A new investigation into the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard suggests that the crime was not a homophobic attack, as previously believed. Matthew Shepard was initially thought to have been killed because of his sexuality, making his murder one of the most notorious anti-gay hate crimes in American history. However, recent findings, including those from Stephen Jimenez's book 'The Book of Matt' and a new podcast and video by Ben Kawaller, indicate that Shepard's death was related to his involvement in the Colorado-Wyoming meth trade. Kawaller's report from Laramie, Wyoming, highlights that the truth of the murder is more complex and less politically palatable than the original narrative of a hate crime. Kawaller discussed these findings in an interview with Bari Weiss.
Matthew Shepard Wasn't Killed For Being Gay He was killed due to his involvement in the Colorado-Wyoming meth trade. That's the conclusion of Stephen Jimenez's book The Book of Matt, and of a new must-watch @TheFP video and podcast by @BenKawaller. 🧵 https://t.co/HuzaqC5gbV
What if the most notorious murder of a gay man wasn’t a hate crime? In 1998, Matthew Shepard was brutally murdered in what appeared to be a homophobic attack. This month, @BenKawaller traveled to the scene of the crime. He heard a different story: https://t.co/Feo1rTLLN9 https://t.co/2Xw0v9a615
“The truth of the Matthew Shepard murder is indeed more complicated—and less politically palatable—than a story about a gay boy beaten to death by a couple of homophobic thugs.” @BenKawaller reports from Laramie, Wyoming: https://t.co/Feo1rTLLN9
The Story of Matthew Shepard’s Murder Changed America. But It Wasn’t True. On today’s special episode, @BenKawaller speaks with @BariWeiss on the real story behind the most notorious anti-gay hate crime in American history. Listen now: https://t.co/0s02BZYgR5
I once heard a news radio interview from a gay writer (sorry the name escapes me!) who set out on a mission of memorializing Shepard. When he began researching him, his view of the circumstances totally changed. He concluded it was about drugs, not Shepard’s sexuality. https://t.co/61OEW0Mh6N
The Story of Matthew Shepard’s Murder Changed America. But It Wasn’t True. On today’s special episode, @BenKawaller speaks with @BariWeiss about the real story behind the most notorious anti-gay hate crime in American history. Listen now: https://t.co/zA5cutv6a0