Skylar Annette Neese – February 10, 1996-July 6, 2012 – was an American girl that disappeared from her Star City, West Virginia home about midnight on July 6, 2012. Later, Neese's remains were discovered on January 16, 2013 in Wayne Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania.
Neese was murdered by tow high school friends, Rachel Shoaf and Sheila Eddy in December 2012. Shoaf told authorities she and Eddy planned and carried out Neese's murder. Shoaf pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on May 1, 2013. Neese's disappearance led to new West Virginia legislation to the AMBER Alert missing child alert system.
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Background Information
Victim
Skylar Annette Neese was the only child of Dave and Mary Neese. Skylar's mother, Mary, worked as an administrative assistant for a cardiac lab and her father, Dave, was a product assembler at Walmart. Skylar, an honors student at University High School, wanted to become a criminal lawyer. She worked at Wendy's with two of her close friends.
Perpetrators
Sheila Rae Eddy was born September 28, 1995, the only child of Tara Clendenen and Greg Eddy. She was born in Blacksville, West Virginia. Her parents divorced in 2000 when her father got into a car accident that left her father with a traumatic brain injury and permanent disability. Tara struggled as a single mother, working as an accountant for a car dealership. Tata and Sheila moved in with Tara's new husband, Jim Clendenen, in October 2010.
Rachel Shoaf, born June 10, 1996, grew up in Morgantown, the only daughter of Rusty and Patricia Shoaf.
Both perpetrators also attended University High School.
Disappearance
Neese arrived home on July 5, 2012 to her family's Star City, West Virginia apartment after working her shift at Wendy's. The family's apartment surveillance video shows Neese left the apartment via her bedroom window at 12:30 a.m. on July 6 and got into a sedan. Neese's father says she did not take her cell phone charger, her bedroom window was left open, showing that she planned on coming home.
The night of the murder, Sheila Eddy and Rachel Shoaf invited Neese to sneak out with them. Neese, who had a falling out with the two, was hesitant, but after texts and calls from the girls, Neese changed her mind.
Around 12:30 a.m., Neese climbed out her bedroom window, crossed the street and got into the back of four-door sedan. Law enforcement officers later determined that the sedan was in possession of Sheila Eddy that evening. The three girls headed northwest from Star City toward Blacksville via U.S. Route 19. The perpetrators planned to travel along W.V. Routh 7, but turned around after spotting a state police car parked in front of a gambling lounge.
Finally arriving at their destination across the Pennsylvania border where the three girls would often smoke marijuana. Shoaf and Eddy planned Neese's murder for months. They left Eddy's house prepared to carry out the assault on Neese, bringing with them kitchen knives, paper towels, bleach, cleaning cloths, clean clothes, and a shovel. They concealed the knives on their persons, hiding the remaining items in the trunk of Eddy's vehicle.
