True Crime Vault: How'd You Rather Die?

Step [music] into the 2020 True Crime Ba. where you'll hear our most gripping. stories. A high school girl sneaks away from home. and disappears. But are there clues left. behind in a diabolical game of would you. rather? 2020 begins right now. She walked out. She said, "I love you, daddy. It's the last time I ever heard.

her.". >> Her missing poster is up all over town. >> What were you looking for? >> Anything and everything. >> Dave niece called me and [music] said, "Tom, we have something.". >> And what were you thinking when you saw. her head flash on that screen? >> There was no evidence of a kidnapping. There was no abduction. And there was no. ransom.

>> We're combing through everything. Just. hours and hours dissecting every. picture, every message, everything. >> If she got angry, she would put those. tweets out there, too. A girl, a girl, a a And. I'm like, who is she talking about? >> No one realized how bad it was growing. The friction of two versus one. She said that she had to tell me the. truth about what happened last night. >> Would you guys rather suffocate or get.

shot? >> I don't think that most kids play would. you rather in terms of how would [music]. you rather die? [music].

Long County 911. Do you have an. emergency? >> I I don't know if it qualifies for. emergency or not. To me, it is. >> It's the phone call no parent ever wants. to have to make. A desperate 911 about a. missing child. I have a 16-year-old daughter who has. not been home, hasn't went to work, can't get a hold of her from any of her. friends. I am scared to death. >> What's her name? >> Skyler niece. >> What were you feeling at that point for. your little girl? >> I was scared to death. I mean, I I.

didn't know where my baby was. I mean, it's How would you feel? It was. horrible. >> Nothing would ever be the same for Dave. Niece and his wife Mary after that call. in July 2012. That was one of my. favorites. That was number one. Had to. be. >> Or for [music] the small suburban. community of Star City, West Virginia, who would grapple with the mystery of. Skyler Niss's [music] disappearance. [music]. Star City is a small little city off of.

Morgantown. [music]. It is a great place to live. It is a. wonderful place to raise your family. As. much as we had this real small knit. community, we also have a university. >> Morgantown was more college town. [music]. Your crime was more college property. crimes, college kids having parties, typical stuff that any other college. town would have, [music] but nothing. really serious. >> It has that college town shine and. bounce. >> It's not a podunk town and it's not an.

urban metropolis. It's a combo and it's. breathtakingly beautiful [music] there. a bluecollar middle-class town with. working families like Dave and Mary. niece. [music] He worked at Walmart and. she had a doctor's office and that's the. norm for this area. >> Morgantown's a fairly decent community. It's peaceful. It's a small town that's. growing really fast. >> It's the kind of area where outside of. college football, not much happens. So. when 16-year-old Skyler Nice went. missing on a summer evening in July,

people were stunned. Now, more than a decade after her. disappearance, a new podcast has topped. the charts, [music] exploring Skyler's. story, which is still reverberating. >> My name is Holly Malay. My name is. Justine Harmon, and we are the co-hosts. and co-creators of Three Three. >> The story felt like a gothic reimagining. of everyone's teenage experience. When. you peel apart who these people were and. what the circumstances were, they're. fairly universal and human and relatable.

and [music] those are the things that. interest me. >> This is episode one. Skyler [music] is. missing. >> Part of the intrigue, the podcasters. say, [music] is that often treacherous. intersection of adolescence and social. media. A big [music] deal for high. school age girls like Skyler. Like so many her age, Skylar used her. voice on social media as a stream of. consciousness, updating friends on what. she had for lunch that day, what she's.

watching on TV, and her emotions in the moment. >> You can see flickers of her personality. It was really empowering at the time to. have. >> a voice. >> Yeah. A voice. >> and also highly dangerous. [music] It's. one thing to write in a diary about that. stuff, but when you start broadcasting. those thoughts, it can lead to some. trouble. >> Let's talk [music] about Skylar. How. would you describe her? I spoiled her.

beyond rotten. [clears throat] Skyler. was very bubbly person. She had a smile. that liked the room up. She was also. very loyal to her friends. She was all. those things wrapped into one. She loved the Disney [music] Channel and. every Friday night they would have a new. Disney movie. >> Disney Channel. >> We'd curl up on the couch to watch a new. Disney movie [music] and she just loved. that. [laughter]. >> Dave Niece also told me a story [music]. that sticks out for him when Skylar was.

growing up. She had the tea party for me. and after Mary came home, she noted that. Skylar couldn't reach a faucet and I've. been drinking toilet water for the whole. tea party. That was a good memory. >> At the time, it wasn't a good memory. [laughter]. [snorts]. >> At 16, the nieces say Skylar is thriving. with a 4.0 gradepoint average and a. part-time job at a fast food restaurant.

But in the early afternoon of July 6th, 2012, everything changes. It's a summer. Friday and Dave Niece goes to the. bedroom to wake up his daughter, who he. thinks has overslept and has [music]. work in a couple of hours. >> We never bothered Skyler in the morning. She was up all hours of the night. talking to her friends on the phone, so. we didn't bother her in the mornings. I. knocked on her door. There was no. answer. I knocked again. Still no answer. So I. said, "Sky, come on. you got to get up.

And I still didn't get an answer. So, I. took a coat hanger and I opened the door. and uh I looked down at her bed and it. hadn't been slept in. It scared me. >> Dave Niece immediately calls his wife. Mary who was working to ask if she knew. where Skyler could be. >> And Mary's like, "Relax. She probably. spent the night at a friend's. Don't. worry about it. She'll turn up. She has. to go [music] to work at 4:00.

A few minutes go by and Dave is still. worried. [music] So, he calls Mary. again. >> I said, "Uh, what do what do I what do I. do?" You know, she said, "Well, first of. all, call Sheila. That's the first. person you call.". >> Sheila, Eddie, and Skyler [music] Niece. met in the second grade at an afterchool. program near Blackville where Sheila. grew up. They were about 8 years [music]. old and they were fast friends. >> If they weren't together, they were on. the phone together and that's literally. 24 hours a day. So, I called Sheila. I.

said, "Uh, you got any clue where Skylar. is?" She said, "No." I said, "When's the. last time you talked to her?" She said, "Last night about midnight." I said, "Uh, you haven't you don't have any clue. where she might be or who she might be. with?" She said, "No.". >> Dave's mind is racing. He's [music]. trying to piece together the night. before in his head, remembering when he. last saw her. Skyler came home from work and uh walked. through the door and she went over and.

petted her dog and said, "Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad.". She walked out and she said, "I love. you, daddy. It's the last time I ever. heard her.". Because by the next day, Skyler hasn't. been seen or heard from, and she has. work at 4:00. The minute Skylar didn't. [music] show up for work, Mary and Dave. both knew something was wrong. >> Wendy's called and said, "Hey, is Skyler. coming to work today?" And I said, "Oh,

Jesus." Mary said, "Call 911. [music]. >> [music]. >> 16-year-old Skyler Nice needed to be at. work here at Wendy's at 4:00 p.m. on. July 6th. 4:00 came and went. Skyler. never showed up. Wendy's called and said, "Hey, is Skyler.

coming to work today?" And I said, "Oh, Jesus." And she said, "Uh, Mary said, "Call 911." So, I did. And I called 911. immediately. >> Long County 911. Do you have an. emergency? >> Yeah, I I have a daughter that's 16. years old. Um she hasn't been seen. She. hasn't went to work. None of her friends. can get all of her. I can't find her. >> Where does she work? >> Uh she works at Wendy's. >> As soon as I called 911, the phone rang. and it was Sheila. And she talked to.

Mary. >> And what did she say? Her words were, "I. have to tell you the truth about what. happened last night." I said, "The. truth? What? What? What are you talking. about?". So then she proceeded to tell me that. her, Skyler, and Rachel had snuck out. the night before, and that they had. driven around Star City, were getting. high, and that the two girls had dropped.

her back off at the house. Rachel is Rachel's chauffe. By all. accounts, Rachel is Sheila and Skyler's. very best friend. But what Sheila is. sharing isn't putting the nieces at. ease. I don't even know what to think. I just can't believe she snuck out. She snuck out. She climbed out the. window and had put a bench at the base. of the window on on the outside so that. she could pretty short.

>> But Skyler's friend tells Mary something. else that's unsettling. After that joy. ride, they drop Skyler off a couple. blocks away from the [music] apartment. building she lived in, so the car noise. wouldn't wake her parents. >> So now they're thinking that maybe. Skyler could have been abducted. walking back those two blocks to get. back in her house.

It introduced a question of well what. happened to Skyler after she got dropped. off. >> When a person goes missing a lot of. times within 24 hours we will find him. Some took no more than 48 hours. We'd. locate the child and have them returned. him or her return back to home. Jessica Cobank, who was a police officer. at the time and one of the first people. on the case. She was on it right away. >> At some point, you think, okay, a little.

girl is missing, 16 years old. Did you. think it was a runaway case at that. point? >> It was always possible. Uh, based on. whenever I got the case, we had Sheila's. initial statement, which was that they. had dropped her off at the end of the. street. So it was always possible that. she had run away. >> She didn't take her cell phone charger. She didn't take her contact lens. solution or her contact lens. I mean. nothing. And nothing she would have took.

if she would have been running away or. leaving for an extended period of time. >> Yeah. Apparently she was planning to. come back fairly quickly. The nieces are struggling to make sense. of everything, including Sheila's. revelation that their daughter was out. smoking marijuana with her friends. It's. not the Skyler they knew. Sheila, she. shows up that day. She comes back to the. house with you at one point and she. wants to go see Skylar's room. Yeah. She. knocked on the door and we opened it and.

she said, "Hey." I said, "What are you. doing?" She says, "Is it okay if I go. back and sit in Skyler's room for a. minute? >> [music]. >> I looked at Mary and she looked at me. and we said, "I guess.". So, she went back in Skyler's room and I. sat on the couch and I think Mary was in. the kitchen and Mary heard some sobbing. and crying and stuff. So, she went back. [music]. She was crying. Sheila was u crying.

pretty hard and she was sitting on her. bed. So I just sat down on the bed. beside her and rubbed [music] her back. and she was upset because Skyler was. gone and hadn't come back. So I was. trying to, you know, console her, make. her feel better. Everyone I spoke to said these three. girls were inseparable. [music]. People like Rachel's close family. friend, Kelly Karns. She was like a. daughter to you. >> Yes. you know, once she went to high. school and she took singing lessons and.

uh she always had piano lessons and. acting lessons, was in the drama. Rachel's personality is bubbly. I'd say. her voice was absolutely amazing. Like, I really thought she was going to be on. Broadway one day. She's absolutely. stunning [music] with her voice um. breathtaking. Actually, I never heard anything bad about Rachel. She seemed like she was just, you know, she was another Skyler. Rachel had gone to a Catholic school.

previous to university high school and. all of these girls are only children. So. the three of them became very close and. Sheila gravitated towards Rachel because. Rachel was, you know, popular almost. immediately being a star in the theater. coming from, you know, a home that had. real money and. Skyler was feeling the squeeze, you. know, because now her lifelong best.

friend [music] is cozying up to this. third person. >> Just like Skyler, Rachel and Sheila. express themselves on Twitter. >> My dad is my favorite person to hang out. with. He's a hoot. >> Rachel comes off like a typical. teenager. >> Awkward. >> While Sheila's are a bit more. rebellious. >> There's a reason why sober and so bored. sound [music] almost exactly the same.

>> Sheila, her tweets are definitely the. most provocative. a lot of dissing her. parents, her parental figures. She seems. definitely the most comfortable in. pushing the boundaries and um the most. confident. >> Since they were the last to see Skyler, police take the girl's statements, which. are consistent with what Sheila told. Mary. They say they picked up Skylar. late in the evening between 11 and 11:30. p.m. Went for a joy ride during which. they smoked pot, then dropped Skylar off.

a couple of blocks from home around. midnight. Whatever happened next remains. a mystery. >> We love our baby. We want her home. >> I promised Dave and Mary whenever I. started, I told him the very first day. that I met him, I said, "I'm a bulldog.". I said, "I don't [music] care if it. takes me 10 years to find the truth. I. will eventually find it." But until I. had Skyler back, I wasn't stopping.

>> And police are about to uncover their. biggest clue yet. when some grainy. security camera footage captured at the. apartment building after midnight is. analyzed. Is that Skyler [music]. getting into an unknown car? Less than 20 hours after Skyler Nie was. last seen at this apartment complex in. Star City, parents and police meet here.

to watch a video. Hours of security. footage from the previous night. And. what they discover is the first big. break in the case. Dave Nie called me and said, "Tom, we. have something." said, "We now have a. video of her sneaking out of the house, [snorts] going in a car, and leaving. So. now we got to try and find out who owns. the car.". She went to her room and [music] after.

midnight, she snuck out. She ran to a. waiting car, which you can see in the. CCTV footage from the [music] apartment. building. It was typical black and white grainy. footage and it just shows Skyler walking. across the parking lot and getting into. a car and them taking off. >> Remember Sheila and Rachel said they. picked up Skyler in the 11:00 hour and. dropped her off close to home about 30.

minutes later. Now the clock reads 12:30 a.m. Skyler. not only gets into the waiting car, she. does so willingly. There was no evidence. of a kidnapping. There was no abduction. There was no ransom. There was nothing. to indicate that [music] she was. kidnapped. >> That changed everything for me because. it meant she was with somebody else and. somebody else was controlling her. destiny. She wasn't the driver. >> But the footage was so grainy they. couldn't make out the car. [music].

>> You can't tell if it's a sedan or an. SUV. It's a start, but it's [music] not. a lot. Not a lot is exactly what Star City lead. investigator Jessica Cobank has to work. with. So, how did you get involved in this. case? >> It kind of happened because the officer. that got the initial report is actually. our part-time officer and I'm full-time. And I like to investigate cases. It's. kind of my thing. I like to dig deep in.

things and find the truth and body. language and statement analysis, everything like that. That's what I. like. >> What were you looking for? >> Anything and everything. Trying to get pictures of the tires, the. rims, but it's just too grainy. >> But then investigators chase a possible. lead in the form of a post midnight text. exchange between Skyler and a [music]. boy named Eric.

>> Eric was a friend out in Blackville. [music] He was good friends with her. I. think the only thing that showed us is. that she was still alive on the 1214, but we also see that on the camera. >> Investigators can see from the text. messages that Skyler and Eric had been. texting just minutes before she got into. the back seat. Could he have been the. driver of that car? Investigators track. him down and quickly find out that he. was not the driver nor involved in any. way. But without any leads based on.

fact, rumor and speculation take over in. Star City. >> A lot of the rumors we heard was that. she met a guy, got pregnant with this. guy, ran off with this guy. >> The big thing they thought happened was. that all three girls were doing drugs. and Skyler overdosed [music] and Rachel. and Sheila panicked and they dispersed. with the body. There were theories that. she was uh having financial troubles and.

so maybe she got involved with some. unsaavory [music] characters. Maybe. there was sex work. I mean, everything. you can think of. >> She met someone through the drive-in at. Wendy's, got a name, and took off. >> We had information that [music] um she. had some relative that was helping her. out and hiding her, which came out to be. not true. Actually, none of the rumors. turn out to be true, but they are a. manpower drain for Star City's police. department. >> That's a lot of stuff to cut through to.

[music] get to the real story. You know, you have to sort of check off all of. these conspiracy [music] theories, and. that's a lot of police work. >> For a missing girl, lots of people claim. to see Skyler. That only serves to. stretch the resources of Star City PD. even further. >> People said that they saw Skylar run in. front of their car. People said that. they saw her strung out on the side of. the street. People saw her everywhere. People were calling in. People wanted to. help [music] and people were muddying.

the waters with all of these false. accounts of Skylar being here, there, everywhere. The other thing that was. really polluting this investigation. was the fact that a lot of people turned. into amateur sleuths. Everybody started. saying, "Okay, we're going to get. involved." Now. >> then what gets me very angry and I grit. my teeth is people always said, "Oh, well if your kids's missing, it's the. parents." So a segment of the population.

started to blame Dave and Mary. They did. something with their child. They hurt. their own child. And Dave would call me crying. cuz he couldn't believe. people would say that. >> In a police report that would eventually. balloon to 700 pages, there's not a. single mention of Dave and Mary niece. being suspected of any wrongdoing.

Meanwhile, about 20 miles away, Corporal. Ronnie Gaskins and Chris Barry from the. state police are working with the FBI on. two bank robberies out of nearby. Blackville, West [music] Virginia, where. a possible link between their case and. the Skyler Nie case is made. >> This is Blackville. Uh up here on the. left is the Huntington Bank. This is the. bank that was robbed uh in June and July. of 2012. This is how essentially I got.

involved in this case. The possible. linkage with these robberies and the. disappearance [music] of Skyler knees. This is where it all began for me. >> Police learned through social media that. one of the suspects from the bank. robbery investigation is known to. Sheila, Rachel, and [music] Skyler. >> So potentially Skyler was involved in a. robbery ring. We [music] started. stumbling on pictures of Skyler Niece, Sheila Eddie, friends of Sheila [music]. Eddie and Skyler Niece with these panel. suspects that we were looking into.

>> When troopers make a house call to. interview one of the bank robbery. suspects, they notice [music]. immediately his story has a hole in it. And cops want to know what or who is. about to be [music] dumped into that. hole.

When Ronnie Gaskins and I were were. investigating the bank robbery out in. Blackville, we got a phone call from Star City. Police Department from Jessica Cobank. stating to us that she goes, "Hey, we. might have connections. with one of the male suspects you're. looking into at the bank robbery you. guys are investigating. >> Once again, the rumor mill churns. Why. would they make that connection? Bank. robberies to Skyler's disappearance. >> We were getting anonymous tips that.

there was a teenage party out in the. Blackville area. There were rumors that. the money used from the bank robbery was. used to purchase the heroin that was. supplied at the party. Skyler had. supposedly overdosed on heroin. She. died. Uh people there panicked and they. disposed of the body. >> An alternate theory surmises drugs. [music] didn't kill Skyler. The bank. robbers did. >> We didn't know if she knew the people. that did it and figured out that [music]. they were the ones that had robbed the. bank. So, they had killed her to keep.

her quiet. >> So, Gins and Barry make a house call. >> So, myself and Trooper Barry, we just. did what we call a knock and talk. We pulled up to the the main male. suspect we were looking into for our. bank robbery. And uh we pulled up to the. driveway. I remember it was a hot summer. day. We were getting out of the cars and. walking around and we actually see the. male suspect sprinting across the yard. towards us holding a shovel. His heart. was just pumping out of his chest.

>> And [music] they thought one of two. things. Either they're burying Skyler or. they're burying money from the bank. robberies. And I'll never forget Ronnie Gaskins. looked at him and he says, "You okay? You what are you doing back [music]. there digging up a ditch for a body?". And uh the one thing that threw a red. flag towards us was his expression. And. he he sat back, his eyes opened up like. he just saw a ghost. >> But [music] I mean, I'd act nervous if a. cop pulled up to my house, even if I'm.

not doing anything wrong. [music]. >> And he finally came out and said, "No, I'm digging a hole for compost. Once again, investigators have nothing. No evidence to charge their suspect with. bank robbery or Skyler's [music]. disappearance. No evidence that Skylar. died of a heroin overdose. No evidence. that she knew anything about a bank. robbery. Just a case file filled with. dead-end rumors and conspiracy theories. By August, classes are starting up at.

University High School. On August [music] 22nd, the Dominion. Post ran the headline, "Roll call for. niece goes unanswered." The story reads, [music] "UHS principal Sher Burgess said. that they'd hoped Skylar would have. turned up by now. They had her schedule. filled with the tough classes she. requested, ready to go. A couple. teachers called her name while taking. attendance on the first day, but Skyler. [music] wasn't there.". You can only imagine how her friends or.

any student would feel knowing that her. missing poster is up all over town. >> Investigators are allowed access to. interview students when looking for a. solid lead. >> Cops did come to the school. [music]. They were a frequent presence at the. school. So much so that kids who weren't. even involved started to sweat around. the collar. >> You've covered cases before, [music] but. nothing like this. This case required a. lot of leg work, a lot of interviews, a. lot of investigation. So, it was a. classic who done it, which is what made.

it more [music] complex and difficult. >> Trooper Chris Barry is also getting a. crash course in digital forensics to see. what the students are saying online. >> We're combing through everything, just. hours and hours of going the page and. just dissecting [music] every picture, every message, everything, dates, times. You find out a lot. Everybody posts. their whole story on Facebook. >> and he admitted at the time he's like I. didn't even know what a retweet [music]. was. So he had to become [music] fluent.

almost like as he had his boots on the. ground. >> Still this day I I don't like Twitter. Um it was just one of those things I. didn't never got into and it was hard to. follow and hard to figure out. The kids. had all this concerns and [music]. information and they used Twitter and. Facebook to voice their opinions. >> There was so much to dig through, [music] so many digital artifacts to. sort of put into one column like this is.

relevant or this is irrelevant, but it's. a lot of noise and it's a lot [music] of. volume. >> But Barry gets up to speed quickly and. soon finds himself in a pile of digital. posts. But what he notices is technology. has changed. But human behavior is not. >> Well, anybody, any kid, any teen, [music] you know, they're mad, they're. going to put it out there. You know, somebody's having an issue, you can find out on social media if they. have to come out and [music] say. something and get off their chest. It. eats them alive if they keep it in and.

keep it [music] secret. >> The heat increases when police find this. ominous video. The three friends playing. a dangerous game. >> Would you guys rather suffocate or get. shot? >> Get shot. shot. [music].

Law enforcement investigating the. disappearance of Skyler Niece has been. stymied by the lack of physical [music]. evidence. So, they turned to social. media for clues, combing through. hundreds of messages that [music] Skylar. posted in the months before she. vanished. and it's a wealth of. information. >> There are two Skylers and you can really. see that in the tweets. There is the. teenage Skyler that we can all relate. to. >> Love when my dog's being cuddly. Chapped. [music] lips are the devil. And then.

there's this other Skylar where if she. got angry, if she felt isolated, if she. felt like her friends were ignoring her, she would put those tweets out there, too. >> OMG, you're obviously lying. Stop. embarrassing yourself. >> Often, the girl seemed to be using. social media to vent, posting angry. messages seemingly directed at no one in. particular. Even though you might be directing a.

tweet at a friend, the world sees it. I think that escalated the trouble. between the three best friends is. [music] it was just blasted out there. >> Now it's time to feel bad for being. mean. Investigators learned that the three. once inseparable friends, Skyler, Sheila, and Rachel, had some underlying. issues.

>> Skyler and Sheila were friends way back. before Rachel even came in the picture. >> Two Lemon Warhead. Yeah, >> we all remember those early friends that. we had when we were little kids. Those. friendships [music] change over time, especially as new kids come into the. fold. And so Rachel comes in as the. three girls are heading into high school. and [music] kind of changes the dynamic. >> So anytime you have three, three is a.

crowd. They say that for a reason. [music]. >> You could definitely tell when Rachel. comes involved in in the picture [music]. things started going a little south. >> You take Twofaced to a whole new level. It was very evident that there were ups. and downs in their friendship, but. you're at that age, you're all changing. It's through those teenage years, no one. realized how bad it was growing. The. friction of [music] two versus one.

>> Sheila was always, you know, the ring. leader of everything. Just seemed a very. manipulative person. She was very. self-centered. She would almost do. whatever it took to kind of get her way. going back in time and looking at. something's going on between the girls. Skyler's just blowing up and throwing. some really good nasty post to the point. of, you know, she's pissed. >> A girl, a [music] girl, a a. >> And I'm like, who is she talking about.

and [music] we know who she's talking. about? >> And in the weeks before she vanished, Skyler's posts appear to get even. [music] angrier. There's just something. about you I can't stand. People can be. so mean for absolutely no reason. Hope. you don't expect me to give a anymore. #. bye. >> And perhaps the most suspicious, if not. ominous, glimpse into their dynamic was. this video posted by Skyler on social. media that captures a strange game.

between friends. Sheila asks Rachel and. Skyler, >> "Would you guys rather suffocate or get. shot?". >> Get shot. >> Shot. In the video, Sheila's sort of. acting as the master of ceremonies and. giving Skyler and Rachel different. scenarios, saying, "How would you prefer. to die?". >> Drowning or suffocating? >> And the girls kind of think about it and. then they both say in unison, >> "Suffocate." It's almost the same thing. >> I know, but it's not. >> I don't think that most kids.

play would you rather in terms of how. would you rather die? When Sheila was. around, Skyler was kind of a follower. and not a leader. So, I I didn't care. for that either. I wanted Skylar to be. herself. You know, [music]. >> there's another tweet where it's July. 4th weekend, but Skylar tweets something. that suggests that her friends have all. been hanging out without her [music] and. that she's feeling particularly left.

out. Sick of being at home. Thanks, friends. love hanging out with you all. too. >> Where some of her tweets seem really. angry or in sense, [music] this one is. kind of sad and defeated. >> And then the night of July 5th, Skyler. sent out her last tweet. The night she. went missing. >> There was tension with somebody based on. her last tweet. She didn't trust. someone. And to her, that's a very big. thing is trust. >> You doing like that is why I will never.

completely trust you. So, she was adamant that they had. crossed the line with her. >> But despite that angry tweet and a. portrait of a sometimes toxic trio, Skyler still decided to hang out with. Sheila and Rachel that fateful July. night. And the police still have no. physical proof of what's become of her. >> [music].

>> The surveillance video just. it didn't really show a whole lot. I. mean, it showed her getting in that car, but other than that, at the time, [music] we didn't know that was the last. time we were ever going to see Skyler. >> We were just hitting dead end after dead. end. And I remember I said, "We're. missing something, and we need to figure. out what we're missing. So now detectives circle back to what. little they do have to see if there's a.

link between Skyler's disappearance and. the last two people known to have seen. her. >> When I was able to review the girl. statements, they were hellbound on. 11:00, [music] 11:00 p.m. of picking her. up. It was 12:30 that you see her. exiting the vehicle. When I found out from Jess Cobbang that. she had 4 hours [music]. worth of this video surveillance, I told Jessica, I said, "Let's go back. and watch the whole thing.". [music].

We got all the way up to 12:30 and I. told Jess, I said, "Who' you see?". [music]. And the one thing that clicked was Chris. said, "You only see her leave her window. once.". The girl's statement was 11:00. They. pick up Skyler. We have her exiting the. house at 12:30. From 10:30 to 12:30, we. don't have Skyler exiting, walking away,

walking back, nothing. And now 12:30, we. have her on camera leaving. I said, "They're lying. She didn't get picked up. at 11:00. She didn't leave that house. like she's been there the whole time. till 12:30.". I said, "We need to go back and talk to. the girls because their story's not. matching up now. What happened? Where's. Skyler? That's what we want to know.". >> But there would be something else police. would soon want to know. Like, what did. Skyler mean when she posted what sounded.

like a veiled threat right before she. vanished? [music]. >> Just know I know. >> That tweet made me anxious and nervous. for her. She knows something. Some type of secret. that if it gets out would clearly be. damaging. Was Skyler about to expose. someone's tightly held secret before she. disappeared? [music].

>> It was one of those things like, "Okay, let's start all over. What happened? [music] You tell us." Skyler's in the. back seat having no idea what's about to. happen. >> Rumors are flying. These girls know. something. [music]. >> I said, "The only thing you can do is. tell me where my baby is." She says, "What do you mean by that?" I said, "You. know exactly what I need.". >> I'm sick and tired of the cat and mouse. games.

My thing was, I'm going to put pressure. on these girls. Joe, this is over. This is over. Jaws just hit the floor. >> So, this took you completely by. surprise. Right before Skyler went. missing, she tweeted out, >> "I tell the whole school all the I have. on everyone," which is a lot. >> So, anytime you have three, three is a. crowd. They say that for a reason. >> They said, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, back up.

Let's start from the beginning. Anyone. with information on Skyler's whereabouts. is asked to contact the Star City. Police. >> Honey, if you're scared, don't be. scared. We want you home more than. anything in the world. We love you. Come home as soon as you can, baby.

Skyler Niece went missing from this. apartment building in the early morning. hours of July 6th, 2012. She was seen on. a security camera getting into an. unknown vehicle at 12:30 a.m. Now, months have passed. No word from Skyler, and so far still no evidence of foul. play. [music] The new podcast three tells the. story of Skyler Nie and the. investigation uncovering the mystery of. her fate. For [music] months, no one. could imagine what had actually.

happened. Rumors swirled. Watching Skylar climb [music] into the. back seat during those last few seconds. of footage, there's an urge to call out. to her, "Don't go." But the door [music]. closes, the car pulls away, and she's gone. She willingly got in the car. It just. raised millions of other questions of. who did she go with and where did she. go. >> Now remember her best friend Sheila told.

police that she didn't know who was. driving the car in the surveillance. video and stated that she and Rachel. picked up Skylar from the house at. approximately 11 p.m. went on a joy ride. and dropped her off back home a little. after midnight. [music] But police are. about to catch those girls in a lie. Chrisberry determines there's only two. ways that this car could have gone. It. could have gone east or it could have. gone west.

[music] Along both routes are gas. stations with their own cameras. >> We started going to gas stations, restaurants, any video surveillance on. the roads and [music] trying to pinpoint. their car. Ronnie and I decide, let's go. down the Sheets gas station. One thing. about Sheets, really good camera. systems. And sure enough, when watching this. video, [music] they're able to make a. positive ID. That Toyota Camry belongs to Sheila.

>> That is Sheila's car. The girls told. Jessica Cobbank the vehicle that they. saw on the cameras. They said, "We don't. know whose car that is." Well, the whole. time it was Sheila's. >> And there's yet another inconsistency. with the girl story. They had previously. told police they drove east during that. joy ride with Skyler, but according to. the surveillance footage, the girls were. driving west. Boom. He finds footage of the car going. towards Blackville.

>> Why are you going to Blackville when you. said you went towards downtown. Morgantown? >> An analysis of the girl's cell phone. records exposes something else not. adding up for detectives. the timeline. >> You had a ping in Morgan Town at 12:30. They sent the text message to Skyler. saying, "Hey, we're pulling in." [music]. There was nothing else except for one. ping out in Blackville around 4:00 in. the morning.

Why is your phone pinging out at 4:00 in. the morning out in Blackville when you. told us you were home in bed at that. time? It was one of those things like, "Okay, let's start all over. What happened? You. tell us." It's not saying anybody's in. trouble. Let's just put closure for the. family. Let's find Skylar. >> You speak to Rachel about this. You. mentioned she changes her story. >> So now we have him from, "Yeah, we. dropped Skylar off, then we went.

straight home to now, okay, we did drop. Skyler off, but we went out to. Blackville and smoked marijuana.". And what did Sheila have to say? >> Her statement was [music]. similar to Rachel's. >> What was their demeanor like? >> The two girls were different, like night. and day. Rachel was more nervous. She seemed to. be distracted. She would not look at us. when she was talking. When we had talked to Sheila, she would. look right at you in your eyes. She did.

not appear to be nervous. She was calm. She was collect. [music]. >> at that point. We didn't want to say too. much to them because a if Skylar was a. runaway, they were telling her if we. were close. It was also a possibility. that [music] someone else had heard her. and they were too scared to tell us what. had happened. >> School had started by this point. [music] Rumors are flying. These girls. know something. There was like five [music] or six cops.

that came into school, made sure. everyone saw them and pulled them out of. class. and then they interviewed him for a. couple hours and then they let him go. back to class. Rachel came back freaking out, flipping. out, like just totally terrified. I kept. asking her, "What are you so scared of? Why are you so afraid?" And she, "They're harassing me. I I don't know. why I'm getting harassed or I didn't do. anything wrong. [music]. >> And even as the police are saying to you.

they've got some suspicions about. Sheila, you were thinking, "Hey, back. off of this girl.". >> I even told him, I said, "Will you. please leave her alone? She's going. through enough." I said, "Those girls. have just lost her best friend. We don't. know where she is. Will you chill out on. her for a while?". >> But police aren't letting up, and the. evidence is mounting. For example, those. same cell phone records are just as. revealing in what [music] they don't. show. But Sheila and Rachel never reached out. to Skyler after she went missing.

There were no calls [music] from Sheila. Nothing. And that was an issue to me. I. would be blowing her phone up constantly. trying to call her. Not only that, they didn't even text. Skyler. But police do notice Sheila. posting publicly about Skyler. >> As high as the sky, he needs to come. home. I can't take any more of this. >> So, very early on after Skyler goes. [music] missing, they post about missing.

their best friend. They want answers. They want to know where she is. >> # search for Skylar heart. She would use. social media in an [music] indirect way. to declare her own innocence. She said, "You wouldn't like what [music] everyone. is saying about us. They think I know. more than I know. She's not just talking. to Skyler. She's talking to the parents. and to the authorities with those. posts." Adding to the mystery was a.

bunch of internet sleuths who were. weighing in and taunting Rachel and. Sheila. >> Bring pretty little liars down together. # promise to never leave you cold. >> They were putting pressure on these two. girls because they knew that they knew. more than they were telling. They just. didn't know what that more was. >> What you going to do? what you going to. do when they come for you?

>> You could tell that the tide had turned. and people felt like they were somehow. involved or if nothing else they knew. and they needed to come forth and say. >> Now we had to go figure out how are we. going to approach this. We started. calling them out. We started hammering. them with the questions. This is a. missing girl. This your best friend. What's going on? Police offered Sheila the chance to. clear her name with a polygraph test. >> She finally just said, "Well, I'll.

[music] just take a polygraph and prove. you wrong.". >> Oh, yeah. Sheila doubles down. She's not. afraid to double down. [music]. >> [music]. >> The security camera video from this gas. station was a huge break in the case. So.

were the cell phone records. These were. the first solid pieces of proof that the. stories that Sheila and Rachel had been. telling police were not truthful. So. now, armed with this new evidence, cops. asked, "Would you be willing to take a. lie detector test?" And the girls. agreed. Sheila was the first one to take a. polygraph. [music]. >> So Sheila agreed to come to you and take. a polygraph. >> She [music] was confident and sure that.

she was going to pass it. >> And what happened? [music]. >> Failed miserably. [music]. >> The only thing she got right was her. name. >> What time did you pick Skyler up? Where. did you go? What did you do? All these. questions, right? she was failing. The. question they never [music] asked her. is, "Did you murder Skyler?" Because. they weren't thinking along those lines. at all. >> Pretty much at the end of the day, she.

lied. We told her, "You're not telling. us the whole story. You're still lying. to us. You're not telling us truthful.". She just looked straight at us and go, "I don't know what you're talking about. Your machine's wrong.". >> And what did you think at that point? >> We knew [music] then, oh yeah, we are on. the right track. >> On the right track, maybe. But a. polygraph isn't admissible in court. And. remember, police still haven't found. Skyler or any murder weapon. Still, they're hoping they might have. more success when Rachel takes her. polygraph test, especially because at.

school, there are signs that the. pressure is getting to her. >> According to friends, you know, she was. smoking a lot more weed before school, during school, there was an uptick in. that behavior. Um, later she said she. was losing weight. Her mental and. physical health was deteriorating. She. was crying a lot at school. Kids saw. that. It looked like [music] she was. really starting to crack, if you will. >> She really was probably having a. meltdown. [music]. >> She was skipping school. She was arguing.

and fighting with people. >> She was the lead actress in all the. plays. [music] So, she was important. And now she was the talk of the town, but not in a good way. [music] So, that. was really hard for her to deal with. Rachel was being erratic, behaving. erratically, missing [music] rehearsals. She missed a performance. I believe it. was Midsummer Night's Dream. Rachel was clearly losing it, for lack. of a better word.

And then in the midst of all this, on. the day Rachel's dad is driving her to. take her polygraph, they're right here. on this bridge when all of the sudden. Rachel opens the car door and jumps out. of a moving vehicle. Her concerned dad goes to police. intending to file a missing person's. report. >> It's a literal panic [music] attack that. says, "I can't do this. I can't go in. there.". She jumped out of a moving car and. [music] ran away to Sheila's mom's.

house. >> And then [music] they go to the police. station to pick up Sheila's electronics. [music]. >> So I asked Sheila's mom, you know, uh, you know where Rachel is? She didn't. show up for a polygraph. Nobody knows. [music] where she's at. She goes, "Oh. yeah, she's down in my car with Sheila.". And my jaw drops [music] like, "Really? That's where she's at? You must see this. as another opportunity for them to try. to coordinate their stories again.

>> Oh, absolutely. >> When Rachel skipped out on the. polygraph, >> I I was I was done. I had enough. I was. sick and tired of the cat and mouse. games. I went and leaked information to Dave. and Mary saying, "Hey, you know, this is. what's going with the girls." That's. when they put it out. And I knew they. were going to put it out. My thing was, I'm gonna put pressure [music] on these. girls.

>> Mary and Dave start a flurry of posts on. the Team Skyler Facebook page, which. include, >> "For 5 months, we have watched you lie. and lie. How can a beautiful 16-year-old. disappear and the two people that know. where she is not talk? Karma's a bitch.". >> We pushed on Facebook. I started posting. things about karma. and if they knew things they needed to. tell them, [music].

you know, tell us what you know. Tell us. what you know. And weounded them pretty. good. >> Yeah, we did. >> They went to the news, Facebook, everything. Rachel's up to something. This is what Rachel did and all that. stuff. >> I'll tell you, I it it was time that. someone spoke up to get things moving. forward again. and the online community joins the. chorus with more accusatory posts. pointed directly at the girls. >> That's when the wall started to crumble.

for Rachel. >> At one point, Rachel reaches out to Mary. privately [music] on Facebook with a. direct message, something along the. lines of, "How can I help? [music] What. can I do?". >> I said, "The only thing you can do is. tell me where my baby is." She says, "What do you mean by that?" I said, "You. know exactly what I need.". That was the last thing I ever heard. from her. >> All this stuff happened at once and it.

led to her nervous breakdown. >> County, you have an emergency. >> No, this is over. This is over. >> You can hear Rachel in the background. wailing. It's almost inhuman. She sounds. like she's shrieking in pain. has. returned the container. Please turn it.

>> Mon County 91, you have an emergency. >> Yes. Rachel and her mother, Patricia, got into an argument. >> I have an issue with a 16-year-old. daughter of mine. May I can't control. her anymore. >> She was calling 911 to get her daughter. away from her. Like,

no. This is This is over. >> They're having a real fight. It's. getting weird. It's getting ugly. >> My husband's trying to contain her. Please hurry. >> Rachel was out of control. She was. becoming physical. She was screaming. She was on a self-destruct mode. She. tried to shut herself in a room and say, "I, you know, I want to die.". >> Two troopers responded and they advised. Patricia to get her committed into a. hospital for an evaluation. >> She had a nervous breakdown. She went.

into Chestnut Ridge to the local. psychiatric [music]. hospital. It got to the point where she. literally could not live with herself. Patricia Schae calls her lawyer and. says, "Rachel [music] is ready to come. in and talk and she has a confession to. make.". >> This is huge. The most pivotal moment in. the case so [music] far. Rachel arrives. at her lawyer's office where Corporal. Ronnie Gaskins and an FBI agent [music]. are waiting to hear what she will say.

>> When Rachel arrived, she asked her. parents to wait outside the room. Rachel. pulled over a waste paper basket in case. she vomited and [music] proceeded to. recount the events in detail, unburdening herself of her sins. >> They all meet in the conference room of. this office. It's there Rachel starts. talking and Jaws just hit the floor. >> You can tell she's just nervous. She was. shaking. And then she speaks and tell me.

point by point what she says to you. The. first words out of her mouth were, "We. stabbed her.". >> They didn't want to believe that [music]. these two beautiful, popular, exceptionally bright teenagers could. commit this horrific crime. And that's. why they almost fell off their chairs. when Rachel announced [music] we stabbed. her. >> So, this took you completely by. surprise. >> Complete surprise. >> They said, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Back up. Let's start from the beginning." And she.

just tells the whole thing. And perhaps. one of [music] the most chilling parts. of the confession, the murder, according. to Rachel, wasn't impulsive. It was. premeditated. >> They knew that they would kill Skylar in. the summertime because Rachel said um. her mom would turn off the alarms in the. house in the summertime. So that would. give her the opportunity to sneak out. >> The plan was put in motion, it looks. like in June.

They chose a day in which they knew. Skylar would be working until 9 10:00 at. night and could sneak out of her house. >> According to Rachel, late that night, Sheila is driving. She picks her up and. as they arrive at Skyler's, they let her. know we're waiting for you. Sheila brought the kitchen [music]. knives. According to Rachel, the girls took the kitchen knives, concealed them underneath their hoodie.

>> Once Skyler got in the vehicle, they. drove out to the western end of the. county. >> She's just thinking we're going. somewhere to have fun and smoke pot. >> Sure. Corporal Ronnie Gaskins and I. returned to the area where Rachel said. it all happened. And they're driving on this road that. we're on right now. >> Yes. >> And Skyler's in the back seat having no. idea what's about to happen. >> She has no clue. >> In the trunk of the car that Sheila.

drove, she and Rachel had hidden a. shovel. They had hidden Clorox wipes and. a clean change of clothing. Sheila parks the car. All three [music] girls exit the. vehicle. They get out and they start to smoke and. Sheila's lighter isn't working. Skyler. turns around to go back to the car to. get her [music] lighter. And at that. point, when her back's to them, they. start stabbing her.

>> Right here, Skyler, who was just [music]. walking back to the car to get her. lighter, is being stabbed by her two. best friends. >> Yes. And according to Rachel, Skylar. screaming, "Why?". She apparently is putting up quite a. fight. >> She somehow manages to get Rachel's. knife and Rachel ends up getting um a. knife cut on her leg. >> So, it went on for a while. >> How many times did they stab her?

>> Rachel did not know the exact number of. times. She indicated that at one point. it was becoming a blur to her. >> It just became a frenzy. [music] It was. a frenzy. >> She made the statement of they stabbed. her so many times. She she kept stabbing. until she quit hearing [music] noises. >> She was in fact stabbed over 50 times. >> That's rage. [music]. >> And then what did the girls do. afterwards? >> They thought they could dig a hole and. bury her. >> They could not get the shovel through.

the ground [music]. uh because there was a lot of rocks. It. was they just couldn't do it. So they. drug her body, covered her up with. branches, rocks, leaves, [music] you. know, whatever they could find. And once. they had covered her remains up, they. changed into clean clothes. They wiped. down the car and they left. >> as if nothing happened. >> Right. >> Did she say why? >> The answer she gave us was that they. just didn't like her. What do you mean. you just didn't like her? We just didn't. like her. I'm I'm trying to comprehend.

what could Skylar have done to make. these girls so mad wanting to kill her. in such a violent way. But that's not the only lingering. question for law enforcement after the. shocking confession. The most important. one, how do they prove what she's saying. is true? >> What if Rachel had a nervous breakdown? What if this girl is just making this up. because there's something wrong with. her? >> We would be skeptical of any murderer's. statement. [music] And if one. co-conspirator gives a statement against.

another co-conspirator, you really have. to use it as a starting point to [music]. corroborate the facts. We had no body. We had no physical evidence. We had to. cooperate that confession. And we. arrested Rachel right then and there. And what are we going to present to a. judge? >> After confessing, [music]. Rachel agreed to lead authorities out to. the murder site in the woods past. Blackville. >> They said, "Take us to where the body. is." But the snow was so deep that they.

couldn't trapes through it to [music]. recover the body because they might. destroy evidence. And so they let Rachel. go home. The thinking is twofold. They. don't have enough evidence and they're. hoping [music] Rachel can help them get. it. They have to make sure it's not a. story from a teenage girl. [music]. >> They really wanted to get Sheila. So. leaving Rachel loose was the way [music]. to do that. So, it only made sense to. use her as an instrument of the.

investigation. >> And that's when [music] a plan is. hatched to try to get incriminating. evidence against Sheila. They'll set a. trap using Rachel [music] as the bait. [music]. >> [music].

>> It's been 6 months since Skyler Nie's. disappearance. Rachel Chauffe is. permitted to go back [music] home even. after her shocking confession that she. and Sheila stabbed Skylar [music] to. death. That's because so far there's no. body and no physical evidence to. corroborate her story. Now, authorities. led by the FBI launch a plan they. [music] hope can help them get that. corroboration. >> The FBI had wanted to do this wire.

[music] to see if if Sheila would say. something uh, you know, to confirm what. Rachel had said. >> That night, Rachel invites Sheila to. come visit her. [music]. under the guise of reconnecting with her. friend who she hadn't seen in about a. week. [music] Um, but unbeknownst to. Sheila, she was wearing a wire. In Rachel's house, it's just packed with.

people hiding in closets and bathrooms. and [music] everywhere you could think. of, waiting for Sheila to finally admit. it. Rachel [music]. asked the questions and she tried to get. Sheila to say anything. Sheila deflected. everything. >> Rachel tried so hard to get [music]. Sheila to in incriminate herself and she. even said they know [music] and Sheila. is like they don't know. They needed. Sheila to say Skyler's name.

>> They tried. It didn't work. Sheila just. would not say anything. At the end of. the day, we just we were kind of hosed. on that. Was that Rachel not following. your direction of trying to get. something out of Sheila? Or was it. Rachel walking in maybe a little freaked. out and you think maybe Sheila noticed, didn't want to say anything. incriminating? >> It was a Sheila not not wanting to talk. about it. >> At the same time they took a selfie and.

Sheila went home and and [music]. tweeted, "Got to see my friend Ra." You. know, she's all excited. And Rachel. looks so stressed out because she is. wearing that [music] wire. And Sheila, she must have known because that. relationship was essentially over. It. was a little weird when they were. posting very normal photos when. a lot of these pieces were getting put.

together and and they're pretending like. everything was normal. But things were not normal. According to. a police report, a tipster calls in. describing a post supposedly coming from. Sheila soon after saying something like, "You stupid expletive, you should have. kept quiet." But the caller said the. supposed post was since deleted. >> So even though we have Rachel's. confession at this point, police are. really in a tough position. They they.

can't kind of connect all the dots. >> It's not as simple as she confessed. We're going to [music] arrest her. >> Exactly. Right. And we also needed to. see what else could be done to bring. Sheila into the circle of evidence. which eventually leads them back here to. Sheila's house. They get several search. warrants which leads to a treasure trove. of key evidence. From inside Sheila's.

computer, phone, and tablet, not to. mention the knives from inside the. kitchen. But more important than [music]. anything else, right here in this. driveway, that silver Toyota Camry that. Sheila was driving, they tow it away. They did the search warrant on the. vehicle and sent to uh Clonica, Virginia. to the FBI. to uh have a detailed search on it. >> But as that critical search takes place. 4 hours away, something else happens. closer to home.

>> A team of law enforcement officers. returns to those woods to search for. Skyler's body now that the snow is. melted. >> It was wet. It was muddy. They [music]. had brought a a cadaabver dog and the. dog picked up on the scent. >> The dog had a GPS collar around his neck. and they were looking and looking and. looking. >> and how they found her. I would like to.

say that it was a divine intervention. moment. The canine handler kept pulling. on him, but he he pulled on it his leash. a little too hard and his GPS collar. fell [music] off. and where it fell. When they picked the collar up, Skyler. was [music] underneath the debris. >> A little more than six months after she. disappeared, Skyler is found. Can you. show me where they found her? >> Approximately right where this these. purple uh rocks are.

>> How did you [music] process that? >> Not real well. I was mad. I wanted revenge. I wanted. all these different things. All these. emotions run through my head at once. It. was horrible. It really was. >> Could you even believe that they would. do something like [music] this? >> I couldn't. And I think that's that's. the worst part. It was so sad. How could. they do that to their best friend?

>> And why? >> So when people looked at that situation. and [music] they say, "Well, they had. Rachel's confession. They had a body. Why didn't they rush to arrest Sheila. and Rachel? You would say. >> that's just not how it works. Usually, you have to have more than probable. cause. >> And even once you had that physical. evidence of the body, that still was not. enough to get you there. >> Well, the physical evidence of the body. doesn't point to Sheila. [music] It. certainly wasn't a smoking gun pointing. to Sheila.

>> By February 10th, Rachel and Sheila are. just going about their business. In. fact, that very day when Skyler would. [music] have turned 17, Sheila tweets, >> curly fries and wings. M. That night, Dave and Mary hold a public. vigil for their daughter. Incredibly, they had to fake that they were still. holding out hope. The police are kind of hoping though. that uh emotions might run a little.

high, that Sheila will attend, that the. emotion of the moment might push her. over to to confess. >> That doesn't happen. But next, something else does that changes. everything. The lab [music] report comes. back on Sheila's car. I got the phone. call from the FBI and that was just news. that I was waiting to hear.

[music]. [music]. The investigation into Skyler Niss's. murder begins and ends with a silver. Toyota Camry. [music]. The vehicle that was once unidentifiable. on grainy security footage would soon. provide clarity about who killed the.

young [music] teenager. There was just. one missing piece left. >> They had to wait for all the stuff to. come back from the FBI lab from Quanico. >> And that day finally comes. After the FBI seized Sheila's car on. January 9th, [music] they sprayed the. trunk with Luminol. And there inside, Skyler's blood DNA lit up in fluorescent. blue. That was the ultimate evidence of.

the murder and who [music] had committed. it. >> It's that final piece that really nailed. Sheila. So, so tell me about that DNA. evidence. >> There was blood and scholars DNA in the. trunk of Sheila's car. I was ecstatic to. finally get that piece of evidence. Now. I can get Sheila. >> On the same May morning Rachel turns. herself in as part of a pre-arranged. plea deal. Cops arrest Sheila. It. happened right over there at the Cracker.

Barrel restaurant here in Morgantown. Inside, Sheila and her [music] mom were. finishing up lunch. Outside, federal, state, and local authorities swooped in. and surrounded the place. Sheila and her mother were walking. across the Cracker Barrel parking lot. and the cars came in, blocked them from. leaving and [music] Ronnie Gaskin said, "Sheila Eddie, you are under arrest for. the murder of Skyler niece.".

And Sheila looked at her mother, Tara, and said, "Mom, is everything going to. be okay?". And her mother said, "I don't know, Sheila." They said that she was [music]. crying and upset which. cuz you were caught. That's why Sheila. cried was cuz she she got caught. >> Sheila would be taken to jail by officer. Jessica Colbank. What did you say when you brought her to. jail? >> Home sweet home.

And then we shut [music] the door. with a big old grin on my face. >> You had gotten your woman at that point. Oh yeah. 7 months after Sheila asked her mother, "Is everything going to be okay?" she. would learn the answer. With Rachel now. ready to testify against [music] her, Sheila Eddie realizes there's no way.

out. >> Sheila Eddie, how do you plead to the. offense of murder in the first degree? >> Guilty. guilty of first-degree murder. Sheila shows no signs of remorse. Why do you think that Sheila has never. apologized? >> Cuz she's not sorry. You don't apologize. for murdering somebody in cold blood cuz. she meant to do it. [music]. >> I really wanted to see her go down. And. um I got to be there to see her get. convicted and and go to jail, which is. awesome, honestly.

One month later, Rachel learns her fate. She pleads guilty to seconddegree. murder, a lesser charge based on her. cooperation. Finally, in court, she. directly addresses the niece family. >> I'm so sorry. I don't know if there's a proper way to. make this apology because there are not. even words to describe the guilt and.

remorse that I feel each day for what. I've done. The person that did that was. not the real me, not the person I am, not what I'm made of, and not what I. believe in. >> Rachel's court case, she was sobbing and. crying, and she was sad. She showed. remorse. Not that it matters because of. what she did, but she at least showed. it. >> Rachel's mom weeps as she listens. >> Again, I'm so sorry. And I pray each day. for everyone involved, and I pray each. day for forgiveness. She can take her. apologies and everything else and sit on.

them because that's about what they're. worth to me and my wife. She has done. nothing but make our lives a living hell. since this day one. >> She was crying. She was emotional. You. didn't think that was remorse? >> To me, that was her final act in front. of an [music] audience. She's the big actress star of high. school [music] plays. This was her last. Broadway performance. There was so much made of the.

differences [music] in the court. appearances between Rachel and between. Sheila. What did you make of that? >> Each one of those girls knew that there. was lots of media attention. And so I. don't I think that [music] maybe both of. those appearances were very contrived. And I don't I don't use that to draw any. distinction between the level of guilt. or evilness. >> Rachel convicted of seconddegree murder, a 30-year [music] sentence. Sheila. convicted of first-degree murder, a life. sentence. But there's a caveat. [music].

>> So, can you define for me how sentencing. with mercy works in West Virginia? >> In West Virginia, if a person is [music]. convicted for first-degree murder, they. are given the opportunity to ask [music]. for mercy. And if mercy is granted, then. that defendant has an opportunity to. [music] seek parole after 15 years of. prison time. [music] Uh they can maybe. get parole at that time, maybe get it.

later, maybe will [music]. may never get it. >> And it's at Rachel's first parole. hearing last May where she drops a. bombshell, [music]. revealing why she says the bond between. the toxic trio turned deadly. Whenever. uh our relationship became more exposed, [music]. we feared what would jeopardize our. relationship.

>> Sheila Eddie and Rachel Schae are. serving their sentences at this West. Virginia State Prison, Lake Correctional. Facility. They're in Lakeen Correctional Center, which is a woman's prison, the only. woman's prison in the state. It has a nickname within the prison. They call it Camp [music] Cupcake. >> They watch TV, work out, they get their. hair done, nails done. So, what really.

punishment are they getting besides. missing out on life? 10 years after the conviction in 2013. and Rachel Schae is up for parole. >> We couldn't believe it's been 10 years. [music] It meant that she had the. possibility. of being free. >> Rachel Schae, one of Skyler Nie's. killers, was up for her first parole. hearing today. And for the first time, Rachel admits to the parole board what. she says is the stunning motive behind.

the murder. I realized that I was gay as. an early teenager [music] and that. scared me. When I met Sheila and Skylar. in high school, the relationship between. Sheila and I was immediately very um. unhealthy and intense and obsessive. Whenever uh our relationship became more. exposed, we feared [music] what would. jeopardize our relationship. And then you kind of look back at those.

tweets, the social media posting from. right before Skyler went missing. She. tweeted out basically know that I know. And in fact, Skyler had tweeted. something else in September of 2011. which was far less cryptic. >> I'd tell the whole school all the I have. on everyone, which is a lot. # [music]. If I could get away with it. It gives credence to that idea that. Skylar was going to out them on.

something. But the nieces say that. Skylar never would have acted on the. veiled threats. [music]. >> She had a lot of gay and lesbian friends. that didn't bother her. Now, she didn't. care if you [music] were pink, purple, yellow. That was just Skyler. >> Why do you think they killed her? >> For the thrill of it. To see if they. could get away with [music] it. I feel. that they had a strong dislike for. Skyler. So, it's fitting they stabbed. her in the back. Rachel ended up not getting parole.

>> This time the court's not granting. parole at this time. >> But in the end, they're still left to go. home without Skyler. [music]. So, nobody wins. Skyler isn't around. The two girls are in jail. The two girls. parents are living through this. And. Morgan Town still is ripped apart. because of this situation. Our job is to. go out to catch the bad guys. We caught. the bad guys. Doesn't solve the.

heartache and the sadness for the. family. >> She has a bunch of. >> I was there back in 2014 when Dave was. cleaning out Skyler's room and came. across some old cards. >> Uh-oh. That's what I think of that one. That. was from Sheila, by the way. >> The card reads, "Happy birthday. Love. Sheila. Love you like a sister for life. For Dave, it's just one more reminder of. a searing betrayal that has destroyed.

their world. >> There's a hole in your heart and it. feels like it can never be patched. >> They took our lives as well as hers. You know, they destroyed their lives as. well as hers. >> They destroyed their famil family's. lives, their friends lives. I mean, their parents didn't raise them. thinking, "Oh, she's going to be a. killer one day." No parent does that. It's just a [music] tragedy that keeps. on living.

We're going to heal [music] and we are. going to make sure that this doesn't. happen again. The place where Skyler was murdered is. now a [music] memorial and it's a. beautiful place. Dave and Mary have a mailbox. on that oak tree. He reads all the. letters that are left for her. This one says, "Rest in peace, [music]. sweet Skylar. You will not be forgotten. So are the angels.

>> You live a life and you hope no matter. who you are, you'll never be forgotten. [music]. by the people that love you." And now. total strangers love Skyler. [music]. Loved by so many. As for Rachel, it's. possible she may still get out of prison. as early as 2028 because she was. sentenced with mercy. Sheila won't have.

her first parole hearing until that same. year. I'm Deborah Roberts for David Mure. and all of us here at 2020 and ABC News. Good night. You've been listening to the 2020 True. Crime Vault. Friday nights at 9 on ABC. You can also find all new broadcast. episodes of 2020. Thanks for listening.