State Will Honor Controversial Book on Matthew Shepard

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — The Wyoming State Historical Society is honoring a book about Matthew Shepard that claims the gay University of Wyoming student was killed in a drug deal and not in a hate crime.

Linda Fabian of the historical society says "The Book of Matt: Hidden Truths About the Murder of Matthew Shepard" will receive an honorable mention Saturday in the nonfiction book category.

Author Stephen Jimenez says Shepard and one of his killers were involved in the methamphetamine trade and that was the motive behind the 1998 killing.

The conventional belief is that Shepard was killed because he was gay.

Albany County Undersheriff Robert DeBree is critical of the historical society's plans to honor Jimenez's book. He says he would have no objection if the award was for fiction.