I can't belive I came across this article! It just reminds me of the Teena Brandon murder in 1993. And this hate crime happened in the same state, Nebraska. Im not sure how close to Humbolt but here is the article.
Woman who had gay slurs carved on her body speaks out

Also, heres some more info on Teena Brandon if you want to know about what happened to her. It is a REALLY sad story, so be prepared. Brandon Teena