon
Shannon Yarbrough, if the Shepards said that it’s painful for them to have had their son killed and they want to be let left alone and not talk anymore, then I wouldn’t have called them & let them be. Before I did this I thought about it & here is why I believe I did the right thing & do not need to apologize. If let’s say a murderer is executed and the family mourns their execution, then my view is to leave the death row inmates family alone because they are not to blame for what the murderer did & let the murderer’s family mourn the executed murderer’s death in peace.
But truth is that the Shepard family for years has been exploiting Methew Wayne Shepard for money and to push an agenda. Judy L. Shepard earns anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 per speech. Judy L. Shepard’s interest is to profit from her son’s 1998 killing. Methew W. Shepard’s parents and brother Logan P. Shepard get rich from the Methew W. Shepard case by the Methew W. Shepard Foundation and Judy L. Shepard and M.W. Shepard’s friend Romaine Patterson both wrote books about him.
Shepard Foundation is a propaganda group whose main interest is to push an agenda and to make money. Shepards make media appearances to exploit their son and most media omits when they interview them omit the ugly truths Methew W. Shepard was a junky who associated with drug dealers and possibly was a drug dealer/courier himself and a child molester. Shepard family, Shepard Foundation & Big Island Chronicle Tiffany Camille Hunt sees nothing wrong with Methew W. Shepard selling drugs and molesting children so their view is rubbish. Dennis W. Shepard and Judy L. Shepard are both public figures who exploit their son for money.If they want to be left alone, then they should stop exploiting Methew Wayne Shepard.
Stephen Jimenez did a 13 year investigation & he reached his conclusions after interviewing them. Some of the witnesses are anonymous as some worked in law enforcement and some are criminals who chose to remain anonymous as they do not want to incriminate themselves, but there are also drug dealers such as Mark K. Rohrbacher who chose to identify themselves.
Sometimes, investigations require testimony from criminals. Of course the witnesses who Stephen Jimenez are not likely to know everything about Methew W. Shepard, but there are things they saw which can not be dismissed. Let’s look @ what we do know about Methew W. Shepard. No matter why the murder happened, the idea that A.J. McKinney and Methew W. Shepard were strangers who did not know eachother until that day is rubbish. There are many witnesses-Doc O’ Connor’s ex girlfriend, Elaine Baker (bartender), M.K. Rohrbacher (drug dealer), Tristan (Ted) Henson (Methew W. Shepard’s former lover) & others who saw them together.
Even if 1 believes the murder was motivated by hatred of homosexuals, it is truth that A.J. McKinney and Methew W. Shepard knew eachother though A.J. McKinney denies it. There are too many witnesses who saw both men together. Of course the witnesses can only say they saw them together and can not know it all.
Methew W. Shepard associating with drug dealers in both Wyoming and Colorado is not disputable. Methew W. Shepard went into bars where drugs were sold and he did associate with drug dealers-we know that he went to bars named Tornado, Ranger, Library & other bars in Wyoming and Colorado where drugs were sold. Methew W. Shepard’s friend Tina LaBrie expressing concerns about Methew W. Shepard’s drug and $ problems. We know that Methew W. Shepard was having $ problems (spending so much on limosuine rides in Doc O’ Connor’s limousine).
Methew W. Shepard’s a junky (proven fact), drunkard and had money problems. Sheriff O’Malley has said that if Methew W. Shepard sold drugs, the cops would have known which is dishonest-Sheriff David S. O’Malley and Sgt. R.J. DeBree know cops don’t always catch all the criminals and that many drug dealers escape detection. Sheriff David S. O’Malley and Sgt. Robert J. DeBree have arrested drug dealers and they know how it’s the family and friends who get surprised after they learn some1 they know is a drug dealer.
Sheriff David S. O’Malley and Sgt. Robert J. DeBree know that it’s unlikely MW. Shepard told his friends and family that he was a drug dealer, and even if Methew W. Shepard did tell his friends and family that he sold drugs, don’t think his family will admit this ugly as they had tried to hide the fact that Methew Wayne Shepard molested 8 year old boys and got counseling.
Now was Methew W. Shepard’s assocation with drug dealers and going into bars where drugs were sold more than buying drugs ? Was Methew W. Shepard a drug dealer or a drug courier? Stephen Jimenez thinks so and he believes it was the Denver circle. The journalists who critique Stephen Jimenez can not prove or disprove Stephen Jimenez’s conclusion.
No, Stephen Jimenez does not know it all but his conclusions are sincere and honest. While homosexual groups complain about Stephen Jimenez saying the murder case is complicated and possibly not a hate crime, that is incidental-main reason homosexual groups are offended by Stephen Jimenez’s book is because he talked about the ugly truths about who M.W. Shepard was. You don’t always know the secrets friends and family have. If a person is a drug dealer, then they are usually not going to tell their friends and family that they do this.
Even if Metthew W. Shepard did tell his friends and family that he sold drugs, don’t think his family will admit this ugly truth about him, as they had tried to hide the fact that Methew Wayne Shepard molested 8 year old boys and got counseling for it. Laramie Project, Shepard Foundation & Big Island Chronicle Tiffany Camille Hunt sees nothing wrong with Methew W. Shepard selling drugs and molesting children so their view is rubbish.
Dear Shannon Lee Yarbrough:
I do not have email and I use my mom’s email address when I have posted here. But I hope you don’t hate me as you have not posted my recent comments. It’s your site, but I do hope you can answer if you don’t want me posting on your site anymore. If you don’t want me posting here anymore, then please inform so here on this site & I will not post here anymore. I don’t know if you had sent email to the address I gave but again, that’s my mom’s email and I don’t have personal email so I use hers. Shannon, you know that I honestly write what I believe and have done so regarding Methew W. Shepard where as you know, I believe Stephen Jimenez & you know all the other things I’ve written. Anyhow Shannon L. Yarbrough, please post here if you don’t want me commenting here anymore & I will go away. If you don’t want me to comment here anymore, then I do thank you for the times you allowed me to comment & you have a Happy New Year. Please inform as soon as you can & I hope you don’t hate me, though my views are different.
Sincerely,
Anirban (aka Abner) Bhattacharya
Hi Abner-
I don’t hate you, though I’m not sure what you are talking about. I don’t have any other comments from you since your last one.
Thanks,
Shannon
I spoke on January 21, 2015 to Undersheriff R.J. Debree on Stephen Jimenez’s Book of Matt. Undersheriff RJ DeBree was courteous and spoke with me. He said that 1 part where Stephen Jimenez got wrong was that there was a drive by shooting and he said that didn’t happen. Undersheriff RJ DeBree also said that he would be willing to debate Stephen Jimenez on the book. I told Undersheriff R.J. DeBree that Methew W. Shepard was a junky and possibly a drug dealer. He asked me how I knew that & I mentioned that Judy L. Shepard said in her book that Methew W. Shepard ‘self-medicated’ which is another word for drug junky. I said that Methew W. Shepard associating with drug dealers in both Colorado and Wyoming is indisputable. Now did he also sell drugs in addition to use them? It’s possible and we don’t know the money problems Methew was having.
Of course, I also told UnderSheriff R.J. DeBree that Methew W. Shepard was a child molester and no matter why the murder happened, I care more about the 2 boys who Methew molested. I told Undersheriff R.J. DeBree that it’s possible Methew had more victims than the 2 cases reported. I told Undersheriff R.J. DeBree that if he and Sheriff O’Malley want to talk about the murder and what they found in the murder investigation, then that is fine. I also said that if they want to say that in the murder investigation they did not find proof of Methew selling drugs, then that it also fine. I told him that since he and Sheriff O’Malley are cops, they both know that you don’t always know the secrets a person has such as if a person is a drug dealer. Undersheriff DeBree talked about the anonymous witnesses who Stephen Jimenez interviewed-since he also read the book. I replied that there were also named witnesses, which he said only a few. I mentioned that some of the witnesses who Stephen Jimenez interviewed are anonymous because they were drug dealers and that they don’t want to be ID because they don’t want to be arrested and sent to jail. I mentioned to UnderSheriff DeBree that the critique both he and Sheriff O’Malley have made is not credible & that I believe Stephen Jimenez. I of course mentioned the Laramie Project and Methew W. Shepard is a friend of mine and Undersheriff R.J. DeBree said that he is not associated with that. Both he and Sheriff O’Malley are portrayed in both. Anyhow, Undersheriff R.J. DeBree was courteous to speak with me and he did say he would debate Stephen Jimenez.. I thanked him for taking the time to talk with me though he is not credible in his accusation against Stephen Jimenez. No, Stephen Jimenez doesn’t know all the answers and while I can’t conclusively say that Methew W. Shepard sold drugs, Methew W. Shepard was a junky who associated with drug dealers in Wyoming and Colorado. He could’ve been a drug dealer or he could have been a courier as we don’t know all the $ problems he had and Stephen Jimenez in his book talked about Methew W. Shepard living life of spending $ on Doc O’Connor’s limo rides.
EDIT TO MY 4:43 P.M. post. USE THIS POST INSTEAD IF YOU ALLOW. THANKS.
I spoke on January 21, 2015 to Undersheriff R.J. Debree on Stephen Jimenez’s Book of Matt. Undersheriff RJ DeBree was courteous and spoke with me. He said that 1 part where Stephen Jimenez got wrong was that there was a drive by shooting and he said that didn’t happen. He said that Stephen Jimenez did not interview him. Stephen Jimenez did interview Sheriff O’Malley. Undersheriff RJ DeBree also said that he would be willing to debate Stephen Jimenez on the book. I told Undersheriff R.J. DeBree that Methew W. Shepard was a junky and possibly a drug dealer. He asked me how I knew that & I mentioned that Judy L. Shepard said in her book that Methew W. Shepard ‘self-medicated’ which is another word for drug junky. I said that Methew W. Shepard associating with drug dealers in both Colorado and Wyoming is indisputable. Now did he also sell drugs in addition to use them? It’s possible and we don’t know the money problems Methew was having.
Of course, I also told UnderSheriff R.J. DeBree that Methew W. Shepard was a child molester and no matter why the murder happened, I care more about the 2 boys who Methew molested. I told Undersheriff R.J. DeBree that it’s possible Methew had more victims than the 2 cases reported. I told Undersheriff R.J. DeBree that if he and Sheriff O’Malley want to talk about the murder and what they found in the murder investigation, then that is fine. I also said that if they want to say that in the murder investigation they did not find proof of Methew selling drugs, then that it also fine. I told him that since he and Sheriff O’Malley are cops, they both know that you don’t always know the secrets a person has such as if a person is a drug dealer. Undersheriff DeBree talked about the anonymous witnesses who Stephen Jimenez interviewed-since he also read the book. I replied that there were also named witnesses, which he said only a few. I mentioned that some of the witnesses who Stephen Jimenez interviewed are anonymous because they were drug dealers and that they don’t want to be ID because they don’t want to be arrested and sent to jail.
I mentioned to UnderSheriff DeBree that the critique both he and Sheriff O’Malley have made is not credible & that I believe Stephen Jimenez. I of course mentioned the Laramie Project and Methew W. Shepard is a friend of mine and Undersheriff R.J. DeBree said that he is not associated with that. Both he and Sheriff O’Malley are portrayed in both. I told Undersheriff R.J. DeBree that the Shepard Foundation & Laramie Project think that child molestation is ok when committed by homosexuals such as the fact that both Shepard Foundation and Laramie Project see nothing wrong with Harvey B. Milk sexually abusing a 16 year old boy & they see nothing wrong with Methew W. Shepard molesting 8 year old boys. I also told Undersheriff R.J. DeBree that they should make it a crime to do sex changes.
Anyhow, Undersheriff R.J. DeBree was courteous to speak with me and he did say he would debate Stephen Jimenez.. I thanked him for taking the time to talk with me though he is not credible in his accusation against Stephen Jimenez. No, Stephen Jimenez doesn’t know all the answers and while I can’t conclusively say that Methew W. Shepard sold drugs, Methew W. Shepard was a junky who associated with drug dealers in Wyoming and Colorado. He could’ve been a drug dealer or he could have been a courier as we don’t know all the $ problems he had and Stephen Jimenez in his book talked about Methew W. Shepard living life of spending $ on Doc O’Connor’s limo rides.