Hundreds of Bikers Ride to Logan to Support the Family of Murdered 5-Year-Old Girl

LOGAN, Utah — They can be intimidating.

It’s easy to see all the black leather, the beards, the chains and tattoos, and pass immediate judgement.

However, for everything you notice on the outside, Ted Shiffler knows if you spend a few minutes talking to him, or any of the bikers, you’ll find something different on the inside.

“We’ve got that reputation, but we’re there for anybody who needs us,” said Shiffler while wearing his black bandana with a white skull printed on its side.

Shiffler organized a ride Tuesday afternoon. The group met at the Maverik gas station in Sunset.

Many people who pulled in to get gas decided to keep going and find pumps somewhere else.

“Almost everybody here is a big teddy bear,” said Stacie Goff with a laugh.

Goff is one of the riders who arrived early for the ride.

Parking spaces quickly ran out as more bikers arrived.

For all their tough exterior, though, nothing affects a big bad biker more than hearing of a small innocent child who was hurt.

Or, in Elizabeth Shelley’s case, worse.

“When we got the news that she was found, we knew we had to do something,” said Shiffler.

That’s why several different Utah biker groups came to the Maverik for the ride to Logan.

Shelley’s funeral was being held in Logan and the biker groups wanted to show the family, by wearing her favorite rainbow colors and coming united, there are a lot of people thinking of her.

“I thought maybe we would have 30… 40 bikes,” said Shiffler.

Instead, close to 300 bikers showed up.

“That will show the family that we love them, and you can see what it turned into,” said Shiffler with a smile.

No way was Lizzy’s family going to be alone.

“There’s just not much we can do besides this,” said Goff.

Of course, most of them didn’t know little Lizzy, but when you have your own kids and grandkids, you can see them in her eyes.

“She’s our little girl,” said Michael Gallegos, one of the bikers who often helps in events such as this one. “It just breaks my heart. It does. That’s why we try to help as much as we can. That’s why we do this.”

So, taking time from work, and using a little bit of gasoline, wasn’t a big deal to these bikers.

When it comes to supporting a kid, who couldn’t defend herself, well, maybe that’s why even the toughest biker needed sunglasses; to hide the one part they don’t want you to see.

The tears.

“We want this family to know that people care,” said Shiffler.