'Dateline NBC’: Who killed Skylar Reese? Sinister case of a teenager stabbed by high school best friends
AUSTIN, TEXAS: The brutal murder of Skylar Neese, a 16-year-old high school student, had shocked the community of Star City, West Virginia. Skylar, seemingly innocently, went out with her best friends, Rachel Shoaf and Shelia Eddy, on July 5, 2012. However, this night out took a sinister turn when Shoaf and Eddy lured Skylar to a remote location and brutally stabbed her to death.
It wasn't until six months later that Shoaf confessed to the murder, leading investigators to Skylar's body in Wayne Township, Pennsylvania. The trials shed light on the dark secrets and twisted motives that led to Skylar's senseless murder, leaving the community reeling from the betrayal and loss. Though justice was served, the scars of Skylar's murder would continue to haunt the community for years to come.
Dateline NBC's new episode titled "Something Wicked" delves deeper into this evil case, with Andrea Canning reporting the episode along with several key figures like Mary & Dave Neese, Officer Jessica Colebank, and Cheryl & Dave Lawrence being featured.
Who was Skylar Neese?
Skylar Annette Neese, born on February 10, 1996, was an American teenager from Star City, West Virginia. She disappeared from her home around midnight on July 6, 2012, when she was just 16 years old. Neese's disappearance sparked a widespread search effort and garnered national attention.
Described as a friendly and outgoing girl, Neese attended University High School in Morgantown, West Virginia. She was known for her love of art and her passion for photography. Neese had a close-knit group of friends, including Shelia Eddy of and Rachel Shoaf, who were initially considered her best friends.
On the night of July 5, 2012, initially considered a runaway, an AMBER Alert was not issued for Neese's disappearance because it did not meet all the criteria required. Despite this, her parents and law enforcement agencies launched an extensive search effort to find her. Flyers were distributed, and the FBI and West Virginia State Police joined the investigation. Six months after Neese's disappearance, it was revealed that she had been a victim of gruesome killing by her friends.
Why did Rachel Shoaf and Shelia Eddy plot Skylar’s murder?
Rachel Shoaf and Shelia Eddy plotted Skylar Neese's murder because they reportedly "didn't like her" and "didn't want to be friends with her anymore." The two girls, who were among Neese's best friends, decided to carry out their plan in a premeditated manner.
On the night of Neese's murder, the girls lured her into Eddy's car under the guise of socializing. They then drove to a remote area in Pennsylvania, where they got out of the car and began socializing. At a pre-arranged time, Shoaf and Eddy attacked Neese, stabbing her to death. Neese was stabbed multiple times, including fatal injuries to her head and chest.
After killing Neese, Shoaf and Eddy attempted to bury her body but were unable to do so. Instead, they covered her body with branches in an attempt to conceal it. The court transcript indicates that other students overheard conversations between Shoaf and Eddy about the murder plot but failed to report it, mistakenly believing that the girls were joking.
How did the police made Rachel Shoaf and Shelia Eddy confess?
The breakthrough in the Skylar Neese murder case came on January 3, 2013, when Rachel Shoaf confessed to authorities about her involvement in Neese's murder. Shoaf's confession led investigators to Neese's body, which was found in a remote area in Pennsylvania.
Shoaf's confession was a significant development in the case, as it provided crucial information about the circumstances surrounding Neese's disappearance and murder. Following Shoaf's confession, investigators intensified their efforts to gather evidence and build a case against Shelia Eddy, the second alleged perpetrator of the murder. They conducted further interviews and investigations, seeking to corroborate Shoaf's account and uncover additional details about the crime.
Ultimately, the evidence gathered by investigators, combined with Shoaf's confession, was sufficient to implicate Eddy in Neese's murder. The police's success in obtaining confessions from Shoaf and Eddy was a result of thorough investigative work, which involved conducting interviews, gathering physical evidence, and analyzing the information obtained from various sources. Additionally, Shoaf's decision to confess played a crucial role in providing investigators with the information they needed to solve the case and bring Neese's killers to justice.
What sentence was announced to Rachel Shoaf and Shelia Eddy?
After Skylar Neese's body was discovered and Rachel Shoaf confessed to her involvement in the murder, both Shoaf and Shelia Eddy were arrested and charged in connection with Neese's death. Their cases were tried separately.
Rachel Shoaf's trial began after she pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
During her trial, Shoaf provided details about the planning and execution of Neese's murder. Shoaf expressed remorse for her actions during her trial and apologized to Neese's family. Apologising to Skylar and her family, she said,
“I know, I can’t express how sorry I am for what I have done and for the pain I have caused,” Shoaf said. “I loved her. I know what we did was terrible and there’s no words to describe the pain that we caused and I know there is nothing I can say or do. I just pray for them all the time and pray for peace in their heart. I would trade places with Skylar so she could be with her loved ones. I just want them to know how deeply sorry I am."
Shoaf's plea agreement included a recommendation for a sentence of 20 years in prison, but the final sentence imposed by the court was 30 years with eligibility for parole after 10 years. Despite expressing remorse and seeking forgiveness, Shoaf was denied parole during her first hearing in May 2023.
Meanwhile, Shelia Eddy's trial took place after Shoaf's, and she initially pleaded not guilty to the charges against her. However, facing the prospect of additional charges from Pennsylvania authorities, Eddy ultimately pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. Unlike Shoaf, Eddy showed no remorse during her trial and expressed no apology to Neese's family.
During sentencing, Eddy received a life sentence with eligibility for parole after 15 years. This sentence was given "with mercy," meaning that although she was sentenced as an adult, West Virginia law requires a possibility of parole for juvenile offenders sentenced to life in prison.
'Dateline NBC' Season 32 airs new episodes every Friday at 8 pm ET on NBC and is available for streaming on Peacock the following day.