Montrose, CO – Lifetime Montrose resident Kevin Eugene Hale, age 36, was killed Saturday morning, July 30th, in Buckley Park as he was leaving Portal Pizzeria and Pub. Two of the suspects in the case, Jason Fiske and Adam Hernandez, are currently in custody and being held on charges of first degree murder.

Family and friends of Kevin Hale believe that the murder was hate-motivated. “Kevin was very openly gay,” Larry DeVinny, Hale’s uncle, said when speaking with CAVP staff about the incident. “Kevin has endured a great deal of anti-gay harassment during his life here in Montrose,” DeVinny elaborated. He also stated that during the past year, Hale had expressed fearing for his safety. DeVinny recalled Hale expressing concern about one of the suspects in particular, Jason Fiske.

“In many cases of bias-motivated violence, the perpetrator(s) are known to the victim – a co-worker, a fellow student, a neighbor. And often the perpetrator has been harassing and intimidating the victim for a significant period of time, long before they do something severe enough to make headlines,” said Avy Skolnik, with the Colorado Anti-Violence Program.

CAVP staff was first contacted by a friend of the victim’s, Jeannie Phillips. “We are concerned that this incident will not be investigated as a hate crime,” she stated. Assistant District Attorney Mark Adams told the Montrose Daily Press that they may, in fact, not prosecute the incident as a hate crime. “It's a consideration, but the DA is not formally filing it as a hate crime," he said.

“CAVP and Western Equality are strongly encouraging the prosecutors in the case to speak with the family and to examine anti-gay sentiment as a motive in this case,” said Veronica Garcia, with the Colorado Anti-Violence Program. “Under Colorado’s Victim Rights Act, the surviving family members in a murder case have a right speak with the District Attorneys Office and make their concerns known,” she noted.

According to articles in both the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel and The Montrose Daily Press, the suspects allege that Hale had taunted the suspects in the bar and made sexual advances prior to the assault. “We know Kevin and we know he was not a violent person,” DeVinny said.

“Perpetrators of anti-gay violence frequently try to justify assault and murder by claiming that the victim made sexual advances. Perpetrators assume that police or the courts will absolve them of all charges and see assault, and in this case, murder, as justified,” said Skolnik. “It’s the oldest trick in the book.”

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Western Equality of Grand Junction is creating a more fair community through advocacy, education, support, referrals, and mobilization of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community, our allies, and the larger public.

The Colorado Anti-Violence Program is working to end violence within and against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities across Colorado. If you are in crisis or if you have information on this or any other incidents of violence against LGBT people, please call us at 1.888.557.4441.