Best Friends and a Fatal Betrayal
Skylar Neese was a 16 year old girl living in Star City, West Virginia, when she was tragically murdered by the people she trusted most. Her father, Dave Neese, remembers her as a loyal kid who was truly a joy to raise. She had been best friends with Sheila Eddy since they were eight years old, and they later became a trio with a girl named Rachel Shoaf. On July 6, 2012, Skylar snuck out of her bedroom window to meet them, but she never returned. It was later revealed that her friends drove her to a remote dirt road and, on a count of three, stabbed her over 50 times. The reason for this heartless act was simply that they did not like her anymore.
“She was just a joy to raise. She never cried. She never whined. She was a good kid. She really was. And she was very loyal to her friends. She was a great kid. She really was.”
A Web of Deceit and the Long Search
For six agonizing months, the Neese family had no idea where Skylar was, while her killers pretended to be grieving right alongside them. Sheila Eddy was particularly manipulative, even going into Skylar’s bedroom to feel close to her and crying in the arms of Skylar’s mother. The investigation eventually took a turn when police realized the girls’ stories did not match cell phone records. The truth finally came to light when Rachel Shoaf had a mental breakdown and confessed to the murder while in a hospital. Dave Neese recalls how devastating it was to realize that the people who claimed to want Skylar home as much as he did were the ones who had taken her life.
“I walked into Skylar’s room and there’s Mary holding Sheila and Sheila crying and saying, ‘How could my best friend run away and not even tell me where she was going?’ So yeah, that’s pretty bad.”
Demanding Justice and Creating Change
While Sheila Eddy received a life sentence for first degree murder, Rachel Shoaf was given a plea deal for second degree murder and is now eligible for parole. Dave is actively fighting against her release, arguing that she has been a problematic prisoner and does not deserve a second chance when Skylar never got one. Despite the pain, Dave has worked to ensure Skylar’s legacy helps others by passing Skylar’s Law, which streamlines the Amber Alert process in West Virginia. He also promotes Skylar’s Promise, encouraging children to tell a trusted adult if they know something is wrong. For Dave, the fight for justice continues every single day as he seeks to keep Skylar’s memory alive and her killers behind bars.
“I wouldn’t wish what I’d been through on the two people that put me through it. I would not wish this on anyone because it’s pure hell. Wake up every day and your daughter’s never coming home.”
Want to hear the full, emotional interview with Dave Neese as he discusses the fight for his daughter? You can watch the original video here to get the complete story.
