The Laramie Project

About The Laramie Project

Laramie, Wyoming, population 26,687. Laramie, often referred to as the “gem city of the plains” was the site of the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard, a 21 year-old, gay, University of Wyoming student. On October 6, 1998, he was found tied to a “buck” fence, beaten and unconscious. On October 8, 1998, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney were arrested for the kidnapping, aggravated robbery and attempted first-degree murder of Matthew Shepard. On October 12, 1998, Matthew Shepard died in Poudre Valley Health Center after 5 days in a coma. The charges against Henderson and McKinney were amended to include first-degree murder. The Laramie Project is a play about the town of Laramie, its citizens, and their reaction to Matthew Shepard’s murder.