SHERRY AANENSON: Russell was just so sweet. He was the one who was the Eagle Scout. I mean, his whole presence was just quiet and sweet. So of course it doesn’t make sense to me and I know people snap and whatever and like it wasn’t a real intimate relationship, I was just his landlord. I did work with him at the Chuck Wagon too. And I remember like at the Christmas party he was just totally drunk out of his mind, like we all were pretty much just party-party time.… And he wasn’t belligerent, he didn’t change, his personality didn’t change. He was still the same little meek Russell, I remember him coming up to me and saying, “When you get a chance, Sherry, can I have a dance?” Which we never did get around to doing that but … Now I just want to shake him, you know—What were you thinking? What in the hell were you thinking?

MOMENT: THE FENCE

STEPHEN MEAD JOHNSON: The fence—I’ve been out there four times, I’ve taken visitors. That place has become a pilgrimage site. Clearly that’s a very powerful personal experience to go out there. It is so stark and so empty and you can’t help but think of Matthew out there for eighteen hours in nearly freezing temperatures, with that view up there isolated, and, the “God, my God, why have you forsaken me” comes to mind.

NARRATOR: Company member Greg Pierotti:

GREG PIEROTTI: Phil Labrie, a friend of Matthew’s, took us to the fence this morning. I broke down the minute I touched it. I feel such a strong kinship with this young man. On the way back, I made sure that no one saw me crying.

NARRATOR: Leigh Fondakowski:

LEIGH FONDAKOWSKI: Greg was crying on the way back. I couldn’t bring myself to tears, but I felt the same way. I have an interview this afternoon with Aaron Kreifels. He’s the boy who found Matthew out there at the fence. I don’t think I’m up for it right now. I’ll see if someone else can do it.

MOMENT: FINDING MATTHEW SHEPARD

AARON KREIFELS: Well I, uh, I took off on my bicycle about five P.M. on Wednesday from my dorm. I just kinda felt like going for a ride. So I—I went up to the top of Cactus Canyon, and I’m not superfamiliar with that area, so on my way back down, I didn’t know where I was going, I was just sort of picking the way to go, which now … it just makes me think that God wanted me to find him because there’s no way that I was going to go that way.