Matthew Hale was the leader and apparent driving force behind the Sanctuary. When Jacob Kell and his gang slaughtered the original inmates of the Sanctuary in 2004, Hale attempted to capture Duncan MacLeod and force him into the new Sanctuary. Methos and Joe Dawson stormed the new site and freed Duncan and later, when Hale again tried to capture Duncan during MacLeod's second battle with Kell, Joe shot and killed him.