The Brutal Torture and Murder of Shanda Sharer

Shanda Renee Sharer was a 12-year-old girl who was brutally tortured and burned alive by four of her close associates. The story of Sharer's death is perfect for a horror movie because of the sheer brutality of her attackers.

The Beginning

Shanda Sharer was born on June 6, 1979, in Pineville, Kentucky to Stephen and Jacqueline Sharer. Sadly, the family was split by divorce, leading Jacqueline to remarry and relocate to Louisville with Shanda.

In Louisville, Shanda attended fifth and sixth grade and became actively involved in sports. She was on the cheerleading, softball, and volleyball teams.

Their stay in Louisville was short because her mother, Jacqueline divorced again. Following this divorce, the family moved to New Albany, Indiana in June 1991. Here, she enrolled at Hazelwood Middle School. That same year she transferred to Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Albany. In this girls' school, she joined the basketball team. Unfortunately, it was in this school that she met her end.

Events that Led to the Murder of Shanda

A 14-year-old girl, Melinda Loveless, began dating Amanda Heavrin who was also 14 at the time. Even though Loveless was courageous enough to come out as a lesbian in March of 1991, her relationship with Heavrin gradually deteriorated. Loveless became unruly following the divorce of her parents and her father leaving the family. She got into fights in school and even had to get professional counseling.

In the fall of 1991, Heavrin and Shanda got into a fight at the Hazelwood Middle School. However, when the pair were in detention, they became friends, and quickly became lovers. This new relationship was hard for Loveless to withstand, and she became extremely jealous. In October of that same year, Heavrin took Sharer as her date to a school dance, it was here that Loveless who had started dating an older girl confronted Sharer. Later that month, Loveless started talking about killing Sharer publicly, but no people thought she wasn't being serious.

Sharer's mother was concerned about her relationship with Heavrin and wanted to break up the relationship by transferring her to another school in late November.

The Killing of Shanda Sharer

The brutal torture and murder of Shanda Sharer were orchestrated by four teens: Laurie Tackett (17), Hope Riley (15), Toni Lawrence (15), and Melinda Loveless who masterminded the attack.

In 1992, on the night of January 10, the four teens drove to Jeffersonville where Sharer was staying with her father over the weekends. Once at the house, they told Sharer that Heavrin wanted to see her. They took her to the Witch's Castle, an old, dilapidated stone house.

They bound Sharer with ropes and proceeded to torture her. They tortured her and stabbed her several times before setting her on fire while she was still breathing.

The burnt body was found the following day by two hunters. Sharer was so burnt that she had to be identified using dental records. When the news of the severely burnt body spread, Lawrence and Rippey became afraid and then decided to tell their parents. At around 8:20 pm, the pair went with their parents to the Jefferson County Sheriff's office.

Sentencing

During the sentencing, the court took into consideration the fact that some of the girls grew up in troubled homes. For instance, it was discovered that Larry Loveless, the father of Loveless was abusive to daughters, his wife, and other children. He was arrested and charged with rape, sodomy, and sexual battery.

Tackett and Loveless received a 60-year sentence, but they were released in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Rippey was sentenced to 35 years while Lawrence was sentenced to a maximum of 20 years, but they were released in April 2006, and December 2000 respectively.