152:. Warren lived with learning disabilities and a birth defect that caused him to be born with several fingers missing on one hand. He was widely regarded in his community as a "soft spoken" young man. At 16, he came out to his mother and the minister at his church, and found acceptance and support with both. After his death, his mother—Brenda Warren—addressed a hate crimes rally in
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Though threatened with death by Parker and Wilson if he revealed the murder, Shoemaker told his mother, Norma
Shoemaker, about the murder. Norma Shoemaker called the police later that morning. Police had initially believed Warren was the victim of a hit-and-run accident, but switched to a homicide
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Instead of attending the fireworks, Warren went to meet with 17-year-old David Allen Parker, an acquaintance, at an empty house owned by Parker's family. Parker was painting the house, along with his 17-year-old cousin Jared Wilson and 15-year-old Jason
Shoemaker. While there, the four drank beer,
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Prosecutor G. Richard
Brunner later said the allegations of sexual activity were hearsay. The AP stood by its story. Parker's attorney would later claim that Parker had been sexually involved with Warren 30 times since he was 10 years old, and that Warren had given Parker drugs and alcohol before
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Near the edge of town, Parker and Wilson removed Warren's body from the car and placed it in the road while
Shoemaker remained in the car. Parker then ran over Warren with his car a total of four times, to disguise the death as a hit-and-run. The three boys then returned to the house where the
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Warren left his parents' home around 11:30 p.m. on July 3, 2000, to watch the Fourth of July fireworks in Grant Town. His mother said she reminded him of his 12:30 a.m. curfew, and when he had not returned home by 2:30 a.m. she assumed he was spending the night at a friend's.
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lawsuit against his killers. Their family attorney, Paul
Farrell, said that in defending themselves Parker and Wilson had portrayed Warren as a sexual predator and themselves as the victims, and that Mrs. Warren "didn't feel like she had the chance to tell her side of the story."
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At some point during the argument, Parker and Wilson began beating Warren and kicking him with steel-toed boots. Shoemaker witnessed the beating but did not participate. Court documents record that Parker later said
Shoemaker egged him on to confront Warren.
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and in July 2001 was sentenced to life in prison with mercy, which would make him eligible for parole in 15 years. In exchange for his plea, a second count of conspiracy to commit a felony was dismissed. Parker also agreed to testify against Wilson.
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Afterwards, the three boys put a bloodied Warren in Parker's car. Parker drove and
Shoemaker sat in the front seat while Jared sat in back with Warren. Warren was still conscious enough to repeatedly ask to be taken home.
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With his parents, Warren was a regular churchgoer, and attended the
Missionary Baptist assembly—which split from the Southern Baptists over support for slavery. He also attended meetings of a gay student group at nearby
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celebration with their families. They were reported to have confessed to Warren's murder. Because the suspects were minors, law enforcement officers were prohibited from discussing the content of their confessions.
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His parents, Brenda and Arthur Warren insisted that the coffin be open for viewing. "We want people to see what they did to my son," said Brenda Warren. The
Warrens later told
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vigil was attended by more than 600 people, where local clergy spoke and were joined by members of the Warren family. A handful of protesters from the family of
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reported that "sources close to the story" said that Parker and Warren had a sexual relationship and that Warren had also had a sexual relationship with Wilson.
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An argument ensued at the house when Parker accused Warren of spreading a rumor that the two had a sexual relationship. Warren denied doing so. The
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was the killing of 26-year-old
American Arthur Carl ("J.R.") Warren Jr. on July 4, 2000, by two male teens. According to Liz Seaton of the
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Shoemaker, was charged as an accessory after the fact, and tried as a juvenile for helping dispose of evidence after the murder.
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assault had taken place, cleaned up the blood and disposed of their bloodied clothes by burning them with gasoline. Parker then
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Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual student group, of which Warren was a member even though he did not attend the college. The
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Arthur Warren's funeral was held on July 8, 2000, at his family's church, and was attended by hundreds of mourners.
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joined students in advising law enforcement officials on the possibility that Warren's murder was a hate crime.
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148:(1974 - July 3, 2000) Warren was born in 1974 to parents Arthur Warren Sr. and Brenda Warren and resided in
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Warren's body was discovered by a newspaper carrier at 5:30 a.m., by the side of County Route 17 in
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during an interview that they hoped the suspects would be tried as adults and the murder treated as a
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and conspiracy to commit a felony, -- and received a 20-year prison sentence.
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Sheriff Ron Watkins said there was no evidence that Warren's murder was a
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Parker reportedly asked Warren to bring cigarettes, condoms, porn, and
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30:"Arthur Warren" redirects here. For the British philatelist, see
37:"Jared Wilson" redirects here. For the English footballer, see
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Two vigils were held in Warren's honor on July 11, one by the
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carried white banners to block the view of the protesters.
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470:"Matt & Andrew Koymasky - Memorial Hall - Warren 1"
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On July 19, 2001, David Allen Parker pleaded guilty to
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Matt & Andrew Koymasky - Memorial hall - Warren 1
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investigation upon receiving Norma Shoemaker's call.
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282:David Allen Parker, Jared Wilson, Jason Shoemaker
447:In June 2002, Brenda and Arthur Warren filed a
413:, also attended. Gay and lesbian students from
637:"Warren Family Sues Teen-Age Killers of Son,"
494:Man beaten, run over in West Virginia Murder,
185:gasoline fumes, inhaling them in order to get
701:Violence against gay men in the United States
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27:2000 murder in West Virginia, United States
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524:"Final J.R.Warren killer gets 20 years,"
274:Grant Town, West Virginia, United States
622:"Teen pleads guilty to Warren murder,"
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372:West Virginia Lesbian and Gay Coalition
686:Deaths by beating in the United States
711:July 2000 crimes in the United States
706:People from Grant Town, West Virginia
592:"Man beaten in West Virginia Murder,
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299:Shoemaker - Accessory after the fact
160:in West Virginia's hate crimes law.
607:"Teen Pleads Guilty in Gay Slay,"
574:"Teen Pleads Guilty in Gay Slay,"
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676:2000 murders in the United States
156:and lobbied for the inclusion of
696:People murdered in West Virginia
386:gay and lesbian student group.
146:Arthur Carl ("J.R.") Warren Jr.
133:, it had all the earmarks of a
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229:the fumes from the gasoline.
293:Parker - First degree Murder
661:GLAAD: Hate Crimes Coverage
403:Southern Poverty Law Center
376:West Virginia State Capitol
296:Wilson Second degree murder
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213:most of their encounters.
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150:Grant Town, West Virginia
92:Grant Town, West Virginia
39:Jared Wilson (footballer)
415:West Virginia University
380:Marion County courthouse
378:and one in front of the
681:American murder victims
399:Westboro Baptist Church
258:Murder of Arthur Warren
594:Gay People's Chronicle
526:Gay People's Chronicle
496:Gay People's Chronicle
384:Fairmont State College
342:Fairmont State College
251:considered for merging
181:smoked marijuana, and
166:Fairmont State College
58:Arthur Carl Warren Jr.
691:2000 in West Virginia
346:Human Rights Campaign
131:Human Rights Campaign
435:second-degree murder
127:Arthur Warren murder
509:"A Mother's Faith,
439:first-degree murder
427:first-degree murder
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100:Cause of death
513:, January 16, 2001
158:sexual orientation
32:Arthur John Warren
626:, August 21, 2001
549:, August 9, 2001"
528:, August 24, 2002
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16:(Redirected from
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395:Fred Phelps
240:‹ The
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480:2007-07-26
456:References
407:hate group
401:which the
365:hate crime
338:hate crime
317:Confession
234:Grant Town
141:Background
135:hate crime
84:2000-07-05
547:Salon.Com
405:labels a
352:Aftermath
279:Convicted
249:is being
88:(aged 26)
609:ABC News
576:ABC News
559:July 26,
271:Location
253:. ›
242:template
639:HRC.Org
382:by the
374:at the
307:Verdict
287:Charges
172:Meeting
103:Beating
82: (
63: (
310:Guilty
227:huffed
200:Murder
183:huffed
409:, in
194:Xanax
561:2007
389:The
263:Date
187:high
125:The
77:Died
65:1974
61:1974
54:Born
361:CNN
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