Sharer was twelve year old girl from Indiana, USA. In January 1992, Shanda Sharer was brutally tortured and murdered by four teenage girls, led by Melinda Loveless, a 17-year-old girl from Louisville. The Abduction. Veteran journalist and host of Investigation Discovery's "True Crime with Aphrodite Jones", Jones reveals the shocking truth behind the most savage crime in Indiana history-the torture, mutilation, and murder of 12-year-old Shanda Sharer by four teenage girls. Toni pleaded guilty to criminal confinement and received a 20-year sentence due to her cooperation. For several months, the prosecutors and defense attorneys did not release any information about the case, giving the news media only the statements by Lawrence and Rippey. What followed was a shocking story of deceit and torture. So Jacque Vaught did something remarkable. When they arrived at Sharer's house at 12:30a.m., Lawrence refused to retrieve Sharer, so Tackett and Rippey went to the door. Her parents, Stephen Sharer and Jacqueline Vaught got divorced when Shanda was very young. After another divorce, she moved her family to New Albany, Indiana. She went into counseling after the incident but did not follow through. During her sentencing hearingin 1993, Tackettconceded that she let opportunities to save Sharer's life slip awayand that she was too afraid to stop it. [75], American artist Marlene McCarty used the Shanda Sharer murder as one of the subjects for her Murder Girls series of drawings about teenage female murderers, their sexuality and their relationships. The Events Leading to the Murder At the time of her murder, Shanda Renee Sharer was the 12-year old daughter of divorced parents, attending school at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic school in New Albany, Indiana, after transferring the previous year from Hazelwood Middle School. Shanda Renee Sharer (June 6, 1979 - January 11, 1992) was an American girl who was tortured and burned to death in Madison, Indiana by Melinda Loveless, Laurie Tackett, Hope Rippey, and Toni Lawrence. [71], In May 2011, Dr. Phil aired a two-part series on the crime, which featured Shanda Sharer's mother and sister Paige, who both harshly confronted Hope Rippey on the show, and an interview with Amanda Heavrin. Be the first one to comment on this story. As per the show, Hope and Mary poured the accelerant over Shanda, who was set on fire while she was still alive. William DeLong is a freelance wordsmith. [59][60] A few weeks following his release, Larry unsuccessfully sued the Floyd County Jail for $39 million in federal court, alleging he had suffered cruel and unusual punishment during his two-year incarceration. Melinda Loveless, now 43, left the Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis after serving nearly 24 years of a 60-year sentence for the brutal murder of 12-year-old Shanda Sharer in 1992. All rights reserved. "Ididn't know Shanda at all. Shanda Rene Sharer (June 6, 1979 - January 11, 1992) was an American girl who was tortured and burned to death in Madison, Indiana by four teenage girls. She was 12 years old at the time of her death. I saw someone almost reborn. [6] In 1988, Larry briefly worked as a mail carrier, but quit after three months and did very little work, having brought most of his mail home to destroy it. The details of her murder shocked the area. The Shanda Sharer Murder has forever changed my life. Tackett proceeded to stab Sharer several more times before driving off once more with Loveless to beat and sodomize Sharer with a tire iron. Shanda Sharer, 12 years old, had been reported missing by her parents some eight hours earlier. Loveless instructed Rippey and Lawrence to go to the door and introduce themselves as friends of Heavrin (Loveless's former and Sharer's current girlfriend), then invite Sharer to come with them to see Heavrin, who was waiting for them at "the Witch's Castle", or Mistletoe Falls, a ruined stone house located on an isolated hill overlooking the Ohio River. [54], Lawrence was released on December 14, 2000, after serving nine years. So, lets find out more about this case then, shall we? And I'm doing it for Shanda.". She helped me to heal, forgive and grow, whether she wanted that or not. Melinda Loveless, now 43, left the Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis after serving nearly 24 years of a 60-year sentence for the brutal murder of 12-year-old Shanda Sharer in 1992. Tackett then dropped off Lawrence and Rippey at their homes and finally returned to her own home with Loveless. As of September 2019, all four had been released from prison at various times. "She helped me to heal, forgive and grow, whether she wanted that or not," Loveless said through tears, "She did a good thing. The girls then drove to the field near Madison, covered her with a blanket, and poured gasoline on her. After that incident, the Loveless parents left the church and returned to their former professions and drinking. After that incident, she refused him sex for a month, until he raped her as their daughters overheard the event through a closed door. But a dog named Angel is a dog like no other -- a four-legged conduit to Melinda's victim, Shanda Sharer. Mary Laurine "Laurie" Tackett, 43, of Madison, was released shortly after midnight, according to officials from the Indiana Department of Correction. [25], After Heavrin and Sharer attended a festival together in late October, Loveless began to discuss killing Sharer and threatened her in public. Jun 20, 1992 at 12:00 am. Shanda attended fifth and sixth grades in Louisville at St. Paul School where she was on the cheer leading, volleyball and softball teams. Loveless began taking off Sharer's rings and handed each to the girls. She began attending Hazelwood Junior High School where she met Amanda Heavrin, 15, and developed a romantic interest in her. The film also has three interviews with Loveless. This description of how the investigation unfolded . People were even more shocked when it was revealed that four teenage girls were responsible f The killers looked no different than girls I knew in school who walked around, wreaking havoc and completely out of control. [12], In November 1990, after Larry was caught spying on Melinda and a friend, Marjorie attacked him with a knife; he was sent to the hospital after he attempted to grab it. That's all I've ever said.". Both older girls said he molested them, though Melinda did not admit this ever happened to her. One of the four women convicted ofbeating, burning and killing 12-year-old Shanda Renee Sharer in 1992 was released Thursday from prison on the 26th anniversary of the girl's body being found. She was close to her mother, Jacqueline Vaught, who said her daughter was good at gymnastics, basketball, and baseball and was a cheerleader. The incident attracted international attention due to both the brutality of the murder and the young age of the perpetrators, who were aged . Hope and Toni met Mary, their friend, on January 10, 1992, believing they would go to a concert. While she was furious at first, she accepted her daughter's lifestyle. Sharer said that she could not go because her parents were awake, and she told the girls to come back around midnight, a few hours later. Full name: Shanda Rene Sharer. Hope was released on parole in April 2006. That said, Loveless did have a difficult childhood. The 12-year-old seemed to have things working for her, and when she went missing, she was enrolled in a Catholic school. The fifth had been tortured and mutilated nearly beyond recognition. Sharer told the girls to return after her parents were asleep, which they did. In the back seat, Melinda Loveless was hiding under a blanket with a knife. During Loveless's sentencing hearing, extensive open court testimony revealed that her father Larry had abused his wife, his daughters, and other children. The 1990s: The Deadliest Decade: The New Girl chronicles what happened to Shanda and how four girls were responsible for her death. Shanda Sharer Murder: Where Are Her Killers Now? The perpetrators were four teenage girls who committed unspeakable crimes under the influence of teenage jealousy and peer pressure. Loveless then convinced the other girls to take Sharer to a remote location where there would be no one else around for miles. [49] Tackett was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and suffering from hallucinations. Sharer was tortured, beaten and burned in a rural area of Jefferson County, Indiana. She was abused by a relative at age 9 and was raped by a teenage boy at age 14, although the police only issued an order for the boy to keep away from Lawrence. They both gave very rambling statements, identifying the victim as "Shanda", naming the two other girls involved as best as they could, and describing the main events of the previous night. Derek Kaufman,21, the tough gang leader who was found guilty of first-degree murder. Once they had her in their car, they beat and tortured her for hours before finally setting her on fire. MurderpediaClockwise from top left: Melinda Loveless, Laurie Tackett, Hope Rippey, and Toni Lawrence. They told her that Amanda wanted to meet her, and they were there to pick her up. Shanda Sharer was 12 years old on January 11, 1992 when she was brutally tortured and murdered by 4 teenage girls. Shanda endured hell and was later put in the trunk of the car, only in her underwear. "It's my choice to make. She dropped out of high school in September 1991. In May 2011, Tackett appeared on an episode of "Dr. They left soon after, fearing they had drawn attention to themselves. Loveless served more than 26 years in prison for murder and criminal confinement. The girls used the pretense that they were taking Sharer to see Heavrin as the excuse for their visit. By the end of the night, only four of them were alive. The four girls abducted Sharer from her house at midnight on the pretext of driving her to meet Amanda in an abandoned building, where they tied her up and taunted her. She was 12 years old at the time of her death. She was 12 years old at the time of her death. [21] As with the other girls, Rippey began to self-harm at age 15. The girls drove around for the next few hours as they tortured Shanda. In Dec. 1992,Loveless pleaded guilty to the Jan. 11, 1992 murder of 12-year-old Shanda Sharer of New Albany. Court testimony indicates that the four girls lured Sharer from her home the night of Jan. 10, 1992, on the pretense that she was being taken to meet her new girlfriend. The Killing Field. Tackett, who was 17 at the time of the killing, was charged as an adult and sentenced to 60 years in the Indiana Women's Prison in 1993 alongside co-defendantMelinda Loveless of New Albany. He said that Loveless had been "profoundly retarded" by childhood abuse. Instead, they spent seven hours torturing Shanda, who would later suffer one of the worst deaths in history. She was 12 years old at the time of her death. The girls drove Sharer to Witches Castle in Utica where they bound her legs and arms and began their torture of the twelve-year-old girl. And I know what my child would want. They called the police at 10:55a.m. and were asked to return to the corpse. Toni was released in 2000 after serving almost nine years in prison, remaining on parole until late 2002. Social workers became involved, and Tackett's parents agreed to unannounced visits to ensure that child abuse was not occurring. All four of them were tried as adults and received lengthy sentences instead of the death penalty due to the plea bargain they entered after pleading guilty to their crimes. [5], Larry worked irregularly for the Southern Railway after his military service; his profession allowed him to work whenever most convenient for him. Your login session has expired. They lived in or near New Albany throughout Melinda's childhood. My child would want this.". As Shanda Sharers mother, Jacque Vaught, said in a 2012 interview, I had many times said if you want to see as close to a person who has absolutely nothing inside of them, look into Melindas eyes because theres nothing there.. The three other girls assumed Loveless was simply going to scare Sharer into breaking up with Heavrin. Both Heavrin and Wathen were reluctant to believe the story until Tackett showed them the trunk of the car with Sharer's bloody handprints and socks still present. When they divorced; Jacqueline remarried and moved to Louisville, Kentucky. Published on May 20, 2011. "If you don't let good things come from bad things, nothing gets better. Photos: Kent's killers; Then-Now - Sun-Sentinel INDIANAPOLIS, IN (WTHR) - In January 1992, 12-year-old Shanda Sharer was lured from her home in Jeffersonville, tortured throughout the night and burned alive. As the year progressed, Loveless's relationship with Heavrin deteriorated. On this particular weekend Shanda had been staying with her father, Steve Sharer, and Melinda knew it. "Odle comes in, and he's going to set with them, and they're going him hug him, and they're going to talk to him to make it easier for them," said Loveless. [65] The play was published by Samuel French, Inc. in September 2009. She has chosen to keep her life private since then, and not much is known about what she currently does; her last known location remains to be Indiana. "I liked it because it wasn't planned," said Loveless. I was only 10 years old when she was killed, but her death has impacted me more than anyone could have imagined. Shanda Sharer. In 1992, 12-year-old Shanda Sharer was brutally murdered by four other girls. You have permission to edit this article. She claimed that her mother beat her often. It spiraled out of control way too fast. [13] Tackett and her mother came into periodic conflict; at one point, her mother went to Hope Rippey's house after learning that Rippey's father had purchased an ouija board for the girls. The four girls who took place in the events that occured that night are Melinda Loveless, Laurie Tackett, Hope Rippey and Toni Lawrence. I had never heard of Shanda Sharer before she was killed, but her murder has made me a fervent advocate for the prevention of crime. Sharer would have been 40 years old this year. In exchange for her cooperation, Lawrence was allowed to plead guilty to one count of criminal confinement and was sentenced to a maximum of 20 years. During the episode, Tackett said that if she could go back, she wouldn't have been there that nightand she would have done everything in her power to stop it. "I was the monster. Lastly, Loveless was released from Indiana Women's Prison on September 5, 2019. Loveless pleaded guilty to the one count of sexual battery. [69][70], The Cold Case second-season episode "The Sleepover" is loosely based on this crime. [46], Detectives obtained dental records that positively identified Sharer as the victim. In January 1992, Shanda Sharer was brutally tortured and murdered by four teenage girls, led by Melinda Loveless, a 17-year-old girl from Louisville. Shanda Sharer, a young girl with a promising future, was the victim of a brutal torture death that has forever been imprinted into the minds of the locals. She even showed Amanda the bloody trunk and Shanda's bloody clothes. To further threaten Sharer, Tackett then retrieved a shirt with a smiley design from the car and lit it on fire, but immediately feared that the fire would be spotted by passing cars, so the girls left with Sharer. Hours later they took Shanda to another remote location and continued brutalizing her. Some of Shanda's friends have put up a wonderful blog that discusses all the many issues surrounding this horrific crime. Loveless and Tackett made Sharer strip down to her underwear; then, Loveless beat Sharer with her fists. Sharer's mother and sister were also guests on the show. Her parents would eventually divorce, and Shanda's mother Jacque would move the family to New Albany, Indiana in June 1991. In October 2007, Loveless's attorney, Mark Small, requested a hearing to argue for his client's release. From what we can tell, she chooses to keep a low profile and spends time with her children and father. She's my child," said Jacque. The prosecution immediately declared its intention to try both Loveless and Tackett as adults. She donated a puppy in her daughter's honor to the Indiana Canine Assistance Network program, where Loveless had taken to training dogs for the disabled. "[38], The girls drove to a gas station near Madison Consolidated High School, pumped some gasoline into the car, and bought a two-liter bottle of Pepsi. One of the four women convicted of beating, burning and killing 12-year-old Shanda Renee Sharer in 1992 was released Thursday from prison on the 26th anniversary of the girl's body being found.. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The last of four teenagers convicted of the kidnapping, torture and murder of a 12-year-old girl has been released from prison. Shanda moved around a few times due to her parents divorcing. par ; mai 21, 2022 Unfortunately, that did nothing to stop the horrific events that would soon unfold. At 2:30a.m., Lawrence and Rippey stayed behind as Tackett and Loveless went "country cruising", driving to the nearby town of Canaan. She was sincere. Shanda would stay with him on . In May 1989, her mother discovered that Tackett was changing from a dress into jeans at school, and, after a confrontation that night, attempted to strangle her. "Angel is in good hands. Lawrence refused. The foursome drove to where Sharer was spending the weekend with her father. Why 12-Year-Old Shanda Sharer Was Tortured And Killed By Four Teenage Girls. Shanda was born in Pineville, Kentucky on June 6th, 1979 to Stephen Sharer and his wife Jacqueline, who was later known as Jacqueline Vaught. Tackett told the girls that a local legend said the house was once owned by nine witches and that townspeople burned down the house to get rid of the witches.[33]. Shanda Sharer was born on June 6, 1979 to her father Stephen, and her mother Jacqueline. In October of that year, the pair attended a school dance together. Shanda was the kind of girl you wanted to be friends with; she was bubbly, outgoing and a lot of fun. They entered plea bargains to avoid the death penalty. Please logout and login again. Sharer was born on June 6, 1979, in the small town of Pineville, Kentucky, to Steve Sharer and Jackie Vaught. [56], Tackett was released from Rockville Correctional Facility on January 11, 2018, the 26th anniversary of Sharer's death, after serving nearly 26 years, and has completed an additional year of parole.[57]. (Sun. Sharer and Heavrin became fast friends and then romantic partners. ", "Judge denies Loveless' request for early release in torture-killing", "Woman convicted in 1992 murder released from prison", "Mastermind behind brutal murder of Indiana girl in 1992 released from prison", "New Albany memorial focuses on Shanda, not her murder", "Shanda Sharer's mother and murderer form unlikely alliance", "In Cold Blood: A Daughter's Brutal Murder", "Watch Jealousy Full Episode - Killer Kids | Lifetime", "Sex and Death: Interview with Marlene McCarty", "MOCA Collection: Marlene McCarty: 20002001: Melinda Loveless, Toni Lawrence, Hope Rippey, Laurie Tackett, and Shanda Sharer January 11, 1992 (1:39 am)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Shanda_Sharer&oldid=1133311329, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using embedded infobox templates with the title parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Body of Shanda Sharer found in rural Jefferson County, Indiana, Loveless and Tackett accept plea bargains, A judge reduces Rippey's 60-year sentence to 35 years, This page was last edited on 13 January 2023, at 04:34. 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