Matthew Shepard, born December 1, 1976, was a gay 21-year-old student attending the University of Wyoming. On October 6,  1998 near Laramie, Wyoming, Matthew was found horribly beaten, tortured and tied to a fence in a field left to die. Matthew was taken to a hospital in Fort Collins where he died six days later after succumbing to his severe injuries. In today's episode, we examine the case that brought national and international attention to hate crime legislation, the trial that led to justice for Matthew and the positive change to come out of this needless tragedy.  "Crimes of the Centuries" is a podcast from the Obsessed Network exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @centuriespod Episode Sponsors: