The Book of Matt (50 page)

They were no longer characters in a story. They’d become friends whose lives had enriched me. It was true that the story I’d written would end shortly, but on that cloudy afternoon with the plains blanketed in snow in every direction, I knew with certainty that I’d return to Wyoming — not only to see friends and feed my nostalgia, but also to visit Russell. As a gay man with no sons or daughters of my own — and an intimate understanding of the tragedy that took Matthew’s life and sent Russell away for the remainder of his — the least I can do is offer my friendship and do some small part to see that he, like Matthew, is not forgotten.

In that stark but bracing landscape — and again the following day as I drove to the prison in Rawlins — I conjured up some familiar ghosts. I thought of Matthew and his love of Nelson Mandela, and the dream that he’d one day work in human rights. I missed this
young man whom I’d never known, whose father once called him Dandelion Head and the Bad Karma Kid.

I remembered just a few of the lost and the fallen, and the dead whose voices still speak.

The pregnant girl, Daphne Sulk.

Steve Heyman, the professor whose murderer has never been found.

Denise McKinney, a mother who departed too young.

Cindy Dixon, frozen in the falling snow.

High on a ridge I saw a long row of tall, white windmills, spinning slowly.

I knew this highway, I’d driven it many times before. Soon I’d be sitting with Russell in a windowless, fluorescent-lit room with vending machines, trying to put some of the ghosts behind us.

And then I’d be back on the road again, traveling home.

LIST OF SOURCES

Subjects interviewed for
The Book of Matt
and the ABC News
20/20
story produced by author Stephen Jimenez:

Cal Rerucha — Former County Attorney, Albany County, Wyoming. Currently the Carbon County Attorney.

Aaron McKinney

Bill McKinney — Father of Aaron McKinney.

Adrian “Bear” McKinney — Cousin of Aaron McKinney

Kristen Price — Former girlfriend of Aaron McKinney.

Kim Bierema — Mother of Kristen Price.

Russell Henderson

Lucy Thompson — Grandmother of Russell Henderson.

Linda Flynn — Aunt of Russell Henderson

Pat Flynn — Uncle of Russell Henderson.

Lisa Johnson — Aunt of Russell Henderson.

Carla Henderson — Half Sister of Russell Henderson.

Stacey Teel — Half Sister of Russell Henderson.

Wyatt Skaggs — Former Albany County Public Defender and Lead Counsel for Russell Henderson.

Paul Sonenberg — Legal Assistant, Henderson Defense Team.

Priscilla Moree — Investigator, Henderson Defense Team.

Tim Newcomb — Appellate Counsel for Russell Henderson.

Chasity Pasley — Former girfriend of Russell Henderson.

Linda Larson — Mother of Chasity Pasley.

Rod Pasley — Father of Chasity Pasley.

Doug Larson — Uncle of Chasity Pasley.

Lois Pasley — Grandmother of Chasity Pasley.

Ben Fritzen — Former Detective, Laramie Police Department. Currently Lieutenant and Head. Administrator, Albany County Detention Center.

Dave O’Malley — Former Laramie Police Commander. Currently the Albany County Sheriff.

Rob DeBree — Former Sergeant Detective, Albany County Sheriff’s Office. Currently the Albany County Undersheriff.

Flint Waters — Former Agent, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and Former Deputy, Albany County Sheriff’s Office.

Lynne Callaghan — Former Agent, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.

Jason Tangeman — Attorney for Aaron McKinney.

Dion Custis — Attorney for Aaron McKinney.

Maribeth Galvan — Attorney for Chasity Pasley and Kevin Robinson.

Kevin Robinson — Convicted of manslaughter in the 1997 murder of Daphne Sulk.

Jean Shaw — Mother of Kevin Robinson.

Stacy Simpson — Sister of Kevin Robinson.

Buddy Carroll — Attorney for Kevin Robinson

Judge Jeffrey Donnell — Presiding district court judge in the cases of Russell Henderson, Kevin Robinson, Dennis Menefee, Mark K. Rohrbacher, etcetera. Richard Bohling — Current Albany County Attorney.

Ken Brown — Former Deputy County Attorney, Albany County, Wyoming. Current Deputy County Attorney, Goshen County.

Ken Haselhuhn — Former roofing co-worker of Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson.

Judy Shepard — Mother of Matthew Shepard.

Sean Maloney — Former Attorney for the Matthew Shepard Foundation and Current Member of the US House of Representatives, representing District 18 of New York State.

Ted Henson — Friend and Lover of Matthew Shepard.

Tyler Kern — Friend of Matthew Shepard.

Alex Trout — Friend of Matthew Shepard.

Walt Boulden — Friend of Matthew Shepard.

Ronnie Gustafson — Friend of Matthew Shepard.

Tina Labrie — Friend of Matthew Shepard.

Phil Labrie — Friend of Matthew Shepard.

Chris Cesko — Friend of Matthew Shepard.

Ryan Bopp — Friend of Aaron McKinney and Kristen Price.

Katie Bopp — Friend of Aaron McKinney and Kristen Price.

Cory Warpness — Friend of Aaron McKinney.

David Farris — Friend of Aaron McKinney.

Melinda Farris — Mother of David Farris and friend of Aaron McKinney. Now deceased.

Dale Harper — Drug dealer who was convicted of a 1996 drug-related murder in Albany County, Wyoming. Former cellmate of Aaron McKinney. Now deceased.

Freya Harper — Widow of Dale Harper.

Daisy Harper — Daughter of Dale Harper.

Faye Harper — Daughter of Dale Harper.

Trudy McCraken — Former Mayor of Laramie.

Deana Johnson — Friend of Lucy Thompson and Russell Henderson.

Gene Pratt — President of Latter Day Saints congregation in Laramie and friend of Lucy Thompson and Russell Henderson.

Shaundra Arucby — Former girlfriend of Russell Henderson.

Matt Mickelson — Former owner, the Fireside Lounge.

Doug Ferguson—Former bouncer, the Fireside Lounge.

JoAnn Wypijewski — Journalist.

Bill Dobbs — New York-based gay rights activist who opposed the death penalty for Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson.

Andrew Sullivan — Journalist and Gay Advocate.

Jason Marsden — Former journalist and currently the executive director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation,

Charles Levendowski — Journalist for the Casper Star-Tribune, Casper, Wyoming. Now deceased.

Mary Vrooman — Owner of the former Overland Restaurant, Laramie, Wyoming.

Jason Palumbo — Former bar owner, Laramie, Wyoming.

Stephanie Herrington — Former girlfriend of Doc O’Connor.

Mark Herrington — Ex-husband of Stephanie Herrington.

Elaine Baker — Friend of Stephanie Herrington.

Christopher Baker — Son of Elaine Baker and friend of Aaron McKinney.

Lynell Rayos — Daughter of Elaine Baker.

Jay Pinney — Friend of Aaron McKinney. Committed a murder at the age of twelve in his hometown of Riverton, Wyoming.

Norman K. Mabbitt (“Little Norm”) — Former driver for Doc’s Class Act Limousine Sevice.

Marge Bridges — Former driver for Doc’s Class Act Limousine Service.

Tom Pagel — Former police chief, Casper, Wyoming, and former director of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.

Travis Brin — Friend of Aaron McKinney.

Justin Pinter — Former bartender, the Library Bar.

Brad Kaufman — Former bartender, the Library Bar.

Scott A. Barker — Former Laramie resident who was a victim of attempted murder.

Jason Spencer — Former bartender at the Buckhorn Bar and confessed methamphetamine dealer who served time in federal prison.

Deb Thomsen — Editor, The Boomerang.

Tillma Giesse — Ex-wife of former police officer Bob Giesse of the Albany County Sheriff’s Office.

John Earl Baker, Jr. — Auto mechanic and repeat methamphetamine offender.

Robert Bromley — Currently serving long prison term for multiple drug offenses. Communicated with Mr. Bromley through his mother, Norma Bromley, and his appellate attorney, Clifford Barnard.

Teri Kindler — Proprietor of Laramie tattoo shop.

Karol Griffin — Author and former Laramie resident.

Len Munker — Criminal defense attorney and former chief public defender, state of Wyoming. Now deceased.

Robert Vogele — Laramie teacher and father of the late Dale Vogele, a tattoo artist who designed Aaron McKinney’s “Dopey” tattoo and died in 1999 of a drug overdose.

Debra Hinkel — Owner, the Ranger Motel and Bar.

Jerry Coca, Jr. — Auto mechanic and coach at the Laramie’s Cathedral School. Now deceased.

Brian Gooden — Friend of Matthew Shepard.

Lewis Macenze — Friend and lover of Matthew Shepard.

Michele Rodriguez — Friend of Cindy Dixon (Russell Henderson’s mother).

Shannon Shingleton — Friend of Aaron McKinney and Matthew Shepard.

Jenny Malmskog — Friend of Aaron McKinney.

John Mills — Friend of Aaron McKinney.

Rick Rawson, Ph.D. — Psychologist and substance abuse expert, UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.

Duane Powers — Former manager and bartender, Mr. Bill’s, Denver, Colorado.

Rob Surratt — Former bartender, Mr. Bill’s, Denver, Colorado.

Orelius Berkel (“Shadow”) — former DJ, the Fireside Lounge.

Nicole Cappellen — Friend of Russell Henderson and patron at the Fireside Lounge.

Mike St. Clair — Patron at the Fireside Lounge.

Mark Beck — Former detective, Albany County Sheriff’s Office.

Father Roger Schmidt—Former chaplain, the Newman Center at the University of Wyoming.

Judge Thomas Mealey — Former circuit court judge, Evanston, Wyoming.

Diane Galloway — Former director, Wyoming substance abuse program.

Glenn Duncan — Friend of Aaron McKinney.

Chris Hoogerhyde — Former bartender, the Silver Dollar Bar, Cody, Wyoming.

In addition, the author interviewed more than twenty other sources who requested anonymity. Some of them appear in this book under pseudonyms.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book had a long gestation and required the help, expertise, patience, and generosity of many individuals, to whom I am immensely grateful.

Without the honesty and personal integrity of one man — prosecutor Cal Rerucha —
The Book of Matt
would not have been written. It was he who cautioned me about jumping on “the media bandwagon” and encouraged me to search out the difficult truths of the Shepard murder case before authorizing myself to write about it. I extend my deepest gratitude to Cal, his wife Jan, and their sons, Luke and Max, for more than a decade of friendship and hospitality.

This book has also come to fruition because of the vision and tenacity of my publisher Chip Fleischer and his dedicated staff at Steerforth Press: Helga Schmidt, Devin Wilkie, and Rebecca Hecht. I’d also like to thank the entire Random House sales force for their invaluable pre-publication feedback, and for spreading the word about
The Book of Matt
to booksellers everywhere.

Michael Denneny, my editor, guided me through many phases (and pitfalls) of writing this book with his salty wisdom and wit — and the fierce poise of a Buddhist master. Time and again he whacked me with his little baton to be sure I was awake and paying attention. Many thanks, Michael.

Very special thanks to my attorneys Richard Hofstetter and Mark Merriman, and legal assistant Lise Horton at Frankfurt Kurnit Klein and Selz; and to my extraordinary agent Kim Witherspoon and her colleagues at Inkwell Management. Thank you, Kim and Richard, for your counsel and friendship.

My fond appreciation as well to my publicist Scott Manning, cover designer John Gall, copy editor Laura Jorstad, compositor Peter Holm, social media consultant Karen Louie Joyce; and to William Callahan and Carla Jimenez.

I have numerous people to thank in Wyoming — for favors large and small — but especially for their generous cooperation over the years (in alphabetical order): Elaine Baker, Orelius “Shadow” Berkel,
Ken Brown, Lynne Callaghan, Jerry Coca, Jr. (deceased), Kevin Cox, Dion Custis, Judge Jeffrey Donnell, Glenn Duncan, Melinda Farris (deceased), Doug Ferguson, Linda and Pat Flynn, Ben Fritzen, Mary Elizabeth Galvan, Tillma Giesse, Tim Gosar, Karol Griffin, Ronnie Gustafson, Alyson Hagy, Stephanie Herrington, Debra Hinkel, Lindsay Hoyt, Deanna Johnson, Lisa Johnson, Jim Kearns and the University of Wyoming News Service, Tyler Kern, Tom Mealey, Trudy McCraken, Bob McKee, Bill McKinney, Matt Mickelson, Priscilla Moree, Len Munker (deceased), Tim Newcomb, Thomas “Doc” O’Connor, Dave and Jennifer O’Malley, Jason Palumbo, Gene Pratt, Ruth Proctor (deceased), Janice Sexton, Jean Shaw, Susan Simpson, Wyatt Skaggs, Paul Sonenberg, Mike St. Clair, Deirdre Stoelzle, Jason Tangeman, Deb Thomsen, Michele Trabing, Robert Vogele, Charlene Wallen, Flint Waters, and Julie Yates. (There are quite a few others whose names I’d like to include here, but they have asked me to omit them for their protection and/or privacy.)

Three men whose stories are told in
The Book of Matt
— Russell Henderson, Ted Henson, and Lewis Macenze — have left an unexpectedly strong imprint on my life. I thank them for their astounding candor and the gift of their friendship. In the same spirit, I’d like to express my appreciation to Tina Labrie, Kristen Price, Chasity Pasley — and especially Joan, a confidante of Matthew Shepard who agreed to be interviewed at great personal risk.

A substantial portion of the research and investigation documented in this book was made possible by ABC News
20/20
and the show’s Executive Producer, David Sloan. I also extend my sincere thanks to Elizabeth Vargas, Carla Delandri, Richard Gerdau, Sara Holmberg — and especially to my reporting and producing partner Glenn Silber. (
The Book of Matt
would not have been possible without you, Glenn.)

My heartfelt gratitude to Sharon Dynak, Raymond Plank, Ruthie Salvatore, and the staff of the Ucross Foundation — and to Michelle Sullivan and Elizabeth Guheen — for simultaneously nourishing my love of writing and the breathtaking beauty of Wyoming. I’m profoundly grateful as well to Larry Schiller, Greg Curtis, the staff of the Norman Mailer Center, and my fellow writers in the 2012 nonfiction
fellowship program. In your company last summer, this book finally took flight.