always remembered.

Matthew Shepard

Brandon Teena

Brandon's Murderers

Matthew's Murderers

Both of these men were killed simply for being themselves. Matthew Shepard targeted because he was an openly gay man and Brandon Teena for being a transman. It is sad that it was through the deaths of these men that the world finally opened their eyes to see the hate all around them. However, through their deaths, both Matthew and Brandon have saved the lives of many of us in the LGBTQ community. I personally, owe who i am today, to both Matthew Shepard and Brandon Teena. You may not walk this earth any longer but you will always be remembered. -jace.

Shortly after midnight on October 7, 1998, 21-year-old Shepard met McKinney and Henderson in a bar. McKinney and Henderson offered Shepard a ride in their car. Subsequently, Shepard was robbed, pistol whipped, tortured, tied to a fence in a remote, rural area, and left to die. Still tied to the fence, Shepard was discovered eighteen hours later by Aaron Kreifels, who at first thought that Shepard was a scarecrow. At the time of discovery, Shepard was still alive, but in a coma. Shepard suffered a fracture from the back of his head to the front of his right ear.He had severe brain stem damage, which affected his body's ability to regulate heart rate, body temperature and other vital signs. There were also about a dozen small lacerations around his head, face and neck. His injuries were deemed too severe for doctors to operate. Shepard never regained consciousness and remained on full life support. He was pronounced dead at 12:53 A.M. on October 12, 1998 at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins.

During a Christmas Eve party, Nissen and Lotter grabbed Brandon and forced him to remove his pants, proving to Tisdel [Brandon's Girlfriend] that he was not biologically male. Lotter and Nissen then attacked Brandon. They drove to an area by a meat-packing plant and beat and raped him. They then returned to Nissen's home. Teena escaped from Nissen's bathroom by climbing out the window and went to Tisdel's house. The two men left for Lambert’s house and broke in. They found Lambert in bed and demanded to know where Brandon was. Lambert refused to tell them. Nissen searched and found Teena under the bed. The men asked Lambert if there was anyone else i n the house, and she replied that Phillip DeVine was staying with her. They shot and killed DeVine, Lambert, and Brandon, in front of Lambert's young child.