25 Years Later: New Special Honors Matthew Shepard, a Victim of One of the Worst Anti-Gay Hate Crimes in US

On Oct. 12, 1998, Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay college student, died in a Colorado hospital, five days after he was abducted, robbed, beaten and left tied to a fence in the cold outside Laramie, Wyo.

His convicted killers, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney, both are serving two consecutive life terms for his kidnap and murder, after a prosecution in which the suspects raised a “gay-panic” defense and said they beat Shepard because he made an alleged sexual advance, PEOPLE previously reported.

Shepard’s death is regarded as one of the worst anti-gay hate crimes in United States history. The horror of his killing shone a national spotlight on the discrimination and violence suffered by the LGBTQ+ community, sparking a national conversation and marking a turning point for gay rights in America. 

The Oct. 9 premiere of The Matthew Shepard Story: An American Hate Crime on Investigation Discovery (ID) will honor Matthew Shepard’s life and legacy as the 25th anniversary of death approaches.

With interviews from Shepard’s friends and allies, local journalists and community members, as well as key celebrity voices who were deeply affected by Matthew’s story including Rosie O’Donnell, Andrew Rannells and Adam Lambert, the documentary special will also focus on the progress society has made since his passing and the work that still needs to be done.

(An exclusive trailer is shown below).

Since Shepard's murder, his parents, Judy and Dennis, have channeled their grief into fighting for LGBTQ+ rights through The Matthew Shepard Foundation and providing support to LGBTQ+ youth through Matthew’s Place, PEOPLE previously reported.

In 2009, Shepard's name was attached to a federal hate crimes prevention act signed by then-President Barack Obama that extended existing hate-crimes laws to include gender and sexual orientation.

Shepard’s ashes now rest at the Washington National Cathedral, Jason Marsden, executive director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, previously told PEOPLE.

“Matthew’s story remains just as heart wrenching and relevant today as it was 25 years ago,” said Jason Sarlanis, President, Turner Networks, ID & HLN, Linear and Streaming.

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“This tragedy ignited an incredibly emotional and influential chapter in the fight against LGBTQ+ discrimination that brought great progress,” Sarlanis added. “By revisiting Matthew’s story, we hope to educate a whole new generation and underscore the power love and acceptance play in continuing the fight against violence and discrimination in all its forms.”

The Matthew Shepard Story: An American Hate Crime will air Monday, Oct. 9 from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on Investigation Discovery and will stream on Max following the premiere.