Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers' discretion advised.
GREENE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA: Rachel Shoaf, one of two teenage girls who planned and carried out the brutal murder of their best friend Skylar Neese in 2012, has been denied parole. The parole hearing, attended by Skylar's grieving parents, marked the first face-to-face encounter with one of their daughter's killers in over a decade.
Shoaf and her accomplice, Shelia Eddy, lured Skylar Neese from her home in West Virginia before stabbing her to death in Pennsylvania and dumping her body along the road, in July 2012. Throughout the initial investigation and search efforts, Shoaf and Eddy feigned concern and acted as grieving friends. However, it wasn't until early 2013 that 17-year-old Shoaf finally confessed to the heinous crime and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, receiving a 30-year prison sentence with the possibility of parole after ten years.
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'I’ve made a terrible, terrible mistake!'
During the initial parole hearing, Shoaf appeared via video link, expressing deep remorse and offering apologies to Skylar's family. "I can’t express how sorry I am for what I have done and for the pain I have caused," she said to Skylar's family in a statement. "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," as per WBOY 12 News.
"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 also allegedly said, "I’ve made a terrible, terrible mistake that I can’t change, but I’m not a bad person because I made one bad choice."
'Skylar's Father opposes parole for Rachel Shoaf'
Skylar's father, Dave Neese, provided a prepared statement at the hearing, enumerating numerous reasons why he believed Shoaf should not be granted parole. "Because of that malicious monster, my child never got a limo for her prom. Instead, she got a ride in a coroner’s vehicle. Also, there was no sparkling gown for Skylar, just a body bag. She will never have a certificate of graduation, only a death certificate," he said. "This narcissistic, first-degree, cold-blooded killer is not sorry for the brutal murder of my only child. It’s my belief that she is proud she murdered my daughter in cold blood. The day after she plunged kitchen knives into my child, this devil was seen on a friend’s boat, smiling and posing for photographs."
"Just another task to mark off of her list, like standing over my child saying “Die, b****!” as my baby girl took her last breath, because the evil butcher didn’t want to be her friend," he continued. He said, "I wasn’t there to defend my baby girl from this diabolical killer on July 6, 2012, but I’m here today to do everything within my power to make sure she stays behind bars. This inmate has proven that she is both evil and mentally unstable. No one can fix that kind of madness. I believe if she is paroled, she will kill again. Murder is a game to this inmate. This person has proved to be a narcissist and is a dangerous person who has no remorse in the least. This inmate has destroyed so many lives when she murdered Skylar." He added, "If released, no parent can close their eyes at night without fear that their own child could possibly be the next victim."
'There was tension between us!'
Skylar's father asked the parole board the reason for granting Shoaf a second chance at life while Skylar was deprived of such an opportunity, emphasizing his desire to create a world that is "as safe as possible from predators like this one." "I ask that you deny parole for this diabolical butcher and allow Skylar’s mother and I the knowledge that her killer will not be granted the reality of adulthood that our daughter was never allowed to experience," he concluded.
Leading up to the hearing, an online petition garnered over 33,000 signatures in support of keeping Shoaf behind bars. Currently incarcerated at the Lakin Correctional Center in Mason County, Shoaf will continue to serve her sentence. Meanwhile, Eddy, Shoaf's accomplice, received a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 15 years. Although the motive for the murder was initially undisclosed, Shoaf later confessed that the deteriorating friendship and fear of revealing their secret relationship were factors that drove the pair to commit such a horrendous act. Shoaf said that she and Eddy were in a relationship and feared consequences if they were exposed. "After things became known with the relationship, there was tension between us," Shoaf said. It was hostile and violent, in our teenage minds we didn’t know how to handle the conflict and we just wanted it to stop."
'Infamous Teenage Murder Plot'
The murder unfolded on July 6, involving the girls picking up Skylar, smoking marijuana, and driving toward Pennsylvania. Shoaf attributed some of her actions to being under the influence of drugs. Concealing kitchen knives, the two friends carried out a relentless stabbing attack on Skylar. Their intention was to bury the body but their physical strength failed them, leading them to abandon it and cover it with debris. Upon returning home, they continued to deceive Skylar's family and even posted unsettling messages on social media platforms.
Skylar's father recounted the deceptive actions of Shoaf and Eddy, including their assistance in distributing missing person flyers and Eddy's request to sit on Skylar's bed. The revelation of the crime only came in early 2013 when Rachel Shoaf broke down and disclosed the details, leading investigators to recover Skylar's remains. Today, the site serves as a memorial to the young girl's life, adorned with cherished photos and mementos. Skylar's parents Dave and Mary Neese have dedicated their efforts to Skylar's Law, which advocates for the issuance of Amber Alerts for missing people.
'Keep her in jail to rot!'
Internet users rejoiced over Shoaf's parole being denied. One user tweeted, "Rachel Shoaf has been denied parole! I’m so happy for Mary and Dave, even though it won’t bring Skylar back, they will at least be able to sleep well tonight!" Another added, "Apparently Rachel Shoaf’s last words to skylar were “die bitch”. I’m glad she was denied parole." A third tweeted, "Was asked: do I think Rachel Shoaf should be granted parole? IF her behavior in prison, efforts at self-improvement, remorse & release plan are good, yes. I believe in second chances once the sentence given by law has been served." "Rachel Shoaf’s parole has been denied! I’m sooooo happy! Keep her in jail to rot," read a tweet. "Such an awful case. those girls should never see blue skies again," tweeted another user.
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
