Oct. 10 - LARAMIE - Tied to a wooden fence along an old dirt road, the weight of his small body sagging against the cheap utility cord, Matthew Shepard begged for his life as his attackers pistol-whipped him, according to allegations read in court Friday. But the assailants kept hitting the 21-year-old gay college student with the butt of a .357 Magnum until they believed he was dead. They broke his skull. Then they took his wallet, his patent leather shoes and took off to burglarize his house. Albany County Judge Robert Castor read the allegations against Russel Arthur Henderson, 21, and Aaron James McKinney, age unknown, on Friday during the pair's initial court appearance.

Matthew was killed because he led a different lifestyle. Everytime I go to one of these sights dedicated to his memory, I start to cry and begin to think, what has the world come to. A beautiful human being was destroyed because he lead a different lifestyle. Hopefully one day, this type of thing won't happen anymore. Until that time, we all must learn to accept each other for who and what we are. It is not our place to judge one another, that rests in the hands of someone greater then us. I know in my heart, that Matthew truly resides with the angels. You are in a far better place then we are Matthew. God bless you and your family!

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