[1] He was transported by rescuers to Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he died six days later from severe head injuries sustained during the attack.

Suspects Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson were arrested shortly after the attack and charged with first-degree murder following Shepard's death.

Significant media coverage was given to the murder and what role Shepard's sexual orientation played as a motive for the crime, as he was gay.

Shepard's murder brought national and international attention to hate crime legislation at both the state and federal level.

"[10] On the night of October 6, 1998, Shepard was approached by Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson at the Fireside Lounge in Laramie; all three men were in their early 20s.

[12][13] They subsequently drove to a remote rural area and proceeded to rob, pistol-whip, and torture Shepard, tying him to a split-rail fence and leaving him to die.

Reports described how Shepard was beaten so brutally that his face was completely covered in blood, except where it had been partially cleansed by his tears.

After attacking Shepard and leaving him tied to the fence in near-freezing temperatures, McKinney and Henderson returned to town.

He arrested Henderson, searched McKinney's truck, and found a blood-smeared gun along with Shepard's shoes and credit card.

[21] Reggie Fluty, the first police officer to arrive at the scene, found Shepard alive but covered in blood.

In order to avoid the death penalty, he agreed to testify against McKinney and was sentenced by District Judge Jeffrey A. Donnell to two consecutive life terms.

Prosecutor Cal Rerucha alleged that McKinney and Henderson pretended to be gay to gain Shepard's trust.

Shepard's parents brokered a deal that resulted in McKinney receiving two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole.

[35] Following her testimony at McKinney's trial, Price pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor interference with a police officer.

The statements alleged that the murder had not been motivated by Shepard's sexuality but was primarily a drug-related robbery that had turned violent.

[7] Price said she had lied to police about McKinney having been provoked by an unwanted sexual advance from Shepard, telling Vargas, "I don't think it was a hate crime at all.

[38][39] Judy Shepherd's lawyer described the report as an oversimplification, while Michael Adams of Lambda Legal described it as an attempt to "de-gay the murder".

[8] Members of the Westboro Baptist Church, led by Fred Phelps, received national attention for picketing Shepard's funeral with signs bearing homophobic slogans, such as "Matt in Hell" and "God Hates Fags".

[49] In response, Romaine Patterson, one of Shepard's friends, organized a group that assembled in a circle around the Westboro Baptist Church protesters.

[50][51] In the years following her son's death, Judy Shepard has worked as an advocate for LGBTQ rights, particularly issues relating to gay youth.

Ignoring the tragedies of Matthew's life prior to his murder will do nothing to help other young men in our community who are sold for sex, ravaged by drugs, and generally exploited.

[53][54] The SNM is the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQ rights and history,[55] and the wall's unveiling was timed to take place during the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.

"[7] Tina Labrie, a close friend of Shepard's, said "[Boulden and Trout] wanted to make [Matt] a poster child or something for their cause".

[8] In the following session of the Wyoming Legislature, a bill was introduced that defined certain attacks motivated by a victim's sexual orientation as hate crimes.

[68] On December 10, 2007, congressional powers attached bipartisan hate crimes legislation to a Department of Defense Authorization bill, although it failed to pass.

During the debate, Representative Virginia Foxx of North Carolina called the "hate crime" labeling of Shepard's murder a "hoax".

[73] Ted Kennedy, Patrick Leahy, and a bipartisan coalition introduced the bill in the Senate on April 28;[74] it had 43 cosponsors as of June 17, 2009.

[14] American musician Tori Amos frequently dedicated her 1998 song "Merman" to Shepard, at the request of fans following her tours at the time.

[87] In 1999, American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge released the song "Scarecrow" in Shepard's memory, from her sixth studio album Breakdown.

[88] In 2006, American metal band Trivium released the song "And Sadness Will Sear", which was written as a tribute and reminder about Shepard's murder.