W.Va. Prosecutor IDs 2nd Teen Suspected of Killing Friend
Sept. 9, 2013— -- A West Virginia teenage girl is expected to be tried as an adult for allegedly stabbing her former "best friend" to death, according to a prosecutor.
Prosecutors have identified Shelia Eddy, 17, as the second teen involved in a plot to slay Skylar Neese, 16. The prosecutor in charge announced last week that Eddy will be tried as an adult in a West Virginia court.
After months of silence and secrecy sounding the case, Prosecutor Marcia Ashdown announced in a one-paragraph statement that all further proceedings will be held in open court.
Eddy and Rachel Shoaf, 16, are accused of luring Neese out of her Star City, W. Va., home last year, driving her into the Pennsylvania woods and stabbing her to death. Shoaf has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and is awaiting sentencing.
Eddy has not entered a plea and her lawyers have released a statement saying, "It's premature to comment on the case at this time."
Skylar's father, Dave Neese, told ABC News that Eddy "can now get what she has coming."
"Well, she done an adult crime, she needs to be tried as an adult. She didn't do something that a minor does. She did something an adult would do," Neese said.
Eddy initially helped the Neese family search for Skylar in the weeks after she went missing in July 2012. When Neese's body was identified earlier this year, Eddy tweeted, "Rest easy Skylar. You'll always be my best friend. I miss you more than you could ever know."
Dave Neese said, "If you're innocent, you don't cover something up for nine months or however long it was. You don't come to somebody's house the next day after you murder somebody and walk up and down the street and try to look for the person that you murdered. That's not an innocent person."
Skylar Neese, a student at University High School is Star City, went missing from her home July 6, 2012. Surveillance video showed her getting into a car at the end of her street in a quiet residential neighborhood near West Virginia University.
After months of searching with no success, a major break in the case came Jan. 3, when Shoaf came forward and told investigators where to find Neese's body.
Shoaf eventually admitted to "maliciously and intentionally causing the death of Skylar Neese by stabbing her and causing fatal injuries," according to court documents.
Police have not released a motive in the case.
Investigators found Neese's dumped body under branches in a wooded area of Wayne Township, Pa., some 30 miles away from her home.
Shoaf's family released a statement saying, "Our hearts go out to the Neese family. We were shocked to learn of our daughter's involvement. We are truly sorry for the pain that she has caused the Neese family."
Prosecutors have said they plan to recommend a 20-year prison sentence for Shoaf and will oppose any move to have her sentenced as a juvenile.
Dave Neese said, "The wheels of justice got stalled for a long time for whatever reason. The only thing I care about is they get what's coming to them."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
