The Savage Murder of Skylar Neese: The Truth Behind the Headlines

by Berry, Daleen

  Shelia’s lawyer wasn’t the first person to talk with her about the polygraph. She and Rachel had repeatedly texted each other, discussing the procedure. Shelia also had a text conversation with Rachel in early November. At the time, that friend had asked Shelia where she would take the exam.

  Shelia: police station probably gonna fail cause of nerves no big fucking deal

  Rachel: As long as you don’t fail cause you’re lying. You can ask to take it again because you were nervous the first time

  Shelia: oh well im definitely not scared about lying but its not like theyd know the difference lol

  She should have been. Shelia did “fail” the polygraph. Twice. At least inasmuch as anyone can fail a polygraph. The test is really scored on a question-by-question basis. The outcome of a polygraph is ambiguous in several ways—that’s why it’s not usually used as evidence in court. Still, Shelia failed hers.

  Rachel was another story. When the day for her polygraph arrived, Rachel was at her father’s South Park home, a little place near downtown Morgantown. Rusty tried to reassure his daughter as they got into the car that day. But it did no good. Just as they drove across the Pleasant Street bridge and stopped at the light on Spruce, Rachel jumped out of the car—one block away from Angotti’s office. She ran in the opposite direction, down Spruce. Stunned and trapped in traffic, Rusty was powerless to stop her. He watched his daughter run until Rachel disappeared down Spruce Street.

  Somehow undetected, Rachel made her way upriver about a mile away, to a location where she would find safe haven from her parents and the police. The one place they would never look for her.

  Tara’s office.

  ***

  Rachel never counted on the determination of Gaskins and Berry. When they learned Rachel bailed on her polygraph, they acted decisively, quickly discovering that neither Patricia nor Rusty knew where she was. Still, the troopers believed Rachel’s actions showed guilt. They began checking all the places they suspected she might be. Their search ended late that night, when they found her with Shelia, hiding inside Tara’s car.

  Berry was fed up. Alexis was home waiting, dinner was cold, and she was “mad as a wet hornet.” Gaskins was just as disgusted. They wanted nothing more than to yank Rachel from the car and take her to the office. Make the truant teen wait there until her parents showed up to take her home.

  But they couldn’t. The minute Tara told them Rusty knew Rachel was with her, they couldn’t do a thing.

  ***

  Whoever Josie Snyder was, she had very good sources. Even the police thought so. They followed her online harassment of Rachel and Shelia. Trooper Berry felt certain she knew something about the case. He tried and tried, without success, to get a warrant to learn her identity. That might be why Josie went dark for awhile.

  Then after only stony silence since November 21, she came alive December 16 with a series of colorful tweets. They were addressed to Mia Barr, but everyone familiar with the case knew Josie’s subtweets were really for Shelia and Rachel.

  At 6:31 that evening Josie tweeted: failed lie detector. no shit no one gonna come out and say the truth how ya purposely od ur bff.

  Josie clearly believed Shelia and Rachel had killed Skylar by causing her to overdose.

  Josie tweeted again at 6:59: oooh no no! Hiding from po po.

  Nine minutes later, at 7:08, possibly in reply to a text message from Mia Barr, Josie’s third tweet was nothing if not ominous: no but one failed, one hiding out so the one that failed doesnt take care of business like she has witnessed #bffscaredofbff.

  There was no mistaking what Josie meant: she thought Rachel was in hiding so Shelia wouldn’t kill her.

  Chapter 26

  Under Pressure

  One after another, bits and pieces of Mary’s memory began to surface in the months after Skylar was gone. For instance, Mary remembered that Skylar had rejected the idea of applying for a job at Chick-fil-A, where Shelia then worked. Instead, she got a job at Wendy’s, joining her childhood friend Hayden McClead. Soon after, Skylar had gotten Daniel a job there, too.

  Skylar and Daniel had always been tight, but with all three of them working at Wendy’s, Skylar and Hayden grew close again. Hayden—like many of Skylar’s friends—didn’t like Shelia. She wouldn’t hang out with Skylar if Shelia was around.

  To Hayden and other teens, it seemed like Shelia was always pushing the boundaries in uncomfortable ways. She liked being more outrageous than her peers. Hayden recalled a specific party held in Blacksville where Shelia really pushed the limits.

  Everyone was getting high, and Shelia and a girl named Janet9 were kissing. Some boy began snapping photos, so Shelia and Janet started a striptease for all the partygoers. Hayden and Skylar were disgusted and just sat back in a corner, trying to pretend it was no big deal.

  Thinking about the stories Skylar had told her and the ones she heard later from Hayden, Daniel, and others, Mary realized that while she and Dave had tried to accept Shelia and think of her as a daughter, they never completely succeeded. In the years since Skylar and Shelia first met at The Shack, Mary and Dave saw Shelia mostly in the summer and a few times during the school year. In eighth grade, Skylar and Shelia’s visits became more frequent, with Shelia staying overnight at the Neeses’ or Skylar sleeping over at Tara’s place in Blacksville.

  Then, in ninth grade, everything changed. Mary said that as time went on, she and Dave finally began to notice little things about Shelia they had always overlooked. Shelia was their daughter’s friend, and they wanted to see only the best in her, but her effect on Skylar hadn’t always been positive.

  For instance, there was how Skylar treated her own cousin Kyle Michaud. Two years older, Kyle had been there the day Skylar came home from the hospital. Carol had only Kyle, and Mary had only Skylar—so Skylar and Kyle grew up as close as siblings. But once Shelia came to UHS, Skylar wouldn’t even talk to Kyle when they passed in the hallways.

  That’s when Mary remembered something Kyle had told his mother: “Shelia’s a bad seed.” That really got the ball rolling around in Mary’s head, and she remembered the time Kyle had waited after school to drive Skylar home. But Skylar never showed up—instead, she left with Shelia, without so much as a word to Kyle. Mary realized then that since Shelia moved into town, Skylar had even grown away from the older cousin who had once been like a big brother.

  It was also unnerving how often Shelia lied about one thing or another—Mary remembered how she even covered for Shelia with Tara. But it was the sexually explicit Facebook message that really made Mary reflect on Shelia’s character. She and Dave had been appalled and angry when they stumbled onto it.

  Mary remembered that it happened not long before Skylar disappeared. In a rush to meet up with Shelia, Skylar had forgotten to log out of her Facebook account on the family computer. When Dave went online, the page was there in plain sight. The message from Shelia to Skylar described in graphic detail one of Shelia’s sexual experiences. It was so worrisome that Mary and Dave printed it out and drove to Tara and Jim’s townhouse to show them. But Shelia denied she had sent it. She blamed it on Shania, saying she was pranking her. Tara believed Shelia, and brushed the entire matter aside.

  ***

  Mary’s mind was filled with so many memories that she decided to write everything down, hoping to make some sense of it. The more she wrote, the more she wanted to share her thoughts with the world. She did that in the form of a letter on Facebook.

  That letter appeared on Mary’s personal Facebook page in mid-December. Before long, everyone in the two Facebook groups was sharing it. Some people believe that Mary Neese’s honesty, clarity, and directness led to Rachel Shoaf’s confession soon after.

  Mary’s written words showed how six months of lies and stonewalling radically changed her and Dave’s view of Shelia and Rachel. The time has come to tell the full Skylar story from beginning to end as we know it to this point, Mary began. She recapped the circumstances of Skylar
’s disappearance and described the discovery of the apartment surveillance video.

  The grieving mother discussed how the unreliable tips and sightings were all they had to give them hope. They continued hanging MISSING posters around town for two months, until I could no longer take it. Then Mary stated something that only a mother would know: Skylar could not stay away from me that long, let alone her friends.

  Law enforcement confirmed Mary’s maternal instinct: Skylar’s two best friends … were not telling the whole truth. They have continued to withhold information … and have been caught in multiple lies to [the] authorities.

  Originally, she said, police believed the girls were too afraid to say what happened to Skylar. They were scared of getting into trouble. That had all changed, though: At this point both girls have been offered immunity and still refuse to cooperate.

  Her moving public plea concluded on a dramatic note: This is truly the ultimate betrayal…. These girls are more guilty than originally suspected…. It looks like foul play has occurred and murder has not been ruled out.

  ***

  A former UHS guidance counselor, Tom Bloom had known Dave since he had been a high school student himself. Bloom was deeply moved when he read the news about Skylar. He had known her during her freshman and sophomore years at UHS. Bloom had called Dave Neese as soon as he read the original Dominion Post article about Skylar back on July 10.

  “Dave, I’m not sure what I can do, but man,” Bloom said, “I just want you to know I’m here for you.”

  “Thanks, Tom,” Dave said.

  “I’ve got a great story for you, too. Skylar came to interview me for a journalism class project she had. She kept coming back, so I finally asked her, ‘Skylar, you’ve been here three times. Why?’” Tom said, laughing. “She said, ‘Well, Mr. Bloom, I want to get it right. Not like The Dominion Post.’”

  Dave laughed. “That sounds like Skylar.”

  In March, Bloom had won the Democratic primary for the Monongalia County Commission, signaling a likely win in November’s general election. When Becky Bailey posted her online petition in early December, Commissioner Bloom was one of two people who immediately reached out to her. Chuck Yocum, who works for the Maryland school system, was the other. Yocum reached out to Bloom after seeing one of Bloom’s Facebook posts about the missing Skylar. He offered to take Becky’s petition and add some legal language so it could be presented to politicians who might be interested in Skylar’s case.

  Bloom called House of Delegates member Charlene Marshall, and together they discussed introducing Bailey’s petition as Skylar’s Law when the state legislature met the following January. Marshall was keenly interested in the proposed bill, because she had long thought the AMBER Alert legislation needed to be revised. In her view the current law wasn’t doing enough to help bring home missing children.

  ***

  Shania knew how much her friend Shelia missed Skylar, so she slaved over the homemade Christmas gift. She wanted it to be the perfect present; she planned to give it when Shelia came by to pick her up for a sleepover a few days before Christmas.

  Shania was a little nervous, though, because she wasn’t sure how Shelia would react. Would she be happy or burst into tears? Shania had copied dozens of photos she knew Shelia would love of Shelia’s friends and family. There were shots of Shelia with Shania or Skylar or all three girls together, an assortment of posed shots and selfies. Shania labored over the fabric-covered collage for hours, carefully assembling it. She had far more photos than would fit, though, so she wrapped up the loose photos all together, just so Shelia would have them.

  When she was done, the collage looked fantastic, and Shania felt it helped memorialize their missing friend. Shania believed her present would provide Shelia with something tangible, something to hold onto—until Skylar returned.

  Shelia’s reaction to Shania’s handmade gift was exactly what Shania had hoped for. Shelia loved her present, and she and Tara took turns looking at all of the pictures Shania didn’t have room to place in the collage.

  “Thank you,” Shelia said, giving Shania a big hug.

  Shania didn’t give the moment much thought until a week later, when she was back at Shelia’s house. Shania saw the collage, but not a single photo of Skylar remained. Shelia had removed them all and tossed them into the gift bag with the rest of the photos.

  ***

  Students say Rachel Shoaf’s descent began after Skylar disappeared, signaled by her smoking more and more weed, getting into trouble at school, and cutting herself. There are allegations Rachel was using harder drugs, too, and some people say she and Patricia were fighting more frequently. Rachel had skipped out on her lie detector test, hiding out with Tara and Shelia for hours until Gaskins and Berry found her. Her attendance at school had also grown spotty.

  Not long after Mary’s letter, Rachel’s behavior grew even more erratic. As Christmas approached, Patricia had reached the end of her rope. She called Rusty, who agreed to move in with them until the situation improved. It’s possible they also planned to hire a good therapist for their daughter. If so, they never got the chance. When Rachel returned from Christmas vacation with her mother, she was thrilled to be going home with her dad. Until Rusty and Patricia explained that it wasn’t going to happen. Instead, Rachel’s dad was moving back in. The announcement triggered a huge family fight. Rachel was committed to Chestnut Ridge Center for observation on December 28 and not released until January 3. Just in time for the climax, as the curtain opened on Act Three.

  Chapter 27

  Complications

  Less than one week after she was committed to the local mental hospital, Rachel Shoaf walked out the front door a free individual.

  She wasn’t free for long, though. Her stay at Chestnut Ridge Center had resulted in more than the Shoafs ever imagined. Rachel seemed to need to unburden herself. Perhaps she was going to reveal what she knew about Skylar. Where she was. Who had taken her. Why she hadn’t come home yet. Her parents were relieved to see Rachel’s transformation.

  So instead of going home, they drove their daughter straight to her attorney’s office downtown. Once there, Patricia and Rusty waited while Rachel spoke to John Angotti privately. Rachel wasn’t gone long before she returned to the waiting room, trading places with her parents. After Patricia and Rusty were seated and the office door was closed, Angotti delivered the shocking news: “Your daughter is directly involved in the murder of Skylar Neese.”

  Stunned, Patricia thought back to all the lies Rachel had told her ever since Skylar disappeared. She thought of Rachel’s future—and the life she had just thrown away. One part of Patricia’s mind wouldn’t accept what Angotti was saying. The other part knew it was true. Patricia crumpled to the floor, weeping.

  ***

  When Angotti’s call came through, Corporal Gaskins couldn’t have been more surprised.

  “My client has something she wants to tell you. Is the immunity offer still on the table?” Gaskins said yes and told Angotti he would be right over.

  The prosecutor had granted Rachel and Shelia full immunity from prosecution back in the fall for information about Skylar’s disappearance. Yet now Angotti was saying that Rachel had agreed to lead police to Skylar’s body. Gaskins had known the two girls were keeping a big secret, but the entire time he’d been working the case, he had hoped this wasn’t it.

  The state police corporal was replaying the details of the case as he wove the cruiser through traffic. All the way across town, through the slush and snow still on the streets after the recent snowfall, he mulled over the news. Gaskins wondered if Angotti had misunderstood what the teenager had said somehow. Yet Angotti had a reputation as a tough but excellent attorney; surely he knew how to get straight answers from his own client. Nor would he have been careless with the details. But Gaskins knew from experience that just because a client said they were ready to talk didn’t mean they actually would. Not when it came right down to it.


  If Rachel did know what happened to Skylar, perhaps law enforcement would finally learn how, exactly, Skylar’s disappearance was connected to the bank robberies. Had Darek killed her to cover up something Skylar had learned? Or maybe it really was as simple as an overdose, and Rachel and Shelia had managed to keep quiet. Gaskins thought of all the hours he and Berry had logged and all the time Colebank and Spurlock had put in. The dozen or so extra city, state, and federal officers who had helped, and become engrossed by, the case. Now they were finally going to learn the truth.

  Gaskins walked into the law offices, his face a mask. Agent Brock Ambrosini had already arrived. The men said their hellos, exchanging small pleasantries about the weather or work, then sat around the conference table. The tension in the air was palpable.

  Angotti had told her parents he and Rachel would need several hours with the police, and suggested the police bring Rachel home. After Rachel’s mind-blowing revelation, Angotti honestly didn’t know if Rachel would even make it back home.

  When Angotti brought Rachel into the conference room, she didn’t look like the same girl who had been stonewalling everyone for four months. She appeared exhausted. As soon as she began talking, Gaskins knew something had changed. She no longer mentioned being too stoned to remember details. She wasn’t flippant or careless. Clearly this girl wanted to talk. Rachel Shoaf was finally ready to tell the truth.

  While Ambrosini, known as one of the most skilled polygraph examiners in the FBI, conducted the interview, Gaskins waited for the teen to say that she and Shelia had given their friend some kind of drug, an overdose. Or that Skylar had fallen and hit her head, and when they couldn’t wake her up, they’d gotten scared and had left her behind. The seasoned investigator was expecting anything other than what he heard that day in Angotti’s conference room.

  “We stabbed her,” Rachel said.

  Gaskins looked up from his paper, trying to get a good look at the teenager’s eyes. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I heard you right.”