34 years ago this week, 12-year-old Shanda Sharer left her southern Indiana home late at night believing she was being taken to see Amanda Heavrin, an older girl she had been dating. She had no way of knowing it was all part of a plan was already underway.
It was on the night of January 10th when Melinda Loveless, Toni Lawrence, Hope Rippey, and Laurie Tackett drove to Shanda’s home. Melinda remained in the car while Hope and Toni went inside, presenting themselves as friends of Amanda. They invited Shanda to come with them, saying Amanda was waiting nearby and ready to talk.
Shanda had no way to know it was a set up and that Melinda Loveless, who was 16 at the time and had also been involved with Amanda, was hiding in the back seat. Laurie Tackett, then 17, was driving. Rather than going to see Amanda, the group drove to an abandoned property near Utica, Indiana, known locally as the Witch’s Castle. From there, the night continued across several hours and locations in southern Indiana as the situation escalated.
Court records later showed the events stretched into the morning hours of January 11th, ending along a rural road near Madison. Many of the specifics from that night can’t be detailed here, but investigators confirmed Shanda saw her final moments in that field. Her remains were discovered later that day by a local farmer.
In the weeks that followed, investigators identified everyone involved, and the case began working its way through Indiana’s courts. Both Melinda Loveless and Laurie Tackett each received a 60-year sentence. Toni Lawrence received a 20-year sentence, and Hope Rippey’s sentence was reduced after appeal. In the end, not one of the four served their full original sentences, and today, all are free, more than three decades after what began as a short drive on a January night.
