An avid amateur photographer, Charles Shipley was a Professor of Computer Science until his retirement in 2005, when he and his wife Barbara moved aboard their Kadey-Krogen 48 North Sea Tusen Takk II. They have been cruising the Caribbean since January 2007.
Court documents state the victim and two friends were smoking outside the Horseshoe Cafe on Halloween night, October 31st, when Charles Shipley walked by and directed a homophobic slur at the men.