Friend Murder Shocked America

Sixteen-year-old Skylar Neese from Star City, West Virginia disappeared from her home in July 2012 and was later found murdered in a case now chronicled in a new Hulu documentary series. 'Friends Like These: The Murder of Skylar Neese' reveals how police investigation uncovered that the perpetrators were Skylar's two best friends.

The case became a turning point in American true crime because it demonstrated how manipulative and cold-blooded teenagers can be. The two girls, Shelia Eddy and Rachel Shoaf, planned the murder in detail and carried it out together, before attempting to deceive both police and Skylar's family with a web of lies.

The Disappearance and Investigation

On the night of July 6, 2012, Skylar Neese climbed out of her first-floor window to meet her two friends. Surveillance cameras caught her leaving home and getting into a car. It was the last time anyone saw her alive.

Her parents quickly reported her missing, and police launched an investigation that seemed to stall for months. Shelia Eddy and Rachel Shoaf allegedly helped search for their friend, while behind the facade they knew exactly where she was.

The Truth Emerges

In December 2012, Rachel Shoaf broke down under pressure and confessed to her lawyer that she and Shelia had murdered Skylar. She explained that the two girls had lured Skylar out into a forest, where they stabbed her to death according to a premeditated plan.

The motive was shockingly banal: They simply didn't want to be friends with her anymore. The court described the murder as "calculated, cruel and callous."

Skylar Neese's body was found in January 2013 in a forest in Pennsylvania, approximately 50 kilometers from her home. She had been stabbed dozens of times.

Trial and Sentencing

Rachel Shoaf entered a plea deal and was sentenced in 2013 to 30 years in prison after confessing to second-degree homicide. Shelia Eddy no longer denied her guilt and was sentenced in 2014 to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years.

The case led to the passage of "Skylar's Law" in West Virginia, which requires faster issuing of Amber Alerts when teenagers disappear under suspicious circumstances.

The Documentary's Perspective

Hulu's new documentary series dives into the psychological aspects of the case and attempts to understand how two seemingly normal teenage girls could plan and execute such a cold-blooded killing. The series includes interviews with investigators, family members, and experts in adolescent psychology.

The series also illuminates how social media and digital communication played a role in both the crime and the investigation, and how modern teenage friendships can develop into deadly dynamics.