Daniel Shersty Airman 1st Class Daniel Shersty ( 8 August 1977 – 4 July 1998 ) was a United States Air Force serviceman who was murdered along with his friend Lin Newborn for involvement in the anti - racist skinhead movement . Early life . Shersty was born in Florida and lived there for most of his life . His parents had separated by the time he was three years old and Daniel moved to Connecticut for a brief period with his father , Walter and his stepmother , Sharon Arndt before returning to Florida . Shersty was a shy but well - liked member of his school communities and took part in activities such as school plays and the marching band . His IQ was tested in his Junior year of high school and while his score was in the top two percent for his age , his family ' s financial situation meant that Shersty was unable to pay for college . As a result he decided to join the Air Force to allow him to fund his future studies . Move to Las Vegas . Shersty moved to Las Vegas to take up his post at Nellis Air Force Base . It was here that Shersty befriended Lin Newborn , a prominent Las Vegas anti - racist activist , and became deeply involved in the area ’ s vibrant anti - racist skinhead scene . “ He didn ' t hang out on base a lot - - he hung out on the scene in Vegas a lot , " according to friends , " He made friends in the local punk , skateboard , and snowboard community . Many of these people were also part of a group known as the Las Vegas Unity Skins . ” The murders . Shersty and Newborn were shot to death in a remote desert location outside of Las Vegas , at Powerline Road and Centennial Parkway . They had been lured under pretense of a party and dates by the murderer John Butler ' s fiancée , Melissa Hack , and another unidentified woman on the night of July 3 , 1998 . The women met Lin Newborn while having a piercing at Tribal Body Piercing , where Newborn worked and where Shersty had been visiting him . After the men accepted the invitation , the women mentioned that the route to the party was difficult and suggested they meet near an exit of US Highway 95 so the two men could follow them . The ambush came after midnight ; Nazis said on their websites that it was right for a race traitor to die on Independence Day . From the footprints , police believe Lin was grabbed first . Dan threw himself forward to protect his friend . He died as the killers dragged Lin away . On the morning of July 4 , a group of people on recreational ATV rides through the desert spotted a body . Police responded to a call about bodies that had been spotted in the desert , and found Shersty ’ s remains . He had been badly beaten but the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the side and face . On July 6 , 1998 , police found Newborn ' s body about 150 yards from where Shersty had been found . He had been shot repeatedly . Ten days after his body was discovered police recovered a . 32 caliber handgun from murder suspect John “ Polar Bear ” Butler that was determined to be the one used to kill Shersty , but the gun was not tied to Newborn ’ s murder . While several suspects , including Butler ' s fiancée Melissa Hack and her brother Ross , were pursued by police and prosecutors , only Butler has ever been convicted of Shersty and Newborn ’ s murders . Aftermath . Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas , Dan ' s post , broke with military protocol by inviting Shersty ' s civilian friends to its memorial service . At a candlelight vigil near the base chapel , airmen read the company roll call . John " Polar Bear " Butler ( then 26 ) , a known neo - Nazi , was convicted of the murders and sentenced to death . He was allegedly the leader of a group called the Independent Nazi Skins . After appealing , Butler ' s death sentence was vacated and he was given four life terms without parole by a jury . The Nevada Supreme Court rejected the appeal of John “ Polar Bear ” Butler in February 2010 . He is registered with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department ' s gang unit as a white supremacist . He is currently housed at High Desert State Prison in Nevada .