How do you react when close family members, those you most likely trust, are the ones who turn against you? A West Virginia teen named Skylar Neese discovered this by dying in July 2012. The police were capable of locating her body after obtaining the individual responsible for the murder. Lifetime’s ‘Sleeping With A killer: Fatal Friendship’ follows the case with great detail, setting the details concerning the event, the subsequent investigation, and the consequences in a clear way. If you’re looking to learn more about the story and the perpetrators’ identity and locations, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s get started!
How Did Skylar Neese Die?
Skylar Annette was born February 10, 1996, in Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia, to Mary and David “Dave” Neese. In addition to having an academically exemplary education in University High School, the 16-year-old worked as a part-time employee in a Wendy’s outlet and was aspiring to become a criminal defense attorney. As the sole child of her parents, their life was centered around Skylar. Dave recalls, “Every night when she went to bed, she’d be like, “Love you, mom! Love you, Dad.” So it was an absolute shock to discover that she had disappeared from her parents’ Star City, West Virginia apartment in the early morning hours on July 6, 2012.
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Skylar was home when she returned after working for the day on July 5, and her family had moved to their home after dinner. Her father spotted her bedroom window open, and her cellphone charger was in the room. An elated Dave called the police seeking to file a missing person report. Police officers from Star City Police Department came over to look at the surveillance footage from the Neese apartment complex. They found Skylar taking a break through her bedroom window before getting into a vehicle on July 6, 2012, at about 12:30 am. They concluded that it wasn’t an incident of disappearance. However, Skylar was running away.
The authorities could not take any additional steps, for example, not releasing the Amber Alert and not acting on a tip about spotting Skylar on the streets of North Carolina. But Dave kept insisting that Skylar had not escaped. However, she was the victim of an accident and claimed that she had forgotten her charger for her mobile phone. Her cousin said, “She (Skylar) has lots of friends and is addicted to social media, but she hasn’t been online since her disappearance. There is no evidence of banking activity, and her phone has not been activated.”
Skylar’s friends and family printed posters that were missing, distributed them around the community, and even set up an account on Facebook dedicated to the search for their daughter. However, all their worst nightmare came through when the investigators found the body of a teenager in Wayne Township, just across the West Virginia-Pennsylvania line in Greene County, about 30 miles from Skylar’s home, on January 16, 2013. The body was strewn with cuts and wounds. It was hidden in dirt, rocks, and twigs. On March 13, 2013, authorities announced that the body was the property of Skylar Neese.
Who Killed Skylar Neese?
As of the month of September, West Virginia State Police and the FBI joined the hunt for Skylar. The police determined that the vehicle Skylar had last been seen in was owned by one of her close friends, Shelia Rae Eddy, and they questioned Shelia about her. Although she admitted to picking the teenager that night, Shelia claimed that she dropped her off down the street that was her home an hour after. The police began interviewing and looking into their circle of friends of Skylar.
The case was exposed in the month of January 2013 when one of Skylar’s close acquaintances, Rachel Shoaf, broke tears and confessed to murdering her, along with another close friend Shelia. The three of them were students at University High School together, and family members said they had close bonds. Skylar and Shelia have been close acquaintances since they were eight years old and were also familiar with Rachel when they were in the first year of their college. However, some tension was present in their relationship, ultimately resulting in the two murdering Skylar and Shelia.
Rachel confessed to the fact that she and Shelia were allegedly planning this murder over a period of time and selected Skylar on July 6, 2012, intending to kill her. They had gone to their usual socializing spot at the West Virginia-Pennsylvania border and stabbed Skylar according to their plan. She also said they attempted to burrow the body; however, due to dirt being extremely hard to dig, they covered the body in soil and branches. Rachel even led investigators to the site where they had dug Skylar’s grave and led to police finding her body six years after she disappeared.
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Where are Shelia Eddy and Rachel Shoaf Today?
On May 1, 2013, Rachel Shoaf pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for “unlawfully, feloniously, willfully, maliciously and intentionally causing the death of Skylar Neese by stabbing her and causing fatal injuries.” The two the family, and she apologized publicly and expressed regret. The apology was made following her confession. Then, in February 2014, Rachel received a sentence of 30 years imprisonment. According to court documents, Rachel, now aged 25, is in Lakin Correctional Center. Lakin Correctional Center in Mason County, West Virginia, with an end date for the release of April 30, 2028.
Rachel Shoaf
In September of 2013, Shelia was identified as the second culprit in the crime. She was convicted as an adult and was charged with one count of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy. Although initially, she pleaded not guilty and then changed her plea from guilty to first-degree murder before her trial in January 2014. The sentence was life without mercy. She is now in one of the cells in the Lakin Correctional Center in Mason County, West Virginia. The records of her inmate indicate that the date for parole eligibility for the 26-year-old Woman is May 1, 2028.
Shelia Eddy
Although the authorities haven’t disclosed any motives behind the crime, it’s claimed that Skylar was aware of the alleged sexual relationship with Shelia and Rachel. It was also said that girls were scared she would reveal their supposed secret. Skylar’s parents were not convinced, and Mary declared, “She (Skylar) had many gay and lesbian acquaintances. They didn’t seem to cause any problems for her.” Some agents involved in the investigation believe that the two did the heinous act “for the pleasure of the experience.” But Rachel said in an interview that Rachel admitted to having committed the horrific crime due to their dislike of Skylar.
