Catch the episode of The 1990s: The Deadliest Decade, titled The New Girl, on Investigation Discovery on August 19, 2022. Pretty much, they'd been a group of strangers who came together in order to murder an innocent 12 year old stranger. Amanda. Mary, Hope, and Toni drove to Shandas fathers place to lure her out sometime after 11:30 pm. Sharer entered the car, not knowing Loveless was hiding in the back seat under a blanket, according to IndyStar archives. Sharer was tortured, beaten and burned in a rural area of Jefferson County, Indiana. Wikimedia CommonsA small memorial to Shanda Sharer in the field where she died. Shanda Renee Sharer (19791992) was a young girl who was tortured and burned to death in Madison, Indiana by four teenage girls. The foursome drove to where Sharer was spending the weekend with her father. For hours, they tortured a barely conscious Sharer by assaulting her with a tire iron before ultimately taking her to a field and burning her alive. An Indiana program called ICAN, or Indiana Canine Assistant Network, has been helping Loveless. She had since reportedly married her girlfriend and seems to live in Indiana. Death of Innocence - The Murder of Young Shanda Sharer BY David Lohr Autopsy On Sunday morning, Dr. George Nichols conducted Shanda's autopsy. She was kidnapped, tortured and burned alive by four teenage girls. Concerned about the effects of their daughter's relationship with Heavrin, Sharer's parents arranged for her to transfer to a Catholic school in late November. [2] After Sharer's parents divorced, her mother remarried and the family moved to Louisville. On appeal, a judge reduced the sentence to 35 years. She's like my kid," said Loveless. An Indiana Department of Correction spokeswoman says 44-year-old Melinda Loveless was released from the Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis on Thursday after serving 23 years and eight months . She remained on supervised parole for 5 years until April 2011. She's my child," said Jacque. But once Shanda got into the car, Melinda got out of her hiding place and held a knife to Shandas throat, and grabbed her hair. She went into counseling after the incident but did not follow through. 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. He would also "share" her with some of his friends from work, which she found disgusting. Shanda Renee Sharer was a 12 year old who was brutally murdered and tortured by 4 teenage girls (between the ages 15 and 17) in January 12, 1992. [17] Loveless, often described as the ringleader in the attack,[50] had the most extensive history of abuse and mental health issues. In court, Teddy described an incident in which Larry tied all three sisters in a garage and raped them in succession; however, the sisters did not confirm this account. Larry and Marjorie gave full confession and renounced drinking and swinging while they were members. 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. [60], Sharer's father, Steven Sharer, died of alcoholism in 2005 at the age of 53. And I said. Lawrence then phoned a friend and told her about the murder. More: Part 2: How fake witnesses, exposed surveillance operation unravel Grundy murder investigation, More: Burger Chef murder victim's mom had surprising thing to say after 1978 killings. It was also found that the victim's face and hands were burnt in an attempt to keep her unrecognizable and unidentifiable. Lawrence was released from prison in 2000, and Rippey was released in 2006. Shanda Sharer was a 12 year old girl living in the idyllic town of Madison, Indiana. Parents: Jacqueline Vaught, Stephen Sharer. She helped me to heal, forgive and grow, whether she wanted that or not. Craig Schoonover made that statement after Melinda. After another divorce, she moved her family to New Albany, Indiana. Its my choice to make. 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. The description matched his Jane Doe. Jacque never wanted contact with any of Shanda's killers. After she washed, Tackett told the girls' futures with her "runestones". Sharer's mother, Jacque Vaught, told WAVE 3 News in 2007, when Loveless sought an early release, that Loveless was the mastermind of the crime. Ididn't," Tackett said. WARNING: This article contains graphic content related to physical and s*xual violence and murder. The four teenagers were eventually arrested, and initially, Melinda and Mary pointed the finger at each other for the torture-murder. She slept in bed with him until he abandoned his family when she was 14. Her name was Shanda Sharer; her age--twelve. Join us as we discuss the motive that turned teenage girls into killers and the aftermath of Shanda's murder. Four teenage girls lured 12-year-old Shanda Sharer to the witch's castle at midnight on the pretense that another friend was in desperate trouble. The Killing Field. Shanda Renee Sharer was an American girl who was tortured and burned to death in Madison, Indiana, by four teenage girls. Loveless trained dogs for the program for several years. At the Witch's Castle, they took a sobbing Sharer inside and bound her arms and legs with rope. While the four decided never to talk about it, Toni couldnt take it anymore and confessed to the police. The Shanda Sharer Murder has forever changed my life. I couldnt thank her enough. Shes my child. If you dont let good things come from bad things nothing gets better. She was close friends with Rippey from childhood. Her death is notable due to the torture she endured for more than 10 hours, and subsequently being burned alive. "If you don't let good things come from bad things, nothing gets better. Shanda Renee Sharer was born June 6th 1979 in Pineville, Kentucky. 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. Loveless and Tackett were sentenced to 60 years in prison at the Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis. Loveless immediately grew jealous of Heavrin and Sharer's relationship. I think the ICAN program allows her to have something in her life that she can show love back to and theres never betrayal on either side.. Follow him on Twitter: @justinlmack. [19], Hope Anna Rippey was born in Madison on June 9, 1976. Vaught stated that she hoped to donate a dog every year in honor of Shanda Sharer. After this look at the murder of Shanda Sharer, read about the disturbing killing of James Bulger. Upon arrival, they borrowed some clothes from Loveless, and she showed them a knife, telling them she was going to scare Sharer with it. She convinced three other teens -- Hope Rippey, Laurie Tackett and Toni Lawrence -- to participate in the crime because she believed Sharer stole her girlfriend. In 1994, Tackett and Loveless appealed their sentences, citing their difficult childhoods. Stephen resettled in Jeffersonville, Indiana with his wife, Sharon. [20] Her father was an engineer at a power plant. Jacque Vaught said she hopes to give away a service dog raised in prison every year in Shanda's name, and she is open to Melinda raising more of them. Thats all it was. copilot vs ynab shanda sharer killers where are they now shanda sharer killers where are they now. Jacqueline was divorced from Shandas father, but they moved to New Albany, Indiana, to be closer to him. There were also reports of the victim being sexually assaulted with the same weapon. Larry was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and although horribly emotionally scarred, he was treated as a hero upon his return. Known For: Being Tortured and killed by 4 teenage girls. [34], Tackett led them to a dark abandoned building off a logging road in a densely forested area. 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. Lawrence, Rippey, and Tackett all had histories of self-harming behavior. After treatment of her wound, she was admitted to the hospital's psychiatric ward. She was sentenced to 60 years for murder. I wish I had the time to re-record. 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. Loveless was released from Indiana Women's Prison on September 5, 2019. You have permission to edit this article. Then, the three girls drove to pick up Heavrin and take her back to the Loveless home, where they told Heavrin the story. Her prediction was partly true. [26] Heavrin states she gave letters Loveless sent her containing death threats towards Sharer to a "youth prosecutor", but the youth prosecutor never did anything about it as far as she knew. He thanks you for reading his content. The fifth had been tortured and mutilated nearly beyond recognition. "She helped me to heal, forgive and grow, whether she wanted that or not," Loveless said through tears, "She did a good thing. [16] Tackett was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and confessed that she had experienced hallucinations since she was a young child. "[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. Larry, who was violent and abusive, did not usually share his income with the family and impulsively spent any money he earned on himself, especially firearms, motorcycles and cars. "I was the monster. Loveless ordered Sharer to tell the truth about stealing the girlfriend or have her throat slit. Jun 20, 1992 at 12:00 am. Tackett beat her with a tire iron until she was silent, claiming that she felt the victim's head caving in, and then told Loveless to "smell it". But the Indiana Supreme Court upheld their sentences. Loveless then convinced the other girls to take Sharer to a remote location where there would be no one else around for miles. Loveless was 18 when she planned the crime. Tackett then dropped off Lawrence and Rippey at their homes and finally returned to her own home with Loveless. Authorities quickly narrowed in on the killers four teenage girls, three of whom had never met the victim until . 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. But a breeder who supplies dogs to the ICAN program at the prison forged an unexpected connection. A burn victim like Shanda, Charlie Petrizzo convinced Jacque to watch a videotape of the new Melinda. Tackett and Loveless were sentenced to 60 years in the Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis. Again driving to a remote location, the girls hauled their still-alive victim now only able to whimper mommy out of the trunk, wrapped her in a blanket, and poured the gasoline on her. They beat her, sodomized the 12-year-old with a tire iron, choked her with a cord, and sliced her legs with a knife. He sent letters to her for a while, playing on her emotions, but eventually severed all contact with her, and in December 1998, he died. During Loveless's sentencing hearing, extensive open court testimony revealed that her father Larry had abused his wife, his daughters, and other children. She was prescribed an anti-depressant and released. In Dec. 1992,Loveless pleaded guilty to the Jan. 11, 1992 murder of 12-year-old Shanda Sharer of New Albany. She confessed to her involvement and said three others were involved: Hope Rippey, then 15, Mary Tackett, then 17, and Melinda Loveless, then 16. "I had many times said, "If you want to see as close to a person that has absolutely nothing inside of them, look into Melinda's eyes 'cause there's nothing there,'" Vaught said. In 1992, four teen girls tortured and killed 12-year-old Shanda Sharer. Shanda Sharer was born on June 6, 1979 in Pineville, Kentucky to Steve Sharer and Jacqueline Vaught. shanda sharer killers where are they nowtransfer function of capacitor and resistor in parallel. The Shanda Sharer Murder. Later that morning, two hunters found the body. Lawrence and Rippey were frightened and stayed in the car. Nationality: American. [43], Sharer's father, Steven, noticed his daughter was nowhere to be found early on January 11. She was reunited with friends Tackett and Toni Lawrence, whom she had known since childhood, although her parents saw Tackett as a bad influence. [1], Shanda Sharer was born in the Pineville Community Hospital in Pineville, Kentucky, on June 6, 1979, to Stephen Sharer and his wife Jacqueline, who was later known as Jacqueline Vaught. "Ididn't know Shanda at all. Next, Loveless repeatedly slammed Sharer's face into her knee, which cut Sharer's mouth on her own braces. She was close to her mother, Jacqueline Vaught, who said her daughter was good at gymnastics, basketball, and baseball and was a cheerleader. "They're going to have that.". First, they took Sharer to a remote trash dump near a logging road in a densely forested area. She remained on parole until December 2002. 125 miles away, Shanda's mother, Jacque Vaught, still endures shockwaves from her daughter's brutal murder. My child would want this." Melinda was someone who had learned to nurture something, love it, then let it go, as she did with Odle last March. 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. In 2012, Shanda Sharer's mother Jackie Vaught made headlines when she publicly forgave Melinda Loveless. For nearly eight hours, the girls sexually assaulted and tortured Shanda Sharer, except for Toni Lawrence which refused to participate in the heinous act. The conversation woke up Tackett's mother, who yelled at her daughter for being out late and bringing home the girls, so Tackett agreed to take them home. 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Loveless served more than 26 years in prison for murder and criminal confinement. Shanda Renee 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. Sharer continued to make crying and gurgling noises, so Tackett stopped the car. Itspiraled out of control way too fast. She claimed that her mother beat her often. Once they had her in their car, they beat and tortured her for hours before finally setting her on fire. Sharer moved to New Albany with her mother in 1991 and developed a romantic relationship with Amanda Heavrin, a 15-year-old she met at school. The three other girls assumed Loveless was simply going to scare Sharer into breaking up with Heavrin. The case was covered on national news and talk shows and has inspired a number of episodes on fictional crime shows. In January 1992, a horrifying discovery out in a field near Madison, Indiana, led the authorities on a shocking inquiry that ultimately led to the conviction of four teenagers. That'sall it was. Its something that should have never happened., Furthermore, in an interview on Dr. Phil, the convicted killer explained why she thinks people kill. Clockwise from top left: Melinda Loveless, Laurie Tackett, Hope Rippey, and Toni Lawrence. She was compassionate. Clockwise from top left: Melinda Loveless, Laurie Tackett, Hope Rippey, and Toni Lawrence. She was, by all accounts, a normal girl who made friends easily and had fun at school dances. Loveless was not convinced Sharer was dead, so they returned a few minutes later to pour the rest of the gasoline on her. Shanda Sharer Murder: Where Are Her Killers Now? The incident attracted international attention due to both the brutality of the murder and the young age of the perpetrators, who were aged between 15 and 17 years old. [2] After Sharer's parents divorced, her mother remarried and the family moved to Louisville. The incident attracted international attention due to both the brutality of the murder and the young age of the perpetrators, who were aged . Vaught reported that she had endured criticism over the decision, but defends it saying, "It's my choice to make. Sharer was tortured, beaten and burned in a rural area of Jefferson County, Indiana. Loveless explained to the two other girls that she disliked Sharer for being a copycat and for stealing her girlfriend.[28]. 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. Sharer moved to New Albany with her. Investigation Discovery's ' The 1990s: The Deadliest Decade: The New Girl' chronicles what happened to Shanda and how four girls were responsible for her death. [41], A friend of Loveless, Crystal Wathen, came over to Loveless's house, and they told her what had happened. So, lets find out more about this case then, shall we? Shanda moved around a few times due to her parents divorcing. 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. Shanda Sharer met classmate Amanda Heavrin at Hazelwood in 1991, soon after moving to the area with her recently divorced mother from Kentucky. Loveless hit the victims face with her knee until she bled profusely from her mouth. Shanda was the kind of girl you wanted to be friends with; she was bubbly, outgoing and a lot of fun. They initially thought it was a mannequin of some sort, but upon exiting the vehicle realized that it was clearly the burned body of a child. 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. There, Lawrence and Rippey spotted a couple of boys and talked to them before once again getting back into the car and leaving, arriving some time later at the edge of some woods near Tackett's home in Madison. Tackett grew up in a strict religious household where normal teenager things were not welcome behaviors. Rippey came out of the car to hold down Sharer. All rights reserved. In today's video, we talk about 1992 torture and murder of 12 year old Shanda Sharer where she was kidnapped, beaten, tortured, and then burned alive by four. The 1992 . William DeLong is a freelance wordsmith. [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. In a new twist to the case, police have now arrested a man named Johnny Lee Sharer for . However, what was in store for them was much darker. She convinced three other. 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. Part 2: How fake witnesses, exposed surveillance operation unravel Grundy murder investigation, Burger Chef murder victim's mom had surprising thing to say after 1978 killings, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Shanda attended fifth and sixth grades in Louisville at St. Paul School where she was on the cheer leading, volleyball and softball teams. Although Heavrin and Loveless had never formally ended their relationship, Loveless started to date an older girl. Shanda was born in Pineville, Kentucky on June 6th, 1979 to Stephen Sharer and his wife Jacqueline, who was later known as Jacqueline Vaught. Hope was released on parole in April 2006. Shanda Renee Sharer was born in June 1979 in Pineville, Kentucky. par ; mai 21, 2022 One of the dog breeders who supplies Indiana with pups is a burn victim, much like Shanda Sharer was. [5], Larry worked irregularly for the Southern Railway after his military service; his profession allowed him to work whenever most convenient for him. [22], Toni Lawrence was born in Madison on February 14, 1976. During the ride, Loveless said that she could not wait to kill Sharer; however, Loveless also said she just intended to use the knife to frighten her. After more than seven hoursof torture, the girls ended itby soaking Sharer with gasoline and burning her alive alongside a country road, evidence revealed. And Im doing it for Shanda. why taoism is often misunderstood as a superstitious religion because eric montross big grits eric montross big grits Rippey was sentenced to 60 years, with 10 years suspended due to mitigating circumstances plus 10 years of medium-supervision probation. [42], Later on the morning of January 11, 1992, two brothers from Canaan were driving toward Jefferson Proving Ground to go hunting when they noticed a body on the side of the road. The breeder convinced Vaught to watch a video of Loveless grown up and see what she does in prison for the program. This description of how the investigation unfolded . Loveless tried to slash Sharer's throat, but the knife was too dull. Instead, they spent seven hours torturing Shanda, who would later suffer one of the worst deaths in history. "You know what, I didn't believe it," said Loveless of the gesture. [24], Heavrin met Shanda Sharer early in the fall semester at Hazelwood Junior High when they got into a fight; however, they became friends while in detention for the altercation, and later exchanged romantic letters. 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. He received a sentence of time served and was released in June 1995. Thereafter, Minato and Miyano, then aged 15 and 18, respectively, and two other youths took her to a residence in the Ayase area of Adachi Ward . After reading about the murder of Bobby Kent that inspired the film "Bully," learn about . It was a crime of passion and peer pressure committed by four teenage girls. She was released on December 14, 2000 after serving nine years in prison. First, Melinda and Laurie stripped Shanda naked near a remote trash dump while Hope and Toni waited in the . She dropped out of high school in September 1991. Loveless and Tackett stripped off Sharers clothes and proceeded to punch her repeatedly. "I saw someone who was almost reborn.". She remained on supervised parole until April 2011. At that point, Amanda was in an on-and-off relationship with another teenager, Melinda Loveless. After her parents got divorced and her mother remarried . When the people of Madison, Indiana heard that a brutal murder had been committed in their midst, they were . She took up Charlie, the breeder, on his idea to donate a puppy in Shanda's honor, and she let Melinda loveless train her. Mary, who was interested in the occult, even talked about holding a seance to ask Shandas ghost how it felt to be burned alive. Shanda Rene Sharer (June 6, 1979 - January 11, 1992) was an American girl who was murdered by a group of girls in early 1992. The girls then drove to the field near Madison, covered her with a blanket, and poured gasoline on her. But a dog named Angel is a dog like no other -- a four-legged conduit to Melinda's victim, Shanda Sharer. :confused:--If that's the book by true crime author Aphrodite Jones, I remember it very well It is also to be noted that her body was posed in a suggestive position, very obviously meaning that this was done on purpose and with intention. Loveless pleaded guilty to the one count of sexual battery. [10], The extent of Larry's abuse of his daughters and other children is unclear. And I know what my child would want. [29] Loveless was angry at first, but Rippey and Lawrence assured her about returning for Sharer later. 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. Call IndyStar reporter Justin L. Mack at (317) 444-6138. Mary Bell. The 12-year-old seemed to have things working for her, and when she went missing, she was enrolled in a Catholic school. Court testimony showed Loveless wanted Sharer killed because the two competed for the affections of the same girl. So I get it," said Loveless from the Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis. Shanda Sharer. During the car ride, Sharer continued begging them to take her back home. She was discharged on April 12. Loveless served more than 26 years in prison for murder and criminal confinement. She was 12 years old at the time of her death. Shanda was best friends with her mom, and close with her father and stepmother, Sharon. The authorities learned that while Shanda was in middle school, she befriended an older teenager named Amanda. In November, 1988, Minato (then using the first name Nobuharu) and Hiroshi Miyano (now using the surname Yokoyama), worked together to abduct Junko Furuta as she commuted home from a part-time job. Her parents resumed their relationship in Madison in 1987. "I was the bad person.". Loveless, the one angry with Sharer and the ringleader behind the murder, naturally received a longer sentence than the two younger girls, but why would Tackett take so much to the killing and earn herself the longer sentence as well? When they pulled up in front of her house, Loveless kissed Heavrin, told her she loved her and pleaded with her not to tell anyone. Melinda Loveless has a new lease on life as a trainer of service dogs for the disabled. Shanda would stay with him on . She would often attempt to impress her friends by pretending to be possessed by the spirit of "Deanna the Vampire". Dr. Phil asked Lauries mother and sister if they agreed with that statement, and they said yes.
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