S. 16 Ep. 12 Frenemies - A Collaboration Episode with Book of the Dead Podcast - Missy & Skylar

·52 min·5 clips

Two teenage girls were murdered by their best friends in frenemy relationships that turned deadly.

The episode begins with host Courtney defining 'frenemy' and outlining three psychological types from Psychology Today. She teases two cases where frenemy relationships led to murder. The first case details Missy Avila, a 17-year-old from Arletta, California, who went missing on October 1, 1985. Her body was found days later by hikers in Camp Colby, face down in a creek with a log on top. The investigation reveals Missy was with friends Karen Severson and Laura Doyle that day. Years later, friend Eva Chirambolo comes forward, describing how Karen and Laura lured Missy into the woods, pretended to fight, then attacked her, beating her, cutting her hair, and drowning her. Karen and Laura were convicted of second-degree murder and served about 21-22 years before parole. The second case, presented by host C.J., involves Skylar Neese, a 16-year-old from West Virginia murdered in 2012. Skylar was an honors student with a 4.0 GPA who worked at Wendy's. Her best friends Sheila Eddy and Rachel Schoaf plotted her murder because Skylar threatened to expose their secret lesbian relationship. On July 6, 2012, they lured Skylar out joyriding, drove to Pennsylvania, and stabbed her over 50 times before burying her shallowly. Rachel later confessed, leading to their convictions; Rachel got 30 years, Sheila life with parole possibility. The episode compares the cases, noting similarities like victims being petite, pretty teenagers betrayed by friends, and killers inserting themselves into investigations. It ends with a lighthearted coming-out story and a reminder that being gay is not a crime.

As heard by us

A jealous friendship turns grim, and the episode is strongest when it stays with the case details.

The episode works best when it keeps close to the facts around Missy Avila's death, tracing how schoolyard jealousy hardens into a creekside murder.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

A frenemy story with a creek, a school ID, and a very bad ending.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Beyond the Rainbow Podcast