GUILTY WV - Skylar Neese, 16, Star City, 6 July 2012

Hi All,

It seems there's been some interest in reading the Dominon Post article from yesterdays paper. I can see why people are confused by the semantics of the article. I've posted it below for your reference and clarity:


Arrests final in Skylar case
BY CASSIE SHANER
The Dominion Post

Records sealed on juvenile suspect in teen's murder

No additional charges are expected to be filed in the stabbing death of Skylar Neese, Monongalia County Prosecuting Attorney Marcia Ashdown said Thursday.

UPDATE
"We do not have any evidence to suggest any other involvement at this time," Ashdown said. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of West Virginia also said there was no new information for release
Thursday.

Rachel Shoaf, 16, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Wednesday in Monongalia County Circuit Court, after agreeing to transfer her case to adult status. Court documents said Shoaf stabbed Neese, causing fatal injuries, on July 6. A second juvenile was taken into custody Wednesday. Her case remains confidential, because juvenile records "are not public records and shall not be disclosed to anyone unless disclosure is otherwise authorized," according to state code. Ashdown and others, including the Neese family, have indicated the other teenager is female.

According to state code: Juvenile cases can be transferred to adult status if a teenager 14 years or older "makes a demand on the record" to do so. The court can transfer a juvenile case to adult status if, among other things, there's "probable cause" to believe a juvenile at least 14 years old has committed murder. "The burden is upon the state to establish the grounds by clear and convincing evidence" for any transfer requested by the prosecuting attorney, according to state code.

Shoaf's plea agreement said the state will recommend a sentence of 20 years of incarceration. Her attorneys – John Angotti and David Straface - will recommend she be sentenced as a juvenile or receive an alternative sentence, according to the plea agreement. Angotti declined to comment Thursday. Speaking generally, Ashdown said someone sentenced as a juvenile could be incarcerated until age 21. Convicted juveniles cannot be transferred to an adult facility until they turn 18, according to state code. Shoaf was taken from Wednesday's hearing to a juvenile facility in Wheeling.

Hayden McClead, a friend of Skylar's, said the halls of University High School were buzzing with chatter about the arrests Wednesday.“I was really upset," said McClead, a 17-year-old junior. "I didn't think someone that was her best friend would do that to her. I hope they get what they deserve." McClead said she had been friends with Skylar since elementary school. She knew Shoaf and the other girl she believes was arrested, because they were often around Skylar, but she wasn't close with them.
"I always thought Rachel was a good girl," McClead said. "She always talked about church and stuff. I would never think of her doing something like that."
Skylar was nice, liked to have fun and was always willing to listen, McClead said. "I miss having her to talk to," she said. "I miss working with her." Both girls worked at the Wendy's location on Venture Drive, though McClead left not long after Skylar's disappearance on the day she died.

Monongalia County Schools Superintendent Frank Devono said counselors were available to students at UHS and elsewhere Thursday who wanted to talk about Skylar's death and the arrests. Resources are available to staff through an employee assistance program.

Even if SE wasn't involved in the murder, she helped to cover up, because as I understand there were two people in the car with Skylar and SE was the other one. :moo:

In my opinion, there is absolutely no way SE wasn't involved in the murder. I think once she has her hearing and probable cause is established, they'll transfer her to adult status. Once that happens we'll get the details. I think (and it seems to be the general consensus) that SE was the "ringleader," and possibly planned the attack in advance. I would not be surprised if she was charged with 1st degree murder.

I calmed down substantially after I read the full article. And I think you are absolutely right, RDGirl... planned the attack and 1st degree is what I am thinking too.

Still going over the things they will miss and it gives me comfort, although I feel terrible for their families too.

I'm trying to catch up on like 5 cases, it can be a little overwhelming! I apologize if anything I say has already been brought up..

So I'm a little curious about what people are thinking in regards to how RS managed to murder, move and conceal a body all by herself? It must've been a mess. Obviously other people knew. Even if it was just SE and RS...I have a hard time imagining a scenario where two 16 year old girls can successfully murder and hide body for however long that was.

Just read the article. It seems they're sure it was just the two girls. I don't know man. I really wonder how long their parents knew something was up before they came forwards. Their poor families... I simply cannot come up with a reason for how RS may have justified this...did she really think she wasn't going to get caught? Even if murder wasn't intended, you can't just stab someone like that.....ugh

Where did they go to get cleaned up? Was there blood on their clothes and bodies? How was that explained away? Who was the driver? What about cell phone pings? That's probably part of the way those girls were nabbed. I hate those nasty ******. How dare they? I read a bit of twitter last night and I thought back to the movie "Heathers" (but in that movie the bullied girl murders the head b****.

I'm guessing LE is able to fill in all these holes pretty easily. Two teenage girls supposedly "good" and "Christian"..not dealing with some career criminals, there must have been a ton of evidence.

I wasn't really paying attention to this case when Skylar was found. Was there any information on what how the remains were discovered? Did someone stumble them or were they lead there? I will have to go back and find the info

DR006 said:

I wasn't really paying attention to this case when Skylar was found. Was there any information on what how the remains were discovered? Did someone stumble them or were they lead there? I will have to go back and find the info

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I don't think the authorities have ever said. I've heard somewhere that she was found by hunters (back in January), but I can't remember where and I'm almost certain it wasn't from LE. How ever long it took them to identify her, they didn't announce it was Skylar until March.

ETA: here's a link to a Greene County newspaper article about the discovery...doesn't say how the remains were found (and the authorities were being very cagey even then, it seems, so I would almost think they were told where to find them). The hunters were from an earlier incident---but were mentioned in the same article, so I'm not completely nuts.

Remains found in Greene County, PA

Mmmmm....check it out. One of Skylar's friends--a REAL friend, one that I'm actually kind of worried about for a variety of reasons (read his posts and you'll see what I mean)--posted this early this morning:
‏
@danniboi_95 16h
Hey Rachel, how's that scar on your knee doing? Mary told me everything. My girl didn't die without a fight, *****.

Anyone wanna guess who "Mary" is? I think I have it pegged.

Mary is Skylar's mom, aka "MEN" in previous posts.

The Charger said:

I don't think the authorities have ever said. I've heard somewhere that she was found by hunters (back in January), but I can't remember where and I'm almost certain it wasn't from LE. How ever long it took them to identify her, they didn't announce it was Skylar until March.

ETA: here's a link to a Greene County newspaper article about the discovery...doesn't say how the remains were found (and the authorities were being very cagey even then, it seems, so I would almost think they were told where to find them). The hunters were from an earlier incident---but were mentioned in the same article, so I'm not completely nuts.

Remains found in Greene County, PA

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I cannot imagine sixteen year old girls being able to pick a location for a body that took months to find and found by hunters, not LE. What evil, evil monsters they must be already.

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I just came across Mary's account of when they realized she was missing those girls must have been so thrilled that LE insisted she was a runaway. That makes me sick to think about. Am I wrong for wanting to see a brief video clip of them slumming it in their cells? Maybe they can be pen pals.

What did these girls say on their twitter accounts when Skylar went missing? Because they were thought to be good friends of hers


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danzn16 said:

What did these girls say on their twitter accounts when Skylar went missing? Because they were thought to be good friends of hers


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They feigned concern..."Oh Sky, we're worried about you," "Has anybody seen Skylar?" and stuff like that.

What was really bad is that they participated in the vigils, and the passing out of flyers, and cried along with her parents in the weeks/months after she disappeared.

Things are NOT going to go well for suspect #2, especially if it's a jury trial.

Shoaf is the lucky one. VERY lucky.

RDGirl said:

Mary is Skylar's mom, aka "MEN" in previous posts.

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Yep, that's what I'm thinking. The question is how she knows (unless she saw it at the time and now put two and two together). I can't see LE telling her details like that, not with a case pending against the other one (and really, Shoaf's case isn't totally done either).

danzn16 said:

I cannot imagine sixteen year old girls being able to pick a location for a body that took months to find and found by hunters, not LE. What evil, evil monsters they must be already.

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Click to expand...

I doubt very seriously that those two acted alone. Someone just tonight told me that Sky had been moved at least once since they dumped her, and that it was Shoaf who led them to her remains---and that she has been working with the authorities ever since. I read the same thing (pretty much) on another internet site, so obviously that's going around the area. Whether it's more than speculation, who can say? But it at least makes sense.

This case makes me sad on so many levels. I do not understand how, as a parent, after your daughter's best friend goes missing under suspicious circumstances - that you continue to bury your head in the sand while the social media circus keeps raging on. Even after charges/plea deals in this case...many children are still posting extremely inappropriate things. IMO, the parents in that area have got to wake up so we aren't here again for the same reasons.

I hope there is possibility to alter and increase charges on RS if it's determined that she had omitted any details of her involvement, lied to investigators, etc. I hate plea deals since Karla Homolka. I'm happy Skylar was found though.