FRIENDS LIKE THESE

Friends Like These is the haunting, meticulously detailed true story of Skylar Neese—a bright, bubbly 16-year-old from Star City, West Virginia—whose disappearance on July 6, 2012, unraveled one of the most shocking betrayals in modern true crime: her murder at the hands of her two best friends. Skylar was the only child of Dave and Mary Neese, a precocious girl who read early, loved books and Twilight, cracked sarcastic jokes, and lit up every room with her infectious energy. She was fiercely loyal, the kind of friend who showed up, who cared deeply. That loyalty was exploited in the worst way. On a warm summer night, Skylar climbed out her bedroom window after a late text from Shelia Eddy and Rachel Shoaf—her closest friends since middle school—promising a quick hangout. She never came home. For six months, her parents endured agonizing uncertainty: massive searches, Amber Alert delays, community vigils, endless tips, and growing suspicion. Then came the bombshell: Rachel Shoaf confessed in January 2013, admitting she and Shelia had lured Skylar to an isolated spot in Pennsylvania, stabbed her more than 50 times, and left her body in the woods. The motive? A toxic mix of jealousy, resentment, and a desire to eliminate Skylar from their lives—reasons that stunned investigators and the nation. Shelia Eddy later pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. Drawing on court records, police interviews, family statements, psychological insights, and the raw aftermath, Frank Jordan reconstructs the ordinary small-town friendship that hid extraordinary darkness: the escalating tensions, the premeditated plan, the chilling cover-up, the courtroom revelations, and the lifelong scars on Skylar’s devastated parents. The book honors Skylar not as a victim alone, but as a vibrant teen whose intelligence, kindness, and dreams deserved far more than the betrayal she received. The case sparked national conversations about teen violence, hidden jealousy in friendships, mental health warning signs, and flaws in missing-persons protocols—contributing to Amber Alert reforms and awareness campaigns. Dave and Mary Neese transformed grief into advocacy, speaking publicly, supporting at-risk youth, attending parole hearings, and keeping Skylar’s memory alive through scholarships and memorials. The 2026 Hulu docuseries Friends Like These: The Murder of Skylar Neese brought renewed attention with fresh interviews and emotional depth. More than a crime chronicle, Friends Like These is a sobering reminder that the people closest to us can harbor the deepest secrets—and that true friendship should never cost a life. Essential, heartbreaking, and unflinching reading for true crime readers seeking stories of loyalty gone wrong, justice served, and a legacy that refuses to fade.