Episode 215: The Torture and Murder of Shanda Sharer

Shanda Sharer was 12 years old when she met a girl named Amanda. Amanda was already involved in a troubling relationship with a girl named Melinda Loveless and when Amanda and Shanda started hanging out Melinda became even more possessive of Amanda and started threatening Shanda. Melinda would tell anyone who would listen that she was going to kill Shanda someday, but for some reason no one took her seriously. One night Melinda gathered a group of friends including: Lauri Tacket, Hope Rippey and Toni Lawrence. The mission was to trick Shanda into thinking Amanda wanted to see her, but Amanda was not there. Three of the four girls then brutally tortured and murdered 12 year old Shanda Sharer, while one did nothing to stop them. This story is incredibly difficult to get through, but just like all of our cases, deserves to be told so that the memory of Shanda never fades.

Books used for researching the case:
Cruel Sacrifice by Aphrodite Jones
Little Lost Angel by Michael Quinlan

As always, thank you to our sponsors:

HelloFresh: Right now, get twelve free meals—including free shipping- when you go to HelloFresh.com/morbid12 and use code morbid12

Capsule: To sign up, visit capsule.com to get your prescription hand delivered today—for free

BetterHelp: This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp and Morbid listeners get 10% off their
first month at betterhelp.com/Morbid

Firstleaf: Go to TRY Firstleaf.com/morbid to get 6 bottles of wine for $29.95 and free shipping!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ugh, my heart

The ghost of Melinda's abuser was present in every action this girl carried out...I feel that if that man would have been stopped or held accountable, if this little girl would have been properly supported and helped, all that followed could have been avoided. There is a ripple effect of victimization from sexual predators, and when it mixes with the genetic cocktail of whatever was going on with her, it created a horrible storm of events. You guys did a great job of laying out this story in a fair, articulate, humane, and unbiased, sympathetic way all around. Linear and clear, the way you guys present these timelines. As a "fledgling podcaster", I can tell you that is far easier said than done. Best podcast ever, keep it up. You guys have no idea how much you are helping women as a whole in society by amplifying the voices of victims and survivors and just all of us everywhere. We need ya, don't ever change!

I Am broken

I have listened to everything posted to this point and this is the first time that I feel broken. The girls are amazing in telling the story. Like ash, I started to cry when they said the shanda clutched the blanket. Omg I am ugly crying now.