The Murder of Innocence Trivia Quiz

Answer: Hazelwood Junior High

In the summer of 1991, Shanda and her mother, Jacque Ott, moved to New Albany, IN from Louisville, KY. Shanda always made friends fast and was never in trouble. On the night before she started eighth grade at Hazelwood Junior High, Shanda went through all the clothes in her closet to see what she should wear for her first day.

She was so happy that she didn't have to wear a uniform, like she did in her previous school, St. Paul's Episcopal. The next day, Shanda declared that she loved Hazelwood and had told her mother that she had already made new friends.

Answer: Amanda Heavrin

Two days after she started school, Shanda was in fight with another girl, named Amanda Heavrin. When Jacque was informed of the fight by the principal, she was shocked. She knew her daughter was not one to get in any trouble. That night, she asked Shanda what happened, and Shanda told her that her friend wanted to break up with her boyfriend, but was too afraid to give him back the ring. Shanda, wanting to be a good friend, volunteered to do it for her. Shanda walked up to the boy and handed the ring to him, saying that his girlfriend wanted to break up with him.

The young boy was upset and demanded to know why his girlfriend didn't give it back herself. Shanda said that she was doing it because his girlfriend didn't want to. The young boy started yelling at Shanda, and just then Amanda Heavrin, the young boy's cousin, interfered. Amanda started getting loud with Shanda, and Shanda became nervous.

At that moment, Amanda pounced and the two girls were rolling around on the floor, fighting. Two teachers pulled them apart, but because of the fight, Shanda was punished with one week of in-school detention, and so was Amanda. On the first day of their detention, Amanda apologized to Shanda about fighting with her and she asked Shanda to be her friend.

Although Amanda was serious about being friends with Shanda, she had an ulterior motive. Amanda was a lesbian and she was majorly attracted to Shanda, and wanted to be more than just friends with the 12 year old. In a note, dated September 13, 1991, Amanda hinted about her sexual orientation: "If we wouldn't of fought this would never have happened. I don't want you to think I'm a bad person or anything. I don't like to fight. I hate fighting. It's just when I had you on the ground ready to hit you, I couldn't because you looked so helpless down there. But you swung at me and missed, so I started hitting. I want the truth. Do you even know how to fight? If not, don't feel bad. I will help you if you want me to. I have a question to ask you. I know this may sound dumb, but do you like girls? Well, do you kinda in a way like girls? If so, I think it's cool because it's so different. Is that why you're so nice to me? Do you think I'm cute or something? Please tell me the truth. I won't laugh 'cause I think it's cool." Obviously, Amanda received the answer she was looking for, because in another note, dated September 16, 2001, Amanda wrote: "Shanda, I was wondering. Do you still like me? If so, I'm glad. I have a lot in store Friday or Saturday when I see you. Do you know what I mean? I'm just joking, or do you want me not to joke? Do you want to happen what I go in store? If so, answer back yes. P.S. I think I'm starting to like someone. You know her." Days after the in-school detention ended, Shanda informed her mother that she and Amanda were friends. Jacque wasn't particularly fond of the idea, but agreed to let Shanda continue her friendship with Amanda. The first time Jacque laid eyes on Amanda, she was stunned. Amanda was wearing baggy pants, a sweatshirt, and a baseball cap. Her face was plain and she was flat chested. To Jacque, Amanda looked just like a boy, and she had a hard time telling if Amanda was really a girl. She asked Shanda if she noticed anything peculiar about Amanda, but Shanda said she didn't. Shanda said she felt sorry for Amanda because the girl didn't have nice clothes. Jacque, knowing her daughter's tendency to be a mother hen, relented in her questions and decided to let the matter drop. It was a decision she would come to regret, for Jacque didn't have an inkling as to what was transpiring between Shanda and Amanda.

Answer: Melinda Loveless

Melinda Loveless was 16 years old and Amanda was 14 years old when they began their love affair. After having several unsatisfying sexual relationships with several boys, Melinda decided that she was gay. She became involved with Amanda the year before, because Melinda believed that Amanda resembled her father.

The two girls became serious, but when Amanda was sentenced to a week's detention with Shanda, Melinda became suspicious and decided to get herself into the detention with the two girls to see what, if anything, was happening.

She went to school late and had detention after-school that same day. To her horror, she saw Amanda and Shanda passing notes and giggling. When Shanda got up from her seat and walked to the teacher's desk, Melinda saw Amanda staring at Shanda. Melinda became insane with jealousy, and vowed to break up the budding relationship between Amanda and Shanda. That same day, Melinda brought Amanda to her house, and in the privacy of her bedroom, Melinda tried to get the notes that she saw Amanda stuff in her pockets. Melinda slapped Amanda in the face and then grabbed the notes. According to Melinda, one note from Shanda said that she thought Amanda was cute. Melinda then demanded that Amanda cease and desist from bothering with Shanda.

Although Amanda said she wouldn't see Shanda again, it was a lie. By the middle of October 1991, Amanda had finagled Shanda into a sexual relationship. Weeks later, Melinda found out about their relationship, and went ballistic. Melinda began sending threatening letters to Amanda, telling her of her desire to see Shanda dead. In a note dated November 26, 2001, Melinda wrote: "Amanda, Yes! I think we should at least talk this out. If you have noticed, all these uncalled for fights have been because of Shanda! Yes, I'm hurt and mad at you! I can't believe you! You better straighten your act up missy! I'm sick of hearing and seeing Shanda! I think we should let me cool off, 'cause I'm still let down with you. You have not shown me no improvement yet. Shanda is not gone! You haven't got rid of her. It's your problem, not mine! Until her name and writing is off of your things, I'm not going to hang with you or your problem. I'm real mad at you! I feel like I need to cry! I want Shanda dead!" Less than two months later, Melinda would come through on her threat to see Shanda dead.

Answer: Our Lady of Perpetual Help

In late October 1991, while Shanda was in school, Jacque went into her daughter's bedroom to clean it. While in the process of cleaning the room, Jacque came upon a note from Amanda, which instructed Shanda about how to forge her mother's name on demerits, report cards, and tests. Jacque was extremely upset, and asked Shanda what was wrong. Shanda told her mother that she was so ashamed of what she did. Jacque asked her daughter if she signed the notes, and Shanda confessed. Mother and daughter were silent for a while, then Jacque told Shanda that it seems like every time she gets in trouble, Amanda is with her. Jacque again prohibited Shanda from being friends with Amanda, but Shanda said that some girls were threatening to beat her up, and that Amanda said she would help her. Jacque demanded to know who was threatening her, and Shanda said that it was Melinda and her friends. Jacque then went to the school's guidance counselor, and talked at length about what was happening to Shanda. The guidance counselor informed Jacque that Melinda and Amanda were not the kind of girls that Shanda should be friends with.

He said that the two girls were always in some kind of trouble. On a Saturday, two weeks later, Jacque was going through the mail, when she happened upon an envelope that Shanda sent to Amanda. The letter was returned for insufficient postage. Curious, Jacque opened the envelope and saw a picture of Shanda. On the back, written in Shanda's handwriting, was: "Amanda, I miss you and will always love you, no matter what happens. I miss the touch of your soft body." Jacque became very upset and afraid. Afraid that her daughter was being tricked into something against her will. Because Shanda was spending the weekend with her father, Steven Sharer, and his new wife, Sharon, Jacque phoned Steve and the two had a long discussion on the phone. Steve decided to bring Shanda back to her mother's house, so the family could have a long talk about the note on the back of the picture. When they arrived, Jacque, Steve, and Sharon all questioned Shanda. Shanda denied ever having done anything sexual with Amanda. The discussion went on for a few hours, but still Shanda would not budge. She emphatically denied the sexual relationship she'd been having with Amanda. Knowing that they couldn't get any information out of Shanda, her parents decided to transfer her out of Hazelwood and enroll her into Our Lady of Perpetual Help, in the hopes that Shanda's troubles would go away. Not one adult in the house that night actually believed that Shanda was a lesbian. They knew that Shanda had always been boy crazy. They felt that Shanda, being 12 years old, was just confused and had gotten herself in deep water. In fact, according to Judith Matheny, a social worker in Louisville, who specializes in adolescent sexuality, "same-sex encounters at that age are usually a safe environment, in which to explore the new, intense feelings, which are brought on by puberty." Because Shanda, being 12 years old, was coerced into a sexual relationship, a kind of relationship she never had, Shanda became confused and ashamed. Shanda started becoming her old self again once she started at Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Shanda was receiving tremendous attention from boys at her new school, and soon her self confidence and self esteem were soaring once more. Sadly, she wouldn't live long enough to enjoy her new world.

Answer: Laurie Tackett, Hope Rippey, and Toni Lawrence

On January 8, 1992, Laurie Tackett, who lived in Madison, called Melinda Loveless, who lived in New Albany, and asked her if she wanted to go to a Hardcore concert in Louisville on Friday, and Melinda agreed, but only on one condition, that they stop off at Shanda's father's house. Melinda called numerous friends to see if they wanted to go, but when they heard Laurie Tackett was going along, they all refused. Laurie had a fetish for witchcraft, black magic, cutting herself, channeling, and drinking blood.

She also claimed many times that she would like to kill someone, just to see how if felt. Laurie also expressed a desire to see someone burn to death. Melinda was aware of Laurie's prone to violence, and she thought that Laurie would help her get Shanda. Melinda told Laurie that she wanted to kill Shanda, and that she needed help to lure the girl out of the house. Laurie, wanting to please her friend, readily agreed. Laurie told Melinda that she asked two friends to go with them to the concert, and Melinda asked if the two girls would help them in their plan to murder Shanda. Laurie said that there wouldn't be any problems, although she felt that one of the girls, Toni Lawrence, who lived in Madison, wouldn't come along if she knew what the plan was. Laurie knew the other girl, Hope Rippey, who lived in Madison, would be game.

The plan was set, and on the evening of Friday, January 10, 1992, it went into motion. Since Toni's parents would let their daughter be anywhere near Laurie, Toni devised a plan. She told her parents that she was going to spend the night with her friend, Mikel Pommerehn. Then she asked Mikel to cover for her, saying that if her parents called to tell them that she was in the bathroom or that she was sleeping. With her whereabouts covered, Toni went to Hope's house and waited to be picked up by Laurie. The trio went to Melinda's house, where they tried on Melinda's clothes and shoes. It was here that Toni and Hope first heard about and witnessed Melinda's hatred of Shanda. Melinda told them that she wanted to kill Shanda, because the girl stole her girlfriend, Amanda, away. Toni and Hope listened, but really didn't think too much about it. After all, a lot of people say they want to kill someone, but never follow through. However, when the four girls got in Laurie's car, Melinda started her tirade again. So, wanting to prove that she was serious, she pulled out a huge knife that she said she was going to use on Shanda. This is when Toni and Hope realized that Melinda was serious. Melinda told Laurie that she wanted to stop by Shanda's father's house and get her. When the car pulled up in front of Steve Sharer's house, Hope and Toni went to the door and knocked for Shanda, telling her that Amanda wanted to talk to her. Shanda, who was getting ready for a party, told the two girls to come back later that night, and that she would try to sneak out. When Toni and Hope told the Melinda and Laurie the news, the four girls headed to the concert, but Toni and Hope didn't stay too long. They asked Laurie for the keys to the car and sat inside to keep warm. When two boys knocked on the window asking if they could sit inside for a while, Toni and Hope let them in. During the course of a couple of hours, Toni and Hope told the two boys the plan. The boys saw how scared Toni was, and even asked the girl if she wanted to go with them. But Toni refused and stayed with Hope. It was 11:00 PM when Shanda came home from the party. Around 11:30 PM, Laurie's car pulled up near the house, but this time Toni refused to get out of the car. So Laurie and Hope went to the door and knocked. Shanda stepped outside to talk to the two girls. She asked where Amanda was, but Laurie and Hope told her that Amanda was waiting for her. Her curiosity piqued, Shanda followed the two girls to the car. She got inside and asked where Amanda was, and Laurie and Hope told her that they would take her to see Amanda. Then Hope asked Shanda how long she was seeing Amanda, and Shanda replied about four months. At that moment, Melinda, who was hidden on the back-seat floorboards covered with a blanket, jumped up and grabbed Shanda by her hair and put the huge knife to the girl's throat. Shanda screamed and begged Melinda not to hurt her. Melinda asked Shanda if she and Amanda had had sex, and with the knife at her throat, Shanda said yes and again begged Melinda not to hurt her. As the car headed toward the Witch's Castle, Shanda was crying as the knife was held tightly against her throat. Little did Shanda know that she wouldn't live much longer.

Answer: The Witch's Castle

For many years the abandoned and broken down mansion had been called the Witch's Castle. It was here that Laurie and her former friends, Larry and Terry Leatherbury, would perform seances. Rumor had it that the Witch's Castle used to be the home of a witch that was murdered and buried in the basement, which the teenagers in the area called the dungeon. On the night of January 10, 1992, Melinda, Laurie, Hope, and Toni brought the frightened 12 year old to the Witch's Castle.

Intending to scare her, Melinda and Laurie said that they would put her in the dungeon, where she would die a slow death.

Then Melinda had another idea, she threatened to cut off Shanda's beautiful hair and slit her throat. Laurie, who was beginning to enjoy it, told Shanda about the so-called history of the abandoned site. Crying, Shanda begged them not to hurt her.

She said that her older brother would come looking for her and that the four girls would be in major trouble. Melinda and Laurie just laughed and smacked her around. Hope, also beginning to enjoy the terrorism, decided to take Shanda's Mickey Mouse watch.

The only one of the four girls who did not enjoy this was Toni. Yet, even though she didn't enjoy it, she did not try to help the poor girl. Laurie told Shanda that human bones were down in the dungeon, and that her bones could be next. Laurie decided that they should take Shanda to another location, because she feared that a car passing by might see what was happening. Before heading to the new location, the girls stopped at a gas station to fill up the car's tank. Toni, feeling horrified by what was going on, decided she needed to hear a familiar voice. She went to the pay phone and called a friend in Louisville. During the conversation with her friend, Toni never once told him what was going on. This wouldn't be Toni's only chance to end the nightmare. She would have several more opportunites, but each time she would do nothing.

Answer: Jefferson

After filling up the gas tank, Laurie drove 50 miles to Jefferson County. Passing her house, she pulled the car to a stop on dark, deserted, rural road, which was just past her house. Melinda and Laurie dragged Shanda from the back-seat of the car, and threw her on the dirt road. Melinda ordered her to strip, and Shanda did as she was told. Standing in the freezing night air before Melinda and Laurie in a T-shirt and underwear, Shanda once again begged her kidnappers not to hurt her, but Melinda and Laurie just laughed.

Then all of a sudden, Laurie grabbed Shanda's arms and told Melinda to get her. Melinda kept punching Shanda in the stomach, and when the young girl, crying, told her assailants that she couldn't breathe and that she had asthma, it fell on deaf ears.

Then Melinda grabbed Shanda by the head and smashed the girl's head and face into her knee over and over. Then Melinda and Laurie attacked Shanda and tried to stab her with the knife. Melinda even went so far as to step on the handle of the knife to make it go in deeper, but because Shanda was fighting for her life, the knife moved and all Shanda received was a small nick on the back of her neck.

Then Hope, who had been sitting in the car with Toni, decided to get involved. To Toni, it looked like Hope was trying to help Melinda and Laurie, but when Hope finally got back in the car, she told Toni that she was trying to help Shanda. After Hope went back to the car, Laurie retrieved a rope and together her and Melinda began to strangle the young girl. Twisting the rope as tight as they could, they cut off Shanda's air, and she slumped to the ground, unconscious. Not knowing if the girl was dead or alive, Melinda and Laurie picked her up and dumped her in trunk of the car.

Answer: Tackett

After severely assaulting Shanda on the rural road, Laurie drove to her house. Leaving Shanda in the trunk, the four girls went inside to Laurie's room. Melinda and Laurie went to the bathroom and cleaned Shanda's blood off of themselves. A short while later, they heard Laurie's dog barking, and going to the window, Laurie realized that Shanda was screaming and banging on the trunk.

She told the girls to stay put while she went to silence Shanda. After about 15 minutes, the horrific screaming suddenly stopped, and a few minutes later Laurie reappeared in the bedroom.

Then Laurie announced that they had to take Shanda somewhere else before her parents wake up. Toni and Hope refused to leave the sanctity of the bedroom, so Melinda and Laurie went out for the drive.

Answer: Tire iron

In the early morning hours of January 11, 1992, Melinda and Laurie drove around the rural countryside, in an effort to let Shanda die a slow death. But Shanda refused to die. She banged on the inside of the trunk, and each time she did, Laurie would pull the car over and walk to the back of the car. Opening the trunk, Laurie beat Shanda on the head with a tire iron.

The young girl whimpered with each assault, but still Laurie would keep hitting her. This happened at least three different times, and each time, after assaulting her, Laurie would get back in the driver's seat and demonstrate to Melinda what she did to Shanda. Laurie even put the tire iron under Melinda's nose, so the girl could smell Shanda's blood. Because Shanda refused to give up, Melinda suggested that she and Laurie burn the young girl. Laurie agreed, and headed back toward her house. Before going back to her house, Laurie stopped by a neighbor's house and asked him if he had any gasoline. Wanting to know why she wanted the gasoline, Laurie told him she wanted to burn some clothes on the wood pile.

The young man said that he didn't have any, but offered to give Laurie some kerosene. Laurie said no thanks and headed to her house. Unbeknownst to Laurie and Melinda, while they were out driving and assaulting Shanda, Laurie's mother walked into her bedroom and was surprised to see Hope and Toni. Laurie's mother asked the two girls where Melinda was, and they told her that she went to the store to get something to eat. Once again, Toni failed to help Shanda. If she would have told Laurie's mother what was happening, Shanda might still be alive. When Laurie arrived back at her house, Hope and Toni were fast asleep. When Laurie and Melinda woke the two girls up, they thought everything was a bad nightmare, but seeing the blood on Laurie and Melinda, Hope and Toni realized that it wasn't a bad dream, that it was real.

Answer: Windex

At daybreak on January 11, 1992, Melinda and Laurie wanted to show Hope and Toni what they did to Shanda during the nightmarish ride. But Toni refused to look at Shanda. Disgusted and angry at Toni, Laurie told Toni to rev the engine, in case Shanda started screaming. Toni did as she was told. Meanwhile, Laurie opened the trunk, and to the surprise of Hope, Melinda, and Laurie, Shanda sat up.

The beaten girl was covered in blood, and her eyes rolled back in her head. Hope, deciding that the girl was suffering, decided to help end it.

She grabbed a bottle of Windex and began spraying it all over Shanda's bloody body. Shanda went into convulsions, but still refused to die. At that moment, Laurie's mother walked to the back door, and seeing her daughter and two girls standing near the trunk, asked what was going on. Laurie orally attacked her mother, and her mother, disgusted at her daughter, walked inside.

This was yet another chance for Toni to help Shanda, but still she did nothing.

Answer: Lemon Road

At 8:40 AM on January 11, 1992, Laurie and the girls, with Shanda in the trunk, drove the Clark Oil Station. There, they bought a two liter bottle of Pepsi and several dollars worth of gasoline. While Laurie was in the store getting the soda, Melinda, Hope, and Toni heard Shanda screaming. Hope jumped in the driver's seat and moved the car to the other end of the lot.

When Laurie came back to the car with the soda, she passed the soda around and all the girls took a mouthful. Then she emptied the rest out and filled the empty bottle full of gas.

Then Laurie and Melinda talked about where they should take Shanda, but they couldn't decide on a place. Hope then told Laurie and Melinda about a rarely used road, close to where she lives, called Lemon Road. Melinda and Laurie like the idea, and decided to bring Shanda to the road.

When the car pulled to a stop on the edge of a soybean field on Lemon Road, Hope, Laurie, and Melinda got out. Toni refused to get out or even look. Laurie opened the trunk and covered Shanda's body with a red blanket.

Then she, Melinda, and Hope carried Shanda's body a few feet away. Laurie handed the gas filled bottle to Melinda, so she could pour the gas. But Melinda refused to pour it. Hope took the bottle and poured the flammable liquid onto Shanda's beaten body. Then Laurie lit a match and tossed it onto Shanda's blanket covered body. As the flames flew up, Shanda struggled to free herself of the burning blanket. The girls got in the car and Laurie started to drive away, but Melinda, wanting to make sure that the body was still burning, told Laurie to go back. Getting out of the car, Melinda realized that the flames were dying out, and that Shanda was still alive. Horrified, Melinda poured the rest of the gasoline onto Shanda's moving body. She got back in the car, laughing hysterically. She was laughing as she said, "I'm so glad she's out of me and Amanda's lives." Then the girls drove to McDonald's for breakfast. It was just about 9:15 AM when the girls arrived at McDonald's. While Melinda, Laurie, and Hope were sitting in the booth eating their breakfast, Toni made a phone call to her friend, Mikel Pommerehn. She told Mikel that something bad happened and that she would tell her later. When Toni walked back to the booth, Laurie and Melinda advised the girls not to say anything. They said that if they stuck together, everything would be okay. After leaving McDonald's, Laurie dropped Toni off at home. Toni raced inside and started up the steps. Her father asked if anything was wrong, and Toni said that she was late for work. Never once that morning did Toni tell her father what happened. She got dressed and went to work. Meanwhile, Hope was dropped off at home, and she ran inside the house screaming "This isn't happening!". Melinda and Laurie drove to Melinda's house in New Albany, where Laurie was planning on spending the rest of the day. After telling Toni and Hope not to say anything, Melinda called her friend, Crystal, and told her what happened. Crystal said she'd be right over. Upon arriving at Melinda's house, Laurie and Melinda described to Crystal everything they did to Shanda. Crystal noted that Melinda wasn't upset at all, which surprised her. Melinda then called Amanda's house, but her father said that she went to the mall with a friend. Melinda, called the mall and had Amanda paged, saying it was an accident. When Amanda picked up the mall phone, she was told by Melinda that Shanda was dead. Melinda told Amanda that she would be right over to pick her up. When Melinda and Laurie arrived at the mall, Amanda thought Melinda was joking. Eager to prove that they were telling the truth, Laurie opened the trunk. Inside, to Amanda's horror, was a bloody sock that belonged to Shanda. Once back at Melinda's house, Laurie told Amanda what she and Melinda did to Shanda. Although Amanda claimed to have loved Shanda, she never once shed a tear. In the months to come, she would stand by Melinda, her one true love.

Answer: Donn and Ralph Foley

At 8:00 AM, Steve and Sharon Sharer woke up to find that Shanda was missing. Steve, remembering that at 4:00 AM he closed the front door because it was ajar, immediately thought he locked Shanda outside. Running to the front door, Steve was surprised to see the family Rottweiler, Sparky, outside and limping.

He knew that Shanda would never leave Sparky outside in the cold. For two hours, he and his family searched the neighborhood relentlessly, in a futile search for Shanda. At the same time 60 miles away in a county called Caanan, Donn Foley was just waking up.

He heard his hunting dogs eagerly pacing back and forth in their pens, knowing that they would be free to run that day. At 10:00 AM, Donn's brother, Ralph, arrived to go hunting with his brother.

They loaded their dogs in the truck and headed out. They hadn't even driven a mile when Ralph noticed something at the edge of a soybean field. Ralph told Donn to turn the truck around, but Donn said it was probably just a mannequin that someone discarded, but Ralph didn't think it was a mannequin.

The two brothers got out of the truck and walked over to the smoldering body. Ralph bent over and touched a leg, and he was horrified to find that it was soft and fleshy to the touch. He ordered Donn to go back to the house and call the police. When Chief Deputy Randy Spry arrived at the scene, he also couldn't tell whether the body was real or a mannequin. Spry called Sheriff Richard Shipley, also known as Buck, and asked him to come to the scene. When Shipley arrived, he examined the body and stated that the body was real. He then called the state police, because they were better equipped to deal with the murder. Shortly after, Indiana State Police Detective, Steve Henry, arrived at the scene. He estimated that the body was that of young women in her late teens or early twenties. Henry looked around the scene of the crime, and couldn't understand why the young woman's killer or killers didn't carry the body another 20 feet and dump it in some brush, where the body might possible have never been found. From time to time, Henry knelt near the body and whispered "help us. Help us find who did this to you." At 1:00 PM, Steve Sharer called his ex-wife, Jacque, and told her about Shanda being missing. Jacque flew over to Jeffersonville, and together they searched the neighborhood once more. Finally, unable to deal with it any longer, Steve and Jacque called the police and filed a missing persons report. Little did they realize that by the end of the night they would find out what happened to their little girl.

Answer: Lawrence

After leaving work early, Toni went to Hope's house and together they went to the local pool hall. Seeing Shawn Pyles and Chris Alcorn, two boys they knew, they began crying hysterically and finally told the two boys what happened earlier in the morning. Shawn and Chris told Toni and Hope that they had to go to the police, and both girls said that they would. Toni and Hope went back to Hope's house where they told Hope's parents what happened. Hope and her parents went with Toni to tell her parents what happened.

When the Lawrences heard what happened, they announced that they were bringing Toni to the police station so she could tell them what happened, they also suggested that the Rippeys do the same. But the Rippeys said that they were going to spend the night in a motel until they could figure out what to do.

The Lawrences brought Toni to the police station, where she told what happened to Shanda. After Toni told the police her story, the police were shocked to realize that the body they just recovered was that of a 12 year old.

Although Toni told the police what happened, she lied about one thing. She told them that after she and Hope were dropped off at home about 9:45, Melinda and Laurie went to Lemon Road and set Shanda on fire. Sheriff Shipley, who was taking Toni's statement, noticed a few holes in Toni's story, but kept it to himself. He knew that Toni's house was at least twenty minutes away from Lemon Road. He also knew that if what Toni was saying was true, Shanda's body wouldn't have been cold, it would have still been on fire. Shipley knew that Toni was lying, and after going to the Clark Oil Station, he discovered that the soda and gas was actually bought at 8:40 PM. Soon after getting Toni's statement, Shipley and Henry retrieved search warrants for Melinda's house in New Albany, and when they arrived there, they were surprised to see the two girls full dressed, as if they were going to leave when they got up. At about the same time that Melinda and Laurie were being arrested, Steve Henry's older brother, Howard Henry, went to Steve Sharer's house in Jeffersonville and told him and Jacque that they would never see Shanda again, that she was murdered. Henry vowed to the Sharer's that Shanda's killers wouldn't get away with it.

Answer: Smoke inhalation and severe burns

On January 12, 1992, Dr. George R. Nichols II performed the autopsy. Shanda was so severely burned that her jaw had to be removed to match against her dental records. The tips of her fingers had to be cut off to match against her fingerprints that were on record (Shanda's parents had her fingerprinted in case she was ever kidnapped).

After examining the body internally, Nichols saw that her trachea and larynx were coated with thick black soot, which indicated that Shanda was alive at the time she was set on fire.

In his report, Nichols wrote that the official cause of death was smoke inhalation and severe burns. He also noted that had Shanda been taken to the hospital, she would have been able to survive the bodily injuries that were inflicted on her.

Answer: False

Ten months after Shanda's murder, Toni, who was 15 years old at the time of the murder, turned state's evidence, and testified against Hope, Laurie, and Melinda. At her sentencing hearing, Toni, because she failed to help Shanda, received 20 years in prison. Laurie, who was 17 years old at the time of the murder, received 60 years in prison, with the possibility of parole after 30 years, for torturing Shanda and setting her on fire. Hope, who was 15 years old at the time of the murder, received 60 years in prison, with the possibility of parole after 30 years, for her part in torturing Shanda and for pouring the gasoline. Melinda, the instigator of the crime, also received 60 years in prison, with the possibility of parole after 30 years, because it was her hatred of Shanda that ultimately caused her death and for pouring gasoline on Shanda's body.

Although all four girls were under the age of 18, not one of them was tried as a juvenile. In 2000, the Sharer family, in good faith, petitioned the courts to allow Toni Lawrence to be set free.

The request was granted. Shanda was a beautiful young girl, but her life was tragically taken away from her because of one girl's jealousy and hatred. Shanda's death should be a lesson to all parents that no matter how much you think your child is safe, something can go horrible wrong. All information can be found at www.crimelibrary.com and the book "Little Lost Angel: The True Story of the Teenage Conspiracy to Kill 12 Year Old Shanda Sharer" by Michael Quinlan.