Introducing: THREE

Summary

Summary of "Nobody Should Believe Me" – Episode: Introducing: THREE

Release Date: December 6, 2024

Introduction

In the premiere episode titled "Introducing: THREE" of Nobody Should Believe Me, host Andrea Dunlop delves into the harrowing true crime series "Three" by Waveland Road. This episode explores the tragic case of Skylar Neese, a teenage girl whose disappearance and murder a decade ago left her family and community shattered. Through interviews with friends, family members, law enforcement, and expert commentary, the episode unravels the complexities surrounding the case, shedding light on the dynamics of female friendships and the dark undercurrents that led to Skylar's untimely death.

Background: Skylar Neese's Disappearance

On July 6, 2012, Skylar Neese, a 16-year-old from Morgantown, West Virginia, vanished under mysterious circumstances. Her disappearance initiated a search that would unearth more questions than answers, ultimately revealing a story of deceit, manipulation, and tragic loss.

Andrea Dunlop introduces the series and its significance:

"I loved how they really centered the victim and her family and humanized what could have been an extremely sensationalized story in other hands. The journalism is top notch and this story is so compelling and it really shares many themes with Nobody Should Believe Me."
— Andrea Dunlop [00:09]

The Three Friends: Skylar, Sheila, and Rachel

Skylar's life was intertwined with two other young women, Sheila Eddy and Rachel Shoaf. Each brought distinct personalities and backgrounds to their friendship, creating a dynamic that was both strong and, ultimately, destructive.

• Skylar Neese: A compassionate and empathetic teenager, Skylar was deeply involved in social media, using it as an outlet for her thoughts and emotions. She was an honors student who struggled with subjects she excelled in academically.

• Sheila Eddy: Charismatic and adventurous, Sheila was the ringleader of the trio. Her ability to command and influence the group dynamics played a crucial role in the unfolding events leading to Skylar's disappearance.

• Rachel Shoaf: The dramatic and outgoing member, Rachel added intensity to the group's interactions. Her involvement introduced complexities that would strain the friendship further.

Skylar's Last Days and Social Media Activity

In the months leading up to her disappearance, Skylar's social media activity provided a window into her inner turmoil and the strains within her friendships.

Notable Tweets from Skylar:

"Three of my best friends are going out of town this weekend, leaving me with no plans fml and before going to sleep that night, stress will be the death of me."
— Skylar Neese [20:57]

"Always keep your cool. Coming up on three."
— Skylar Neese [44:31]

These tweets reflect Skylar's growing anxiety and feelings of isolation, hinting at deeper issues within the friendship trio.

The Night of July 6, 2012

On the night of July 6, after working an evening shift at Wendy's, Skylar returned home to find her parents, Dave and Mary Neese, in the living room. After bidding them goodnight, Skylar went to bed wearing a necklace with a gold maple leaf charm—a detail that would later become significant in the investigation.

Dave Neese describes the final moments:

"When you tell her why that... That's serial killer stuff right there. And it's scary as hell. There's somebody that young to be that evil. Are you born with or do you grow into it?"
— Dave Neese [44:57]

The following morning, Skylar did not wake as expected. Her parents discovered her absence and began a frantic search, which ultimately led to the grim discovery of her body months later.

Investigation and Search Efforts

The search for Skylar was extensive yet fraught with challenges. A crucial turning point came when a cadaver dog detected Skylar's necklace near the site where her body was hidden, indicating that Skylar had desired to be found.

Dave Neese recounts the moment of discovery:

"That's how they found Skylar. Skylar wanted to be found. It's amazing. It's truly amazing."
— Dave Neese [13:44]

The location revealed that Skylar had a deep connection with the wilderness, highlighting a possible motive or connection to her abduction and murder.

Impact on Family and Community

Skylar's disappearance and subsequent murder had a profound impact on her family, friends, and the broader community. Her parents, Dave and Mary, were left grappling with unanswered questions and the horrifying reality of their daughter's fate.

Mary Neese shares her perspective:

"She loved to be outside anything outside. She liked to pretend to play ball. She wasn't very good at it, but she... She loved to go to the mall. Of course, every teenager does."
— Mary Neese [16:40]

The community's response included the creation of a memorial site adorned with personal mementos, reflecting the deep sense of loss and the desire to honor Skylar's memory.

Examination of Relationships and Dynamics

The intricate relationships between Skylar, Sheila, and Rachel formed the crux of the investigation. The toxic dynamics and shifting power structures within their friendship ultimately led to tragic consequences.

Aunt Carol Michaud provides insight into the group dynamics:

"Sheilla knew those people, and Skylar tagged along. So what happens in high school? Everyone plays the role. Skylar always reminded me of the girl next door... And it really bothered Skylar, probably more than the other two realized."
— Carol Michaud [25:37]

The podcast explores how societal expectations, peer pressure, and individual vulnerabilities can culminate in catastrophic outcomes.

Insights and Commentary

Andrea Dunlop intersperses the narrative with her reflections on responsible true crime storytelling, emphasizing the importance of survivor-centric narratives and ethical journalism. She also highlights the parallels between the "Three" series and Nobody Should Believe Me, underscoring shared themes of female violence and the challenges in understanding the perpetrators of such heinous acts.

Conclusion and Connection to "Nobody Should Believe Me"

The episode concludes by connecting the detailed exploration of Skylar Neese's case to the broader mission of Nobody Should Believe Me. Andrea Dunlop introduces her new network, True Story Media, aimed at uplifting true crime creators and fostering thoughtful, survivor-centric content.

Andrea Dunlop announces the network's first creator partner:

"Britney is back in 2025 with brand new episodes, this time helping others tell their own stories of betrayal, heartache, and resilience. If you love Nobody Should Believe Me, I think you will also love You Probably Think This Story's About You for its themes of deception, complex family intrigue, and its raw, vulnerable storytelling."
— Andrea Dunlop [34:40]

Notable Quotes

• Andrea Dunlop:
  "Podcasting is just the Wild west, y'all, and these experiences are what led me to launch my new network, True Story Media."
  [34:40]

• Dave Neese:
  "There is somebody that young to be that evil. Are you born with or do you grow into it?"
  [44:57]

• Carol Michaud:
  "We have 10 brothers and four sisters."
  [25:59]

Final Thoughts

"Introducing: THREE" serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of teenage friendships and the devastating impact of unresolved tensions. Through meticulous storytelling and compassionate interviews, the episode not only recounts a tragic event but also invites listeners to reflect on the complexities of human relationships and the importance of empathy and understanding in preventing such tragedies.

For those eager to delve deeper into Skylar Neese's case and the subsequent exploration by Nobody Should Believe Me, this episode sets the stage for a compelling journey into one of true crime's most heartbreaking narratives.

Transcript

[Skylar Neese]

Foreign.

[Andrea Dunlop]

Hello, it's Andrea and today I wanted to share the first episode from one of my favorite series I listened to this year three from Waveland Road. This series features award winning journalists Justine Harmon and Holly Malaya as they explore the murder of a teenage girl named Skylar Nees a decade ago, talking to her friends, family and law enforcement. I will tell you that I am very picky about true crime and this series is just so well made. I loved how they really centered the victim and her family and humanized what could have been an extremely sensationalized story in other hands. The journalism is top notch and this story is so compelling and it really shares many themes with Nobody Should Believe Me. In particular this specter of female violence and our assumptions about who is capable of committing a heinous act. So please enjoy the first episode here today and I guarantee you you will want to listen to the rest immediately. And you can do that wherever you get your podcast. And of course we'll include links in our show notes. Well friends, it's 2025. It's here. This year is going to be. Well, one thing it won't be is boring. And that's about the only prediction I'm going to make right now. But one piece of news that I am excited to share is that the wait for my new book, the Mother Next Door is almost over. It is coming at February 4th from St. Martin's Press. So soon. I co authored this book with friend and beloved contributor of this show, Detective Mike Weber, about three of the most impactful cases of his career. Even if you are one of the OG est of OG listeners to this show, I promise you are going to learn so many new and shocking details about the three cases we cover. We just go into so much more depth on these stories and you're also going to learn a ton about Mike's story.

[Mary Neese]

Story.

[Andrea Dunlop]

Now I know y'all love Detective Mike because he gets his very own fan mail here at Nobody Should Believe Me. And if you've ever wondered how did Mike become the detective when it came to Munchausen by proxy cases, you are going to learn all about his origin story in this book. And I know we've got many audiobook listeners out there, so I am very excited to share with you. The audiobook is read by me, Andrea Dunlop, your humble narrator of this very show. I really loved getting to read this book and I'm so excited to share this with you. If you are able to pre order the book, doing so will really help us out. It will signal to our publisher that there is excitement about the book and it will also give us a shot at that all important bestseller list. And of course if that's simply not in the budget right now, we get it. Books are not cheap. Library sales are also extremely important for books, so putting in a request at your local library is another way that you can help. So you can pre order the book right now in all formats at the link in our show notes. And if you are in Seattle or Fort Worth, Mike and I are doing live events the week of launch which you can also find more information about at the link in our show notes. These events will be free to attend, but please do RSVP so that we can plan accordingly. See you out there. What was that? From the director of the Invisible Man.

[Skylar Neese]

What's wrong with Daddy?

[Andrea Dunlop]

He got infected. And Blumhouse, producers of the Black Phone.

[Dave Neese]

Something's happening to him.

[Skylar Neese]

Can you hear me?

[Mary Neese]

I can't understand you.

[Carol Michaud]

Mommy, he's changing. Wait. Daddy, is that you?

[Dave Neese]

Wolfman Directed by Leigh Bonnell.

[Andrea Dunlop]

Rated R. Under 17 out of middle without parent. Only in theaters Friday.

[Skylar Neese]

This podcast is intended for mature audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

[Justine Harmon]

After midnight on July 6, 2012, three teenage girls walked into the thick Appalachian woods somewhere along the Mason Dixon county line. Hours later, under the glow of a nearly full moon, only two walked out. Driving down the narrow back road, the headlights of the car bore holes through the dark. What's done was done. The surrounding forest had muffled the sounds of the sudden, unthinkable violence. Where there was laughing, then screaming, there is now silence. Where there was struggle and carnage, there is now stillness. But listen closely. Six feet from where Skylar's body has been abandoned, the faint babbling of a creek. A cell phone, lost in the chaos, fell between the creek and Skylar, whose multicolored blouse and yellow shorts are thick with blood and mud. For months, her body lay decomposing, hidden beneath a canopy of pine and oak trees, first absorbing humidity, then freezing over with ice. For months she waited for someone to find her, but no one knew she was there. No one could imagine what had actually happened. For months, rumors swirled and still no one came.

[Carol Michaud]

Anybody who has any information, we're urging them to call if you've seen this young lady anywhere. By the way, there have been 172 sightings and law enforcement told us just.

[Skylar Neese]

A couple of minutes ago that none.

[Carol Michaud]

Of them have panned out thus far.

[Dave Neese]

The 16 year old girl quietly slipped.

[Justine Harmon]

Out of her room last July but never came home.

[Skylar Neese]

Investigators pulled the video from Skyler's apartment building and saw her jumping into a car parked near her window.

[Dave Neese]

Oh man, this is a mess. Let me get this stuff out of here. I am so sorry my friend's car broke down and a true mess.

[Skylar Neese]

Dave Neese has just finished unloading trucks and running the forklift at Menards, a home improvement store, and is driving me from Morgantown, West Virginia through Blacksville to an obscure corner of the woods in Brave, Pennsylvania. Dave is a sturdy, muscular, soft hearted man with dark eyes and a thick head of hair. He hasn't changed much since the last time I saw him, though he's grown more gray and he has lost some weight. We've stayed in touch over the years and now we're headed to Skylar's memorial site, the place where his 16 year old daughter was murdered.

[Dave Neese]

Oh man, it's hot in there. I apologize.

[Skylar Neese]

I'm so happy you know your way.

[Dave Neese]

Around because yeah, it's kind of.

[Skylar Neese]

It's tricky.

[Dave Neese]

I'm going to take you the way that Sheila and Rachel started to go.

[Skylar Neese]

When I first came to Morgantown, a college community nestled in the hills along the Monongahela river, it was January 2014. The air was bitter cold, the sky gray. Snow was falling through the barren trees surrounding the town center. The coal trains labored along the tracks, sounding their mournful whistle, a warning. I was there reporting a story I'd pitched to Elle magazine. Titled Trial by Twitter, the piece examines social media and its impact on teens and empathy and what that lack of empathy can lead to. During the months I reported and wrote the piece, I met Justine.

[Justine Harmon]

I was an editor at Elle. Holly's story was one of the longest run by the magazine and certainly one of the most well read online. I tracked it topping chartbeat for months and it went on to win a prestigious front page award. Your story examined the early days of social media and you saw the Matrix. You knew that these digital artifacts of their young emotional lives would live on forever. For years we talked about this piece of three friends of girls of social media, of one night that no one could take back.

[Skylar Neese]

The case was a global obsession and much of what has been reported always felt off to us. A complex case involving three teens that deserved closer analysis beyond just a shocking headline. Ten years later, nearly everyone we interviewed, from Skyler's family and friends to law enforcement, recall new factual and emotional details, giving us an inside look at what really happened. With hindsight, even the most dissected moments find new shape and take on new meaning.

[Justine Harmon]

The very last time Dave and Mary Nese saw Their only child, Skylar, was in a grainy black and white video. In it, she's sneaking out of her ground floor bedroom window in the middle of the night, her purse over her shoulder, her brown hair swinging as she hurries across the small parking lot to a waiting car. Watching Skylar climb into the backseat during those last few seconds of footage retrieved from the apartment building security camera, there's an urge to call out to her, don't go. But the door closes, the car pulls away, and she's gone.

[Skylar Neese]

It's August 2023. The temperature 83 degrees, the humidity sky high. Dave and I are driving west down Route 7.

[Dave Neese]

We're now entering Blacksville and you can tell by the airplane that's been up there for years and years and years.

[Skylar Neese]

Over 60 years, actually. The 43 foot Korean War fighter plane marks the entrance into Blacksville, a town born in 1829 and once famous for its rich native clay pottery. In the 60s, Blacksville turned into a coal mining enclave. The last mine closed in 2021, draining the small population down to 118. It's one of a cluster of tiny townships that crisscrossed the line between West Virginia and Pennsylvania so fast it's easy to lose track of which state you're in around here.

[Dave Neese]

Right up here on the left hand side is Shack neighborhood House. We took Skylar there for two or three summers because it was sheep and it was swimming and she loved swimming. And that's where she met the little sick psychopath Sheila Eddy, right there.

[Skylar Neese]

Now we're on Eddie's Run Road. Note the name, there are a lot of Eddies out here. The road is 2.3 miles long and curls through Wayne Township, Pennsylvania.

[Dave Neese]

There ain't no cell coverage out here. I mean, turn on your cell phone, you're not going to get any service.

[Skylar Neese]

It was around this once wooded stretch that some of the bloodiest Civil War battles were fought. And it was here that Skylar's body was discovered.

[Dave Neese]

They don't know it, but they left Skylar in her element. I mean, she loved the wilderness, she loved the outdoors. So when you first go around this turn, you say, oh, there it is. That's Skyler's sight. And that's the big tree. That's where they found her at.

[Skylar Neese]

From Waveland, I'm Holly Millay.

[Justine Harmon]

And I'm Justine Harmon. This is three Episode one Skylar is missing.

[Dave Neese]

Oh, won't you bring her flowers? She'll love you. Oh, did I lock you in? I think I have to.

[Skylar Neese]

I got it.

[Dave Neese]

Did you get her? Okay, from what I was understood the Cadabra dog, when it came out here to search for Skylar, they couldn't find her. Couldn't find her? Couldn't find her. Well, there was a bunch of brush right here. And the cadaver dog came over to this tree, looked straight up at the tree and its necklace. GPS necklace broke and fell off for no reason at all, right on top of Skyler. That's how they found Skylar. Skyler wanted to be found. It's amazing. It's truly amazing.

[Skylar Neese]

The site where his only child's life ended has been turned into a memorial. What started with a wooden bench inscribed in loving memory of Schuyler A. Neese 1996-2012 has grown into a shrine filled with flowers, angel statues, metal butterflies, and painted purple rocks, mementos left by the pilgrims that journey to this now sacred place. Leaning against the towering oak tree is a granite slab, a headstone of sorts, engraved with a drawing of Skylar's dog, Leeloo, and a message for Skylar, we will love you forever and always. Up and down the great tree trunk, visitors have mounted actual license plates from across the country. Ohio, Colorado, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, along with angel wings, rosaries, wreaths, stars and crosses. In the middle of it all is Schuyler's high school picture. She's smiling, dimpled, forever 16. It's the same photo used in her missing persons flyer. Just below it, also attached to the tree, is a locked green mailbox with the initial S. Dave hands me a key.

[Dave Neese]

It's a busy mail day for the kid. She loves mail. Is that all?

[Skylar Neese]

Yeah.

[Dave Neese]

Okay, now we know we had the wrong key.

[Skylar Neese]

So now you know.

[Dave Neese]

There we go.

[Skylar Neese]

Okay.

[Dave Neese]

You want to go ahead and read them? I always read her mail.

[Skylar Neese]

Well, do you want to read it?

[Dave Neese]

No, go ahead.

[Skylar Neese]

Okay. Hi, Skylar. I'm sorry for what happened to you. I hope that you are doing good. You are so, so loved.

[Dave Neese]

You can tell a young kid wrote that?

[Justine Harmon]

Yeah.

[Dave Neese]

Oh, you spelled Skyler wrong.

[Skylar Neese]

The stickers.

[Dave Neese]

Oh, that is so sweet.

[Skylar Neese]

You take that to Mary.

[Dave Neese]

Yeah, I will. Nope. Another one. Let's see.

[Skylar Neese]

Skyler, I'm so sorry. What happened to you? They should be sorry. You're so pretty. You're amazing. From Ivory.

[Dave Neese]

Skyler, isn't that gorgeous?

[Skylar Neese]

I mean, that's so many people she touched, huh? Yeah, they just look strangers.

[Mary Neese]

She loved to be outside anything outside. She liked to pretend to play ball. She wasn't very good at it, but she. She liked to go to the mall. Of course, every teenager does. She loved to shop and I hate to shop, so that didn't work so well.

[Justine Harmon]

That's Skylar's mom and Dave's wife Mary, who with her black hair and violet eyes calls to mind Elizabeth Taylor. We had to interview Mary over the phone as she wasn't feeling well when we interviewed Dave in person.

[Mary Neese]

Clothes of course, she was a clothes freak. She loved bright colors and, you know, rainbow stuff she would mix and match and she did that for her wall decorations. She got, you know, wall art in purple and green. Oh my Lord, it's beautiful.

[Justine Harmon]

Skylar was a total mid aughts teen. She loved Snoop Dogg and Tyga Forever 21, the Twilight series, and her white fluffy Maltese Lilou. She was also an honors student at University High School, excelling in math and science, two subjects she couldn't stand. Early in the summer before her junior year, she'd gotten a jump on the required reading, Susan Sontag's Regarding the Pain of Others and Saul Bellow's 1959 surrealist novel Henderson the Rain King, in which the protagonist declares, if I don't get carried away, I never accomplish anything and alone I can be pretty good, but let me go among people and there's the devil to pay. And every teenager's rally cry I want, I want, I want, I want, I want.

[Skylar Neese]

Over the July 4th holiday 2012, all Skylar wanted was to be hanging out with Sheila and Rachel. Sheila was her childhood best friend since the second grade when they bonded at the Shack, an after school community center, though they'd never gone to the same school. That changed when Sheila's mom, Tara and her new husband, Jim moved the family from Blacksville to Morgantown. Suddenly, Skylar and Sheila were freshmen together at University High. That's where they met Rachel Shoaf, an unknown newbie who lived in an upscale development and had previously attended St. Francis Central Catholic School.

[Justine Harmon]

All three teens were their parents, only child, and all were attractive in distinct ways. Straight out of a CW network casting call. Rachel a tall, bright red headed beauty with a deep religious bend that complemented her flair for drama. She starred in school plays and musicals, always breaking up and making up with her musician boyfriend, McKenzie Boggs. Her mom, Patricia, often bragged about a Broadway connection who could one day make her only daughter a star in New York City. Sheila, spelled S H EE L R IA was sometimes bottle blonde, sometimes raven haired, and had small, lovely features, a heart shaped chin and a belly button ring. Charismatic and game for anything, Sheila could be fierce one moment and warm the next, keeping everyone on eggshells, vying for her approval Like Rachel, her parents divorced when she was young after her biological father suffered a traumatic car accident. But unlike Rachel, whose mother Patricia was strict and demanding, Sheila and her mom, Tara were extremely close, more like best friends than mother and daughter.

[Skylar Neese]

And then there was Skylar. Brunette, cherubic, with sparkly blue eyes and deep dimples. A daddy's girl, the kind of kid who has a soft spot for animals and insects, anything with a heartbeat. For years she wrote her hopes and fears and petty grievances in a diary. That is, until she took to Twitter, which all of the girls used as a stream of consciousness that never turned off. On Wednesday, July 4, Skylar tweeted, Three.

[Justine Harmon]

Of my best friends are going out of town this weekend, leaving me with.

[Skylar Neese]

No plans fml and before going to.

[Justine Harmon]

Sleep that night, stress will be the death of me.

[Andrea Dunlop]

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[Skylar Neese]

While they lived in different suburbs of Morgantown, Skylar, Rachel and Sheila all lived together on their phones. They spent their waking lives posting, texting, tweeting, retweeting, having whole consuming conversations in 140 characters. And they were completely unfiltered, as if they believed both no one and everyone could peer into their lives. And it wasn't just an occasional text or tweet. It was hundreds every day. As skyler tweeted on April 4, 2012.

[Justine Harmon]

Twitter seems to like swallow me at times.

[Skylar Neese]

Skylar may have lived out her teen angst online, but beneath it was a deep empathy. An empathy that much like Twitter could overwhelm her. As a young girl she was a champion of the underdog of everyone.

[Carol Michaud]

Actually she didn't care what kind of family you had. You know, she was about you and how you were. She didn't care if you were gay or if you weren't gay. You know, she just loved everybody.

[Justine Harmon]

That's Carol Michaud, Skylar's aunt and Mary's slightly younger sister. Carol's the youngest of 15.

[Carol Michaud]

15. We have 10 brothers and four sisters.

[Justine Harmon]

Oh, my goodness. Can you. Can you name them all?

[Carol Michaud]

If I do it on my fingers.

[Justine Harmon]

Kayla, Tarrett.

[Carol Michaud]

There's Deline, Delaine, Bernada, Eugene, William, Anthony, Lyle, Michael, Kevin, Brenda, Robert, Calvin, Ray. Mary.

[Justine Harmon]

Aunt Carol was like a second mom to Skylar. Even they look alike. Talking with Carol, you can almost picture Skylar all grown up. During a rough patch with Dave. Mary and Skylar moved in with Carol and her husband and their son Kyle.

[Carol Michaud]

If my son would get in trouble, it was like she was the one getting in trouble. She would cry with him and sit with him, you know, if he'd be in trouble. And it was just like she was so caring of everybody and just, you know, she was so much fun as well. She liked to pull pranks on me. One of them, me and Mary worked together. And I was decorating for a Christmas dinner, and I put this silverware in a jar, and I wanted to make the tissue paper look like little burnt around the edges. I didn't realize how fast tissue paper burned. And I lit that thing on fire, and it went up in this big old thing of smoke. Well, Mary went home and told Skylar about it, so she started calling me Sparky. And for Christmas, she couldn't wait for me to open up this gift she got me. And here she took a spark plug and made it into a Christmas ornament for me for Christmas. I was like, oh, my goodness.

[Andrea Dunlop]

There.

[Dave Neese]

She is as a baby. I Scott her as a baby. And of course, everybody thinks her kid's.

[Skylar Neese]

Beautiful, but my girl, that's Dave again. He's showing off Skylar's baby picture. She's perfectly angelic, with a halo of curls. We meet Dave at Jean's, the oldest bar in Morgantown, complete with a speakeasy. In the basement, dogs are not only allowed, but given free hot dogs. Some mornings you can find a group of wagging tails outside waiting for the place to open. Lucy, the Irish bartender, is from Tipperary and makes a mean pepperoni roll. On the back wall is a big screen where on game nights, you can watch the West Virginia University Mountaineers play. The town is so team crazy that when they win, fans set couches on fire. The tradition was such a hazard, couch burning became a felony in 2011. Just having upholstered furniture outdoors could get you a $500 fine. Like everyone else in Morgantown, Dave is a football fanatic. Skylar, not so much.

[Dave Neese]

I'm screaming for the Mountaineers, and I'm getting so mad because they're not doing what they're supposed to do. And she came down the steps and she looked at me and said, dad, can I ask you a question? I said, yeah. How is your life going to change tomorrow? If they. And I said, they will. It'll just be better. She said, no, tell me how your life's going to change. How is that going to affect you, dad? And I said, go back upstairs. I mean, she was that kind of girl. She would. She wanted answers. Why? I want to know why. And when you tell her why that.

[Mary Neese]

Wasn'T good enough, he tries to act like Mr. Badass, and he is just a big old teddy bear, you know, he'll lose his temper and bare his teeth. And even Skylar would tell him, go sit down, dad. He didn't scare her either.

[Dave Neese]

There was one way to look at things, and that was Skyler's way. Any other way, you were wrong. I'm sorry? You could be Einstein, but you're so wrong.

[Skylar Neese]

In keeping with her age, Skylar's tweets were a little romantic, sometimes dramatic, and often spot on. Justine, take it away, okay?

[Justine Harmon]

Mosquitoes are disgusting creatures from hell. Everything about my parents driving pisses me off. Rach's singing is breathtaking. Wrapping presents for Sheila's family, even though I never do for my own. I like Obama. Shout out to my dad for getting me McDonald's. OMG, saved by the Bell is on every dude at Walmart right now. Smells like a God.

[Skylar Neese]

Skylar was less experienced than most teens her age. Never having had a boyfriend, she was in no rush to cross the Rubicon into womanhood. Sheila, on the other hand, was way ahead of the curve. I'll let her tweets do the talking.

[Justine Harmon]

I wish it was acceptable to be naked all the time. There's a reason why sober and so bored sound almost exactly the same. Love having the upper hand. Megan Fox is the definition of perfection. Lesbian. This generation is fucked. Imagine what it'll be like when our kids have kids. If you talk about how you're madly in love with Justin Bieber, I probably want to stab you. You fuel my determination to not have feelings.

[Skylar Neese]

Rachel, always the actress, was all feelings. Her digital self portrait sounds like.

[Justine Harmon]

Sometimes I wish I didn't fall in love. I want to go to Hogwarts more than anything. A day with me and Sheila is never a dull day. Lol. Don't make a permanent decision for a temporary emotion. Giving up? Crying for Lent. Tangled is such a good movie. Then he cuts her hair off and I'm like ew. Wtf? No, snow makes everything more quiet. I have the most realistic nightmares. I can't remember what's a dream and what's reality anymore.

[Skylar Neese]

It's no accident that shows like Sex in the City and girls revolve around four friends instead of three. Three's a crowd. Especially if you are a teenage girl and four or five or more against all mathematical reason isn't. Any girl who's been caught in a social triangle knows this. She knows too, the undercurrent of anxiety felt by all. Recognizing that the degrees of love and the balance of power are always shifting, thinking you are being left off a text thread, being ghosted, being casually excluded from a sleepover when it was just Skylar and Sheila. The two were in sync.

[Dave Neese]

Never even knocked on the door when Skylar was home. She just come over and open the door and come in and we didn't care because she was that close to Skylar, that close to us.

[Justine Harmon]

So close. Skylar often went with Sheila and her mom to Myrtle Beach, a nine hour drive from Morgantown. Former Dominion Post crime reporter Alex Lang, now an [e-mail] covered the area and the case at length.

[Skylar Neese]

Everybody needs a place they can go on vacation for $1,000 with a family.

[Mary Neese]

That's what Myrtle beach is. It caters to the working families in.

[Dave Neese]

Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia who don't have.

[Skylar Neese]

A ton of money but want to.

[Mary Neese]

Take the family on vacation. It's just built that reputation and everybody goes there and they love it because you can do those things and you don't break the bank.

[Dave Neese]

Every summer they went on vacation, we give Skylar a couple hundred bucks, whatever she needed and she would go down with Sheila. I guess for the longest time they had a good time, you know.

[Skylar Neese]

When Rachel entered the picture, she made three. Shelagh, the natural alpha, took her place at the top of the pyramid. She wouldn't have it any other way. But what made it so easy for her to assume the position was the simple fact that she was the only one among the girls with her own car. She had the power, the control. She held the keys to a great escape away from boredom, parents and boundaries.

[Justine Harmon]

Build a routine with Ollie that supports your wellness needs. Like getting your daily vitamins and minerals with Ollie's multigummies or keeping your mood upbeat with all the vitamin D and hello happy. Give your gut health, some support with probiotics, and wake up feeling refreshed after taking Ollie Sleep. Do wellness on your terms. Find Ollie at a Walmart or Target near you [e-mail] these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

[Andrea Dunlop]

If you've been listening to this show for a while, you know that I have very strong feelings about what is and is not responsible true crime content. Maybe you've heard me make some pointed comments about the producers of a certain film. Or perhaps you've heard one of my dozen or so rants about a certain journalist whose name rhymes with Schmeich Schmixenbach. And if you've been with me for a while, you'll also know that getting Nobody Should Believe Me on the air was quite the rollercoaster. Podcasting is just the way Wild west y'all. And these experiences are what led me to launch my new network, True Story Media, where we are all about uplifting true crime creators doing the work and making thoughtful Survivor centric shows. And I could not be more thrilled to announce our very first creator partner. You probably think this story's about you the first season of this enthralling show from breakout creator Brittany Ard took podcasting by storm in 2024, zooming to the number one spot in the charts on Apple and Spotify as Britney revealed the captivating story of a romantic deception that upended her life and trace the roots of her own complicated personal history that led her there. Britney is back in 2025 with brand new episodes, this time helping others tell their own stories of betrayal, heartache and resilience. If you love, nobody should believe me. I think you will also love. You probably think this story is about you for its themes of deception, complex family intrigue, and its raw, vulnerable storytelling. You can binge the full first season and listen to brand new episodes each week by following the show on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find it at the link in our show notes.

[Carol Michaud]

She would, you know, make the decisions of what they were doing or where they were going. And she was more of a ringleader and the head of the group. Just, you know, I think she was more jealous of Skylar. If Rachel and Skylar were together, you didn't see that kind of, you know, one being over the other.

[Skylar Neese]

Aunt Carol's son Kyle, Skylar's cousin, attended U High with the girls, a senior to the sophomores. He didn't like what he Was seeing.

[Carol Michaud]

He come home and he told me, he said, you need to tell aunt Mary not to let her run around with those two. And I said, oh, I can't do that. And he said, they're bad news, mom. You know, they're not good for her. Yeah, she started being a little bit more secretive and not as outgoing as she was before. So, you know that. And, you know, we'd ask her, you know, is something wrong? And she'd be like, no, nothing's wrong. And I know one time I was over at her house and she had bruises across her legs. And I said, skylar, what's your bruises from?

[Justine Harmon]

Tom Bloom, their tanned and white toothed high school counselor and current Monongalia County Commission president, witnessed the trio's dynamic.

[Tom Bloom]

Whenever I see a problem really developing, it's usually an odd number, three or five or seven. And I try and warn parents have two or four, because everyone can work together, you can find that other partner. What usually happens. And growing up, you know, with everything going on right now, to gang up against one. And that's what seemed to happen. What happened was Sheila wasn't known at the school, but she was very pretty and Rachel was outgoing. So Sheila wanted to be friends with Rachel. And, you know, then Skylar came too. So you had a threesome until it became apparent that Rachel wanted to get into even a higher group of partying individuals. Sheila was that group. Sheila knew those people, and Skylar tagged along. So what happens in high school? Everyone plays the role. Skylar always reminded me of the girl next door, the one that you, you know, you make fun of and stuff like that. But if anyone ever touch her or do anything to her, you were the first one there. And she was always like the kid sister. And I really, truly believe that somewhere along the line, Skylar started to speak out for herself and started to disrupt that threesome when. When they fought, everyone knew they fought. And then you have the whole thing with Facebook and Twitter and stuff, that's a whole separate. But at the time it was. They. It really bothered Skylar, probably more than the other two realized. And she started writing in her journal.

[Justine Harmon]

At home in her purple and green bedroom, Skyler poured her hurt feelings onto the page in girlish print. She wrote in pencil and dotted her eyes with circles when investigators were looking for clues. The dusty gray diary with the embossed heart on the COVID provided an alternate window into the weeks leading up to Skylar's disappearance, including that final trip to Myrtle beach with Sheila. Here's Skylar's dad Dave, again.

[Dave Neese]

And then the last Trip. There was friction and. I don't know, it talked about it briefly in her diary, but it didn't go into depth. I think the fight was about Sheila telling her, you never saw what you saw.

[Skylar Neese]

Whatever happened at Myrtle Beach, Skylar was pissed. On June 9, two days after she got home, she retweeted, won't miss anyone.

[Justine Harmon]

From school over summer. Cause if we're really friends, we'll hang out. If we aren't, we won't.

[Skylar Neese]

But by July 4, her insecurity was apparent.

[Justine Harmon]

Sick of being at fucking home. Thanks, friends. Love hanging out with you all, too.

[Skylar Neese]

Two days later, on July 6, after working the evening shift at Wendy's, Skylar came home to her parents watching television. Mary sitting in a recliner and Dave lying on the couch. Skylar kissed them both and told them she loved them and that she was tired and going to bed. When she kissed Dave goodnight, she was wearing her necklace with a gold maple leaf charm.

[Dave Neese]

The last night she ever hugged me, that necklace fell out, hit me in the chin. And I said, you watch that necklace, you gonna give me a chin bleed.

[Skylar Neese]

The next morning, Dave went to work while Skylar slept in, or so they thought.

[Dave Neese]

I came home from work to give her the car. She didn't really have a license, but she had her permit and she drove my car. But she was really safe and a good kid. And I knocked on the door. I said, sky, let's go. Come on. I gotta get back to work. No answer. I tried the door and it was locked. So I grabbed the coat hanger and popped it through a little hole and popped the lock open. Her bed hadn't been slept in. I said, and panic hits immediately. And I looked at the window and it was about this far open. And I said, oh. I looked outside the window and there was nothing but over that little retaining wall, there was a black. Her black bench that she used for her makeup. And I said, what the hell is going on? First thing I do is call Mary. And I said, mary Scott ain't here. We worse yet. And I was praying she'd say, oh, she called me.

[Mary Neese]

I just thought. Because it was summer, and I just thought she had went somewhere with the girls and didn't tell us. You know, she had a history of sneaking out, and either she forgot to ask or she just decided she was doing it. I just thought she had. They went shopping or something. And that's what I told Dave. I said, well, call Sheila.

[Dave Neese]

So I did. I called Sheila. I said, when's the last time you talked to Skyler? Oh, I Don't know. Last night. It was just last night I talked to her. It was just so reversed, almost. I said, so you haven't seen her? Nope. Ken talked to her. So, no. I sent her a couple texts, but she didn't answer.

[Mary Neese]

Then when Sheila didn't know, I had him call, you know, some of the other girls that she used to hang with. And I even told him at the time, I said, well, she has to be at work at 4 o'clock. I said, maybe she's just going to go straight to work. I said, she, if she don't show up at work, then we'll worry. Well, then, by the time I got home, it was 4 o'clock and her work had called us. Something's wrong. Call 911.

[Justine Harmon]

All anyone knew was what Sheila and Rachel would later tell Mary and Dave and then the police, that Skylar snuck out to meet them at around 11pm to go for a ride and smoke some weed before Rachel went off to church camp before midnight. The girl said Skylar insisted they drop her off at the end of her street so she wouldn't wake Dave and Mary.

[Skylar Neese]

As for the car that picked her up in the grainy videotape, whoever she snuck back out to meet around 12:31am, well, for months, that would be anybody's guess. Adding to the speculation were Skylar's last two tweets, posted before she left for work at Wendy's on the night of July 5th.

[Justine Harmon]

You doing shit like that is why I will never, never completely trust you.

[Skylar Neese]

And then a retweet.

[Justine Harmon]

All I do is hope Sheila, who.

[Skylar Neese]

Had the lion's share of their tweets, over 4,000, was quiet all of July 4th and July 5th. On July 6th, at 6:09am, she logged back online to fire off one cryptic message.

[Justine Harmon]

Always keep your cool.

[Skylar Neese]

Coming up on three.

[Mary Neese]

I just kept hearing things from my neighbor. And she would be, why isn't your daughter's friend cooperating? And, you know, I started thinking, yeah, why isn't, you know, what's going on?

[Dave Neese]

I'm telling you, that's serial killer stuff right there. And it's scary as hell. It really is. There's somebody that young to be that evil. Are you born with or do you grow into it?

[Andrea Dunlop]

That's not a typical reaction of someone that's just been picked up for murder. It wasn't, oh, you know, what's happening to me next? It was, okay, am I going to miss my hair appointment?

[Skylar Neese]

We were terrified. And we were screaming and crying and vomiting and losing our minds over this whole situation. Freaking out.

[Andrea Dunlop]

If you've been listening to this show for a while, you know that I have very strong feelings about what is and is not responsible true crime content. Maybe you've heard me make some pointed comments about the producers of a certain film. Or perhaps you've heard one of my dozen or so rants about a certain journalist whose name rhymes with Schmeich Schmixenbach. And if you've been with me for a while, you'll also know that getting Nobody Should Believe Me on the air was quite the rollercoaster. Podcasting is just the Wild west, y'all, and these experiences are what led me to launch my new network, True Story Media, where we are all about uplifting true crime creators doing the work and making thoughtful Survivor centric shows. And I could not be more thrilled to announce our very first creator partner. You probably think this story's about you the first season of this enthralling show from breakout creator Brittany Ard took podcasting by storm in 2024, zooming to the number one spot in the charts on Apple and Spotify as Britney revealed the captivating story of a romantic deception that upended her life and trace the roots of her own complicated personal history that led her there. Britney is back in 2025 with brand new episodes, this time helping others tell their own stories of betrayal, heartache and resilience. If you love, nobody should believe me. I think you will also love. You probably think this story is about you for its themes of deception, complex family intrigue and its raw, vulnerable storytelling. You can binge the full first season and listen to brand new episodes each week by following the show on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find it at the link in our show Notes as soon.

[Skylar Neese]

As it Happened oh my God.

[Andrea Dunlop]

You know what?

[Carol Michaud]

I. I need to tell you a secret. I. I just forgot you have a secret from me. Well, I mean, I've never told. I haven't told anyone.

[Dave Neese]

Not even Skylar.

[Mary Neese]

No.

[Justine Harmon]

3 is an original production of Waveland. The series is created and written by Holly Millay and me, Justine Harmon. The Executive producer is Jason Hoak, who produced and edited the series. Associate producers are Lydia Horne and Leo Culp. Fact checking by Lydia Horne Sound engineering by Shane Freeman Music by Robert Ellis Studio Recording at CDM Studios in New York and Wildwood's Picture and Sound in Los Angeles. Special thanks to Dave and Mary Neese in the city of Morgantown, West Virginia. If you love the series, leave a review and please tell your friends Follow Waveland on Instagram avelandmedia for more on this series and upcoming new shows. Thanks for listening.