Skylar Neese, Shelia Eddy, and Rachel Shoaf were sophomores in high school living in Morgantown, West Virginia, whose friendship seemed to last a lifetime. They were beautiful, very lovable, and often envied by others. They loved doing everything together, hanging out with others in their group and posting lots of selfies on Twitter and Facebook.
Knowing The Friends
Shelia and Rachel's relationship with Skylar slowly fell apart. However, when Skylar accidentally discovered a secret her ex-best friends were keeping- evil plans started forming. It led Shelia and Rachel to dangerously conspire against Skylar. On July 6, 2012, Skylar's parents discovered that she was missing. The search for her went on for months, but no one was giving up. Six months later, Rachel Shoaf revealed the details of what really happened to Skylar.
Her Parents Couldn’t Be Any More Proud Of Her
Skylar was the only child of Dave and Mary Neese, and at a young age, she had already shown great potential. Skylar had a 4.0-grade point average and worked part-time at a fast food restaurant, all while maintaining an active social life.
“Best Friends”
Since the age of 8, Skylar Neese and Shelia Eddy were best friends. In 2010, the two became friends with Rachel Shoaf, who soon became inseparable.
Skylar Isn’t In Her Room
On July 5, 2012, Skylar came home from work and went to sleep, but something shocking happened the next morning. Dave, Skylar’s father, checked Skylar’s room and she was gone. Dave noticed the window screen removed and a bench by the bottom of the window to help escape. Skylar had snuck out it seems.
Never Missed A Day Of Work
Later that day, Skylar’s parents were informed she didn’t make it to work, which was very uncommon for her. Skylar’s parents immediately dialed 9-1-1 and reported Skylar missing. Bob McCauley, Star City police officer, responded to the call and launched the investigation to retrieve Skylar.
A Drive Around The City
Shelia Eddy called Dave and Mary and told them what happened the previous night. According to Mary, the three girls got high and drove around Star City. They allegedly dropped Skylar off, but dropped her off down the road to avoid waking up Skylar’s parents.
Peer Pressured Skylar To Join
Rachel and Shelia convinced Skylar to leave her house and join them in driving around the city. They swindled her in by saying they wanted to “work on their friendship.” It started as Skylar not responding to their calls or messages, but after being bombarded with more, she responded around 11 p.m and returned around 12 a.m.
The Footage Doesn’t Lie
As surveillance shows, a car pulls up to the Neese’s home at 12:30 a.m, and a few moments later, Skylar is seen climbing out of her window and rushes to the vehicle. Skylar never returned after getting in that vehicle.
Switching To Plan B
The three girls drove up U.S 19 northbound, but their original plan was to head down U.S 7. Their change in plans were due to seeing a State Police car in their direction.
 Skylar Is Officially Missing
Shelia Eddy and her mother offered to search the town and help Mary and Dave Neese find their daughter. Rachel Shoaf left for summer camp for two weeks. The news only took two days to make the news paper, television, and the internet.
Quite The Speculation
Corporal Ronnie Gaskins stated that there were rumors of Skylar overdosing on heroin at a house party, and those who were around, disposed of her body.
Different Behavior
Jessica Colebank, an investigator on the case, had her own opinions on the two friends of Skylar Neese. Colebank once stated, “Their stories were exactly the same. Nobody has identical stories unless its rehearsed. Shelia was acting wrong and Rachel is scared to death.”
Something Isn’t Being Said
Shelia and Rachel both told their stories, and they weren’t adding up to the police. Through phone records and surveillance, it was now known that both girls were lying. The two girls were being hackled by everybody surrounding them to come clean with the truth.
The Truth Comes Out
On December 28,2012, Rachel was sent to a psychiatric hospital due to a mental breakdown. She hadn’t had any contact with Shelia for quite sometime, and after being released form the hospital, Rachel came clean. She confessed that she and Shelia stabbed Skylar to death, which blew everybody away.
Evidence Left Behind
The car that pulled up in front of the Neese’s house the night Skylar disappeared had belonged to Shelia. Inside of Shelia’s car, there were traces of Skylar’s blood. Once confessed everything, Rachel took the police to Skylar’s body.
The Details Come Out
The overwhelming details of the murder were finally revealed. After months of preparation, the girls brought Skylar to a spot they smoked marijuana and murdered her there. The girls brought bleach, clean clothes, and a shovel in Shelia’s car, along with the kitchen knife they concealed under their clothes.
1..2..3
When the girls arrived at the spot, they told Skylar to fetch the lighter back in the car. When she turned her back, the girls counted to three and repeatedly stabbed her with the kitchen knives.
The Fight For Her Life
Skylar tried to run to the car but Rachel tackled her to the ground and continued beating her. Skylar wrestled the knife from Rachel and it happened to cut Rachel’s leg. Shelia came up and stabbed Skylar until “her neck stopped making noises.” Skylar was stabbed a total of 50 times all over her body.
No Traces Left
When they girls tried to bury Skylar, the soil was too hard so they covered the body with branches, leaves, and other debris. They threw away their clothes and drove back to their homes.
“We Just Didn’t Like Her”
The crime caught up with the two murderers on May1, 2013 when Rachel turned her self in and the blood in Shelia’s car was enough to apprehend her as well. When asked “Why?”, the girls stated “We just didn’t like her.”
Being Charged As An Adult
After being charged as an adult in a closed hearing, Rachel Shoaf was sentenced to 30 years in prison in West Virginia.
15 To Life
Shelia Eddy was arrested May 1, 2013, in a restaurant parking lot. She was charged as an adult for first degree murder, she got sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.
Parent’s Struggle
David Neese will sometimes drive 20 miles to the site his daughter was brutally murdered, and he also will make a memorial there to remember his daughter for the great child she was.
Very Emotional
Skylar’s father couldn’t hold back his emotions. He shouted in court ““They’re both sickos, and they’re both exactly where they need to be: away from civilization, locked up like animals. Because that’s what they are, they’re animals,”
Skylar’s Law
To further memorialize their daughter, Dave and Mary Neese lobbied to get the Skylar’s Law passed in West Virginia. The law requires that an Amber Alert be issued not just for those believed to have been kidnapped, but for all missing children. An Amber Alert alerts broadcasters and state transportation officials when a child has been abducted and if the abduction has met the AMBER Alert Criteria.
No Amber Alert Was Ever Issued
When Skylar was missing, they failed to file an amber alert because the case didn’t meet the criteria: a child is believed to have been abducted; the child is under 18, the child may be in danger of death or serious injury; there is enough information to indicate that the Amber Alert is necessary. Under Amber Alert, a waiting period of 48 hours is needed for a teenager to be considered missing.
The Law Gets Passed
Skylar’s Law aims to modify West Virginia’s Amber Alert plan. Under the law, public announcements are to be issued immediately after a child is reported missing and in danger, whether or not the child is believed to be abducted. The proposed law won support from West Virginia and national media, but it wasn’t without any staunch critics.