"Why? Why? Why?" | Chapter 8

Summary

Podcast Summary: Three - Episode "Why? Why? Why?" | Chapter 8

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Introduction and Context

In the gripping tenth episode of Waveland's true crime series Three, titled "Why? Why? Why?", hosts Justine Harmon and Holly Millay delve deeper into the tragic 2012 murder of Skylar Neese. The episode, released on March 29, 2024, explores the complex dynamics of the teenage triangle that led to Skylar's untimely death and its enduring impact on her family and the community.

Setting the Scene: The Neese Family Home

The episode opens with a poignant visit to the Neese family's residence in Morgantown, West Virginia. Justine Harmon recounts her visit in February 2014, shortly after Rachel Shoaf was sentenced for Skylar's murder.

“In the living room, Skylar was smiling from pictures, drawings, collages and a photo blanket draped across a chair... Dave wore some of Skylar's ashes in the cross around his neck, and Mary too, in her heart-shaped locket.” ([03:15])

The home is depicted as a sanctuary frozen in time, honoring Skylar's memory with personal possessions and memorials, reflecting the deep loss the family continues to endure.

Life Inside Lakin Correctional Center

The narrative shifts to Lakin Correctional Center, the only women's prison in West Virginia, where both Rachel Shoaf and Sheila Eddy are incarcerated. The episode provides a detailed description of the prison's restrictive environment, highlighting the stark contrast between inmates' perceived freedoms and the harsh realities of prison life.

“At Lakin, everything is highly regulated—from the daily inmate counts at 6 AM to strict guidelines on personal appearances and limited recreational time.” ([08:36])

Stormy Wilson, a former inmate who served time alongside Sheila and Rachel, shares her chilling first impressions of them:

“Sheila was sitting on the bench beside me... it's like, how did people even not realize that in the real world that she had that evil?” ([09:05])

Stormy's account underscores the manipulative and intimidating presence both women wielded within the prison, shaping the social hierarchy and influencing fellow inmates.

Interactions and Influence Within Prison

The episode explores the precarious relationships between Rachel, Sheila, and other inmates. Rachel's close bond with Amy Cobb, leading to their marriage post-release, is particularly highlighted:

“They were caught and separated, but would see each other in the rec yard... Rachel was able to keep Amy firmly in her thrall.” ([14:15])

Sheila Eddy's popularity and manipulative nature are further examined, revealing how both women maintained extensive networks of influence even behind bars.

Impact on the Neese Family and Community

Justine Harmon and Holly Millay emphasize the relentless grief experienced by the Neese family, who remain deeply connected to Skylar's memory through social media and personal outreach. The family's struggle to move forward is palpable, as they navigate the possibility of Rachel Shoaf's parole after a decade of incarceration.

“Once you've gotten to know Mary and Dave and Skylar and those who love them, you can't let go. You stay connected through Facebook and the Team Skylar page and texts and phone calls.” ([17:05])

Parole Hearing: Rachel Shoaf's Bid for Freedom

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to Rachel Shoaf's parole hearing on May 9, 2023. The hosts provide an intimate portrayal of the family's anticipation and anxiety as they await the parole board's decision.

“It's been almost 11 years now since Skylar was murdered, and now Shoaf is up for her first parole hearing next week.” ([20:09])

During the hearing, Rachel's emotional testimony reveals her remorse and the psychological turmoil that led to the crime:

“I realized that I was gay as an early teenager and that scared me... the relationship between Sheila and I was immediately very unhealthy and intense and obsessive.” ([22:22])

Her heartfelt apology to Skylar's family underscores the depth of her regret, though it leaves listeners questioning the sincerity and sufficiency of her remorse.

Family and Community Response

The Neese family's unwavering stance against Shoaf's release is evident throughout the episode. Dave and Mary Neese, along with close friends and community members, rally to support their daughter and oppose Shoaf's parole.

“More than 32,000 people signed an online petition advocating for the parole board to keep Shoaf in prison.” ([20:19])

This collective outcry reflects the broader societal impact of Skylar's murder and the enduring quest for justice and closure.

Conclusion: The Lingering Questions

As the parole hearing concludes without immediate resolution, the episode leaves listeners contemplating the complexities of justice, redemption, and the long-term effects of teenage relationships gone tragically wrong.

“And Rachel, who says she has received a high school degree and a bachelor's degree in culinary arts and cosmetology while incarcerated, says she hopes to move in with her mom and Mary should she be granted parole.” ([29:41])

The episode wraps up by highlighting the unresolved tensions and the ongoing emotional journey of those left behind, setting the stage for future explorations in the series.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Justine Harmon: “Skylar was smiling from pictures, drawings, collages...” ([03:15])
• Stormy Wilson: “It's like, how did people even not realize that in the real world that she had that evil?” ([09:05])
• Rachel Shoaf: “I was terrified of maybe getting kicked out of my house or maybe getting kicked out of my church...” ([22:22])
• Dave Neese: “It's been almost 11 years now since Skylar was murdered...” ([20:09])
• Rachel Shoaf: “I know that what we did was terrible and horrendous...” ([28:31])

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Final Thoughts

Three continues to provide a compelling and empathetic exploration of one of America's most haunting teenage murder cases. In "Why? Why? Why?", the series not only revisits the tragic events but also delves into the psychological and social intricacies that surround them. Through detailed interviews, personal anecdotes, and emotional testimonies, Justine Harmon and Holly Millay offer listeners a profound understanding of the lingering questions that remain unanswered a decade later.

For those seeking a deep, nuanced portrayal of true crime stories, Three by Waveland is an essential listen.

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If you enjoyed this summary, consider subscribing to Three on your favorite podcast platform and follow Waveland on Instagram @wavelandmedia for more insights and updates on upcoming episodes.

Transcript

[Ashley Flowers]

Hi everyone. I'm Ashley Flowers.

[Britt]

And I'm Britt.

[Ashley Flowers]

And every Monday we bring you a new episode of our number one true crime podcast, Crime Junkie, where we dive into all the gripping cases, from mysterious deaths to missing person cases to the headlines. Solved, unsolved, you name it.

[Britt]

And this year, we're bringing you Crime Junkie in a whole new way. Live on tour.

[Ashley Flowers]

That's right. We're hitting the road for a nationwide tour, traveling all over the country to bring you a seriously wild case for an in person investigative experience like you've never seen before.

[Britt]

We truly cannot wait to see you there. But tickets are selling fast, so don't wait.

[Ashley Flowers]

Yeah, a couple of venues are already close to being sold out, so head to crimejunkiepodcast.com to grab your tickets before they're gone. That is crimejunkiepodcast.com we'll see you soon. Netcredit is here to say yes to a personal loan or line of credit. When other lenders say no, apply in minutes and get a decision as soon as the same day. If approved, applications are typically funded the next business day or sooner. Loans offered by NetCredit or lending partner banks and serviced by Netcredit.

[Britt]

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[Ashley Flowers]

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[Britt]

And after, treat yourself to a buy.

[Ashley Flowers]

One, add one for one dollar deal with McValue or make it a meal with the five dollar meal deal. Because with McValue you always get more than you expect. Terms and conditions apply. This podcast is intended for mature audiences. Listener discretion is Wave Land.

[Justine Harmon]

The Moningalia Courthouse in Morgantown, West Virginia is just an eight minute drive from the Star City apartment where the Neese family lived. In February 2014, hours after Rachel Shoaf was sentenced to prison for murdering her best friend, Mary and Dave Neese welcomed me into their home. Skylar had helped pick out the apartment, which was open and spacious with hardwood floors and sliding glass doors leading out to a deck.

[Ashley Flowers]

And this is the famous window, of course. So she just jumped down there and ran across and they were waiting for her behind that building.

[Justine Harmon]

In the living room, Skylar was smiling from pictures, drawings, collages and a photo blanket draped across a chair. Her large framed portrait hanging on the wall was actually an urn, her ashes stored in a back compartment of the frame. Dave wore some of Skylar's ashes in the cross around his neck, and Mary too, in her heart shaped locket. Outside, a butterfly wind chime sounded in the breeze. Mary takes me back to Skylar's purple and green bedroom, which is just as she left it. Over Skylar's iron bed frame is a picture of a white dandelion puff waiting for someone to close their eyes and make a wish. A big sign on Skylar's bedroom wall reads, it's all about me. And of course it is. That's the funny emotional truth of every teenager. When everything feels intense and fun and devastating and exciting. They have a long time, Mary, to think about what they do.

[Ashley Flowers]

Yeah, they sure do. And I hope they remember it and suffer. I hope they hear her screaming, why, why, why? For the rest of their lives. See, I started to clean out her stuff and I got that far and couldn't do it.

[Justine Harmon]

I haven't touched under her bed.

[Ashley Flowers]

Rachel told the police, they said, they asked her, they said, well, what was Skylar doing when you were stabbing her? What was she saying or thinking? And Rachel told them, well, she just kept screaming, why? Why, Why? I didn't even know.

[Justine Harmon]

And they never. Those are her track shoes.

[Ashley Flowers]

That's her Wendy's shoes. Oh, yeah. I tried to send her shirt and her hat back to Wendy's and they said, no, keep it. So I got her hat and her shirt.

[Justine Harmon]

Still, Skylar, dying so young at 16, made anything, everything she had touched a life preserving memory, including the evidence items analyzed by the FBI.

[Ashley Flowers]

They asked us if we wanted her possessions and stuff. I said, yeah, I want everything I can get. And I gotta admit, I was so, so hoping just by some small inkling, maybe this isn't her stuff. But it was her stuff. Got her bra back. Still haven't got her shorts and her shirt back. But yeah, when I even saw the bra, I'm like, oh, yep, that's my baby's. But I'm telling you, it's caked with mud and leaves.

[Britt]

From Waveland. I'm Justine Harmon.

[Justine Harmon]

And I'm Holly millay. This is three. Episode 8 why, why, why?

[Britt]

A week after Sheila Eddy was sentenced, she was transferred from the Lori Yeager Jr. Juvenile center in Parkersburg to the only women's prison in West Virginia, Lakin Correctional Center. Five months later, Rachel Shoaf turned 18 and joined her there. Arriving from the Northern Regional Juvenile Detention center in Wheeling. The once best friends who had not seen or spoken to each other since taking their last Selfie together on January 3, 2013, 16 months earlier, were now living under the same roof. Home to 543 inmates, Lakin is located in Mason County, West Virginia, 178 miles from Morgantown. It's designed to be a world away from the freedom its two most famous inmates once enjoyed. Page through the inmate handbook and you'll see just how restricted their lives are from the everyday inmate count at 6am with the specific directive that employees are required to count living, breathing flesh and are authorized to awaken an inmate to resolve any doubts during a count to lights out at 9:45pm in hallways, inmates must walk in single file lines as far to the right as possible when it comes to their daily allotted time outside in the recreation yard. There are limits there too. Inmates are permitted to take one drink, one book, six pieces of hard candy, one deck of playing cards, and a Walkman with headphones. And if you're a woman concerned with your appearance, this is not the place for you. No perfume or lipstick allowed. Fingernails can be no longer than fingertips. Inmates are not permitted to have hairstyles or haircuts that are fattish in nature or gang related. And then there's the prison issue uniform, khaki prison shirt and pants, T shirt, socks and shoes with the specific instruction that pants will be worn at the natural waistline.

[Justine Harmon]

Stormy Wilson was an inmate with Sheila and Rachel from when they first arrived in 2014 until she made parole in 2017. A former heroin addiction who did time in a North Carolina prison 24 years ago for robbery. Stormy was in Laken for credit card fraud. At 46, she's been clean for eight years now and recalls the first time she encountered Sheila.

[Ashley Flowers]

Everybody's like, gossiping and like, you know, oh my gosh, she's here, she's here, you know, whatever. I went out to the baseball field to take score that day and Sheila was sitting on the bench beside of me. And that was the first time, like, I got like close up. Eye to eye contact with Sheila. I don't know. It's like you get cold chills looking at Sheila. Like, it's like a. I don't know. It's like a different feeling. Like, it's like, how did people even not realize that in the real world that she had that evil?

[Justine Harmon]

Meeting Rachel was a different story. No one was expecting the redhead. When inmates first arrive at Lakin, they're segregated for 30 days. By chance, Stormy got caught smoking and was in segregation, too.

[Ashley Flowers]

They brought her in, and she looked like such a drowned rat. Like she didn't have no makeup on. She just turned 18 years old. And I look out the window, and she's on the courtyard, and she's by herself. Cause she's in her intake, and she's by herself, and she's singing. And she comes in, and I'm like, can you sing? And she said, yeah. And I said, will you sing a song? And she said, yeah. And she's saying, traveling soldier. And in segregation, your voice carries. So the song that came out of her was like, this has got to be a joke. Why is this girl locked up like she can sing like an angel?

[Justine Harmon]

Then she found out the new intake was Rachel Shoaf, Sheila Eddy's co conspirator.

[Ashley Flowers]

And then you find out, like, how much evilness is in her, and it depletes anything you hear come out of her voice. Like, any. Any song that would come out of her. If you know what she did, it's like, forget the song. Like, it just. Clearly, you just don't even care what she sings. Every day. We see each other all day. They're on the yard together all the time. When Rachel first got there, Sheila cussed her out for telling on her. There was a big. On the yard, there was a huge argument because Sheila was cussing Rachel out for telling on her and saying they would never have gotten caught if she wouldn't have told.

[Britt]

Stormi felt intense empathy for the Neese family. Her daughter is the exact same age as Skylar, and, like, Skylar had two best friends who were closer in their triangle than she was to either of them.

[Ashley Flowers]

I kind of, like. I don't know. I related that my daughter was Skylar. Like, they. It just felt like the same kid. I initially got ahold of Dave because I was like, God, you know, he's probably sitting out here just wondering, you know, what. What do they get away with? What are they allowed to have? What are they. You know, what do they do on a daily basis? Are they. You know, how do they Live. I was like, hey, you know, I know that people probably get a hold of you and say they were in prison with. But you can look me up. I definitely was in prison with them. And if you have any questions whatsoever, you can ask me.

[Britt]

Stormy filled Dave and Mary in on everything from the mundane. Sheila's favorite food is pepperoni and cheese on a bagel. She eats them all day long. To Rachel starting a prayer group, leading the choir and being in charge of holiday plays. To the electronics they're allowed to have in their rooms. An Xbox, a tv and a CD player.

[Ashley Flowers]

They have a tablet. They can sit in their room and talk on their tablet to their family or friends or whatever. They can listen to music on their tablet. They can play games on their tablet.

[Britt]

Why is it so cushy?

[Ashley Flowers]

Because if too many criminals are in one place and all they have to do is twirl their thumbs, somebody's going to get fighting and somebody's going to get hurt. But I did five years in North Carolina, and it was not like it is here. We had no air conditioner, no heat. We had. It was a bunk and then a locker and then a bunk and then a locker. We didn't even have cells. Wow. I walked over dead bodies in the bathroom on the regular there. So it was. This is like a cupcake camp. And that's what every single person calls it if you ask them about Lake and they call it cupcake cake.

[Britt]

Those seeking a higher education can earn degrees in a variety of fields. Sheila and Rachel both earned culinary arts apprenticeships, and Rachel a cosmetology license. But there's work to be done, too. The prison is like its own city, so there are plenty of jobs for inmates if they want them. The most you can earn is a dollar an hour making prison uniforms and furniture. Those jobs are strictly for lifers who have no chance at parole. Working in the kitchen will get you 50 cents a day. The best gig you can get would be in the dog training program.

[Ashley Flowers]

But you cannot have a life sentence to go down there. You cannot have a violent crime to go down there. So that knocks Sheila and Rachel out.

[Britt]

Of it for all that prison life allows. What you can't get in Laken is any physical contact.

[Ashley Flowers]

You are not allowed to touch each other at all. So when you have a good cellmate and you have a good cry, you go in there and cry, and your cellmate will hug you. You know, where you can't be seen. Yeah, like you cannot. Nothing. No touch.

[Britt]

But that did not keep Rachel from getting Close with her cellmate, Amy Cobb, who was serving time for credit card fraud. The two were caught and separated, but would see each other in the rec yard. Rachel was able to keep Amy firmly in her thrall, so much so that when Amy was released, she and Rachel were married on April 23, 2019. Rachel even took Amy's last name.

[Ashley Flowers]

So they weren't allowed to get married while Amy was incarcerated. They got married when Amy got out of prison. Amy walked her sentence out, which means that you do every day of your sentence instead of making parole. She walked her sentence out to stay with Rachel every day. When Amy got home from prison, she filed to marry Rachel. They had to find a preacher to marry him. Amy used my car to go up and marry Rachel. Her whole bedroom was nothing but pictures of Rachel, letters that Rachel had wrote her, things that Rachel had sent her from prison, flowers that Rachel loved. She was obsessed with Rachel.

[Britt]

The two were divorced on July 25, 2022, and Rachel requested her last name be reverted to Shoaf. As for Sheila, well, she's still Sheila. If she wants someone, she'll have them.

[Ashley Flowers]

Sheila is very popular in prison. Sheila has a ton of friends. Sheila has, like, I don't know, she's very outgoing. She's very manipulative. Like that life that Sheila had here, out here on Sheila, on social media, she has in prison, in real life, like, she has those flockers in real life.

[Britt]

Flockers, followers, fans. Stormi says both Sheila and Rachel receive stacks and stacks of fan mail. Adding to the piles of correspondence were the letters we sent with a variety of questions, ranging from their favorite subjects in school to more pointed queries, including to Sheila. Did you have any disagreements with Skylar during your trip to Myrtle beach in June 2012 in science class? Was it your idea or Rachel's idea to kill Skylar? Were you aware that Rachel was wearing a recording device when you saw her on January 3, 2013? These queries were not answered by the time of this podcast's original air date.

[Ashley Flowers]

But here's the thing with Sheila and Rachel. They have so many outside influences that if everybody in their family died, they have fans that will send them. Sorry, I don't mean to cuss. They'll never be without, which makes me sick to my stomach because they don't really know what prison's like because they have. It's so bougie.

[Britt]

Do you think they would probably be better off just staying at cupcake camp forever?

[Ashley Flowers]

She thrives in there. She thrives. And it's sad. It's sad that she has her own little colony. She's like the queen aunt. But I don't think Rachel's going to survive anywhere. Netcredit is here to say yes to a personal loan or line of credit when other lenders say no, apply in minutes and get a decision as soon as the same day. If approved, applications are typically funded the next business day or sooner. Loans offered by Netcredit or lending partner banks and serviced by Netcredit Applications subject.

[Britt]

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[Ashley Flowers]

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[Britt]

On May 9, 2023, 10 years after her sentencing, Rachel Shoaf, now 26 years old, was eligible for parole. Just as Marcia Ashdown had said, under.

[Ashley Flowers]

The law, for secondary murder, she would be eligible at 10 years. And that is true regardless of the number of years that the judge might have imposed.

[Justine Harmon]

Here's the thing. Once you've gotten to know Mary and Dave and Skylar and those who love them, you can't let go. You stay connected through Facebook and the Team Skylar page and texts and phone calls. When I called Laken to verify Rachel's day and time before the board, the next call I made was to Mary and Dave to make sure they were aware that she would appear on May 9, 2023. No one had even contacted them. Dave and Mary weren't alerted to the fact that in less than a month, one of their daughter's killers could be released. Dave assured me they'd be there and began writing a statement with the help of his friends Jackie Morgan and Tom Bloom.

[Ashley Flowers]

It's been almost 11 years now since Niece was murdered, and now Shoaf is up for her first parole hearing next week.

[Britt]

More than 32,000 people signed an online.

[Ashley Flowers]

Petition advocating for the parole board to.

[Britt]

Keep Shoaf in prison.

[Justine Harmon]

Due to the COVID pandemic. The hearing was set up through a phone call with the prison. Though my producer, Jason, and I were miles away, we felt like we had a front row seat listening to the proceedings on County Commissioner Tom Bloom's speakerphone. Bloom was there with the family and friends in attendance.

[Ashley Flowers]

I'm surprised he didn't have to send it by smoking.

[Justine Harmon]

As they waited to be patched in with the West Virginia Parole Board, the family chatted with Tom and Skylar's Aunt Carol. The tone in the room was jovial and warm despite the fact that they were determined to see Rachel Shoaf not go free.

[Ashley Flowers]

Yeah, they are going to do a decision. It's the government. Everything's approximate. I gotta stand up and pace. I'm gonna pace.

[Justine Harmon]

I'm leaving the phone here.

[Britt]

The nieces were given the opportunity to speak before Rachel, which they declined.

[Ashley Flowers]

Today's date is May 9, 2023and the time is 10:39aM and we are coming to you through Google Meets through video to the Lake and Correctional Center. Ma'am, are you Rachel Shoaff with the DOC number 3573506 and a date of birth of June 10, 1996?

[Rachel Shoaf]

Yes, sir.

[Ashley Flowers]

And may my records indicate this is your first time up in front of the parole board on this charge, is that correct?

[Rachel Shoaf]

Yes, sir.

[Britt]

Harold Hughes from the West Virginia Parole Board summarized the details of the crime and then Rachel made her bid for freedom.

[Ashley Flowers]

If you would please tell the board why you and your co defendant committed this crime, please.

[Rachel Shoaf]

Well, honestly sir, I don't think there's anything that I can say that's going to. To make any sense or make anybody feel any better. But I want to answer this as honestly as I can, but even as I say it, I feel like it sounds absurd and ridiculous. I realized that I was gay as an early teenager and that scared me because I didn't know if I would get how the reaction would be from my family or church, things like that. And when I met Sheila and Skylar in high school, the relationship between Sheila and I was immediately very unhealthy and intense and obsessive. And there was just this overwhelming infatuation. And there's no other way to explain it but like it felt like life or death to me and my 16 year old teenage monstrous mind. It just felt like nothing could come between us.

[Britt]

At this point, Rachel began to cry.

[Rachel Shoaf]

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

[Britt]

She took a few moments to collect herself before continuing.

[Rachel Shoaf]

Whenever our relationship became more exposed, we feared what jeopardize our relationship or jeopardize things like that. And I know this sounds absolutely ridiculous, but I just. In my mind, the only way I can explain it is in my mind at the time it felt like so detrimental and so real in my teenage mind and like I was inside the admitted into a psychiatric ward at one point because I felt there was an attempt to keep Sheila and I separated and I actually wanted to kill myself over it. So in my mind that's all that mattered. I think it just scared us and thought of us having to be separated or not being together felt detrimental. And I just know that there's nothing that I can say that's going to give anybody any closure or answers. And I'm just incredibly sorry for what I've done and Skyler didn't deserve for that to happen. There's never a good reason for something like this to happen. So there's never going to be anything I can say that's going to make sense.

[Ashley Flowers]

So the board can be clear you and your co defendant, Ms. Eddy, was, was in a relationship. Is that what you're trying to tell the. What you're trying to tell the board?

[Rachel Shoaf]

Yes, sir.

[Ashley Flowers]

And you and miss Eddie felt that, that if your relationship was exposed then you would be separated or you wouldn't be able to, to be with each other. Is that what you're trying to. I don't want to put words in your mouth, Michelle. Is it what you're trying to. To get out to the board? Because I'm trying to find a reason why, why you would commit this kind of crime. Okay. That's why I'm asking these questions that I am so. And Ms. Niece, she knew about, she knew about the relationship.

[Rachel Shoaf]

Yes, sir.

[Ashley Flowers]

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[Rachel Shoaf]

Shouldn't we strategize before we go in there?

[Ashley Flowers]

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[Britt]

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[Rachel Shoaf]

I want to kind of correct this narrative that there was, like, this quick, calculated thing that was done, and then we just went about our lives like everything was normal. Like, we were terrified, and we were screaming and crying and vomiting and losing our minds over this whole situation, freaking out as soon as it happened. And I vividly remember us both as soon everything happened so fast, and as soon as it happened, us both saying aloud to each other, crying, like, what did we just do? What have we just done? Like, it was an immediate sense of, like, just intense pain and sorrow and remorse for what we did.

[Ashley Flowers]

So whose idea was this to get Ms. Niece to do what you did to Ms. Neese? Whose idea was that? You say a lot that it was you and Sheila. You just mentioned her. You and her a lot. You don't mention the three of you. So who brought this plan up? Excuse me? Who brought this plan up to commit this crime?

[Rachel Shoaf]

Sheila and I both. It was both of our conversations. We both played an equal part in this entirely. I know I can't express enough how sorry I am for what I've done and the pain that I've caused Skylar's family and friends and those who loved her. I know what we did was terrible and horrendous, and there's no worth to describe the pain that we've caused. And I'm just. I know that I would give anything to Tres Goddard places so that she could be with her family and her loved ones. And I would give anything to undo what we did and take it back. And I know that I deserve to be here, and I deserve all of this.

[Ashley Flowers]

And.

[Rachel Shoaf]

I just. I just hope they know how deeply and truly and genuinely sorry I am.

[Britt]

Rachel, who says she has received a high school degree and a bachelor's degree in culinary arts and cosmetology while incarcerated, says she hopes to move in with her mom, Patricia, and Maryland should she be granted parole.

[Ashley Flowers]

Do you feel like you deserve a chance at parole?

[Rachel Shoaf]

I wouldn't necessarily say that I think I deserve parole after what I've done. I would like to think that maybe I've earned it just because of what I've done and not necessarily even my accomplishments, because even naming my accomplishments makes me feel guilty, because I know that Schuyler never even got to graduate high school, but just more so for the fact that I was so young and I was a teenager, and I don't even recognize the person that I was then. I was just so impulsive and immature. And I have grown mentally and spiritually and made more mistakes and learn from them and truly become a woman since I've been here.

[Britt]

Once Harold Hughes concluded his interview, Edward Wooten, vice chair of the West Virginia Parole Board, was summoned to question the inmate. Members of the parole board are only provided high level details of a criminal's history behind bars. A number of factors inform an inmate's suitability for parole, including signs of remorse, a defendant's age at the time of incarceration, and motivation for the crime.

[Ashley Flowers]

Ma'am, when you plan this, you and your co defendant plan this crime together. You told Mr. Hughes it was a joint decision, right?

[Rachel Shoaf]

Yes.

[Ashley Flowers]

And what was the. What was the objective of the plan? Was it to take this young lady's life?

[Rachel Shoaf]

Yes, sir.

[Ashley Flowers]

So you plan to. To kill her, murder her?

[Rachel Shoaf]

Yes, sir.

[Ashley Flowers]

And what type of weapons did you have? Knives?

[Rachel Shoaf]

Yes, sir.

[Ashley Flowers]

Where did you obtain those weapons?

[Rachel Shoaf]

From our parents. Kitchen.

[Britt]

Wooten says you said you didn't think this would actually happen, but you prepared like it was going to happen. This was premeditated. Would you agree?

[Rachel Shoaf]

Yes, sir.

[Ashley Flowers]

What happened after this crime occurred? Did you. Did you clean up or change clothes or what did you do?

[Rachel Shoaf]

I just remember. I remember both of us being very scared and vomiting. We were crying. But we did change clothes and made an attempt to try to clean up. Yes, sir.

[Ashley Flowers]

And what about the victim's body? What'd you do with that?

[Rachel Shoaf]

We weren't able to dig anything, so we just tried to put her somewhere and cover her up, sir.

[Ashley Flowers]

Okay, thank you, man. That's all atmosphere is. Thank you, sir. Ms. Murphy have any questions? Ma'am.

[Britt]

Then board chairperson Bonita Murphy asked something we'd been wondering. How exactly did Skylar threaten to out Rachel and Sheila, the victim, did she ever.

[Ashley Flowers]

Okay, she threatened to tell. So what would be the result of her telling on you? What could have happened to you even if she had told on you?

[Rachel Shoaf]

I had to kind of unlearn all of those sort of archaic notions around being gay. But at the time, I was terrified of maybe getting kicked out of my house or maybe getting kicked out of my church or being shunned by the people that I loved, my family and friends. I was scared that my family or peers or whoever would try to keep Sheila and I separated. We were both scared of that. Because like I said at the time, it felt like in my young mind, like that crazy first love that would just you know, make you do things you don't, you wouldn't do.

[Ashley Flowers]

But how long was it for you? You the one that came through within confess. How long was it after you killed the victim until you confessed?

[Rachel Shoaf]

It was about six months now.

[Ashley Flowers]

Okay, so if you were so hysterical and upset, how in the world did you not tell somebody within that six month period and had everybody looking for this child? Why did it take you that long is my question.

[Rachel Shoaf]

I mean, you're right. You're absolutely right. I think that. I think we were just scared. But also there is this narrative that I was perfectly fine afterwards, but my family witnessed sort of my deterioration. I think publicly we tried to make it seem like everything was okay, but my family will tell you that as soon as this happened, I began acting out and I was losing weight and I was getting in trouble using more marijuana or drugs and things. I was trying to numb what had happened. I was getting in school suspensions. I was getting pickup costumes or school because I was skipping class. I was getting in trouble. I was falling apart. I was self harming and threatening to commit suicide. I jumped out of a moving vehicle. You know, I was got admitted into a psych ward also because of my suicidal thoughts, because of what happened. So there was a lot mentally that I struggled with and went through afterwards. And finally when I went to the psych ward, I went to my lawyer's office and confessed because I just knew that I couldn't do this anymore to Schuyler's family. When I went to the psych ward, it was one of the first times that I was away since I could have been away from all of the attention around it. And I finally sat with myself and was like, I can't keep doing this to this poor family that I've heard. And I just knew what needed to be done at that point.

[Ashley Flowers]

Okay, and so you, you did admit during this hearing that you, the. Your co defendant got first degree life with mercy and that you both are equally, equally responsible for the crime?

[Rachel Shoaf]

Yes, ma'am.

[Ashley Flowers]

All right, that's all I have.

[Britt]

Next time on the season finale of three.

[Ashley Flowers]

My life was just wiped out from under me. I mean, just completely wiped out from under me. And to find that the Eddie girl took it off her neck after she murdered her, that's. I'm telling you, that's serial killer stuff right there. Had social media, cell phones, and the Internet and cellular coverage not have been in existence in 2012. Schuyler Neese would be alive today. They're such pretty girls is what we kept hearing you could be the most facially beautiful person with the most destructive demonic soul.

[Rachel Shoaf]

And to me, that's how these girls were. It's it's not everything isn't always as it seems.

[Britt]

Three 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.

[Ashley Flowers]

Where'd you get those shoes? DSW has all the shoes you need for whatever you're into. You know, like running shoes that give new meaning to personal best or everyday sneakers that make coffee runs look cool. Basically, DSW has all the best styles from the brands that always get it right, like Nike, Brooks, Timberland, and more. Oh yeah, did we mention they also happen to be the perfect price. Find a shoe for every you at your DSW store and dsw.com 50 years ago, a young woman named Karen Silkwood got into her car alone. She was reportedly on her way to deliver sensitive documents to a New York Times reporter. She never made it, and those documents she'd agreed to carry were never found. Do you think somebody killed her? There's no question in my mind that someone killed her that night. I think they were trying to stop her in order to get the documents. A new investigation into the life and death of America's first nuclear weapons whistleblower. Listen to Radioactive the Karen Silkwood Mystery from ABC Audio. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.