It wasn’t so cheerful.
The unbelievable true story of a mother who bought embroiled in a “murder-for-hire” plot — all to oust her daughter’s cheerleading rival — is chronicled within the new documentary, “The Texas Cheerleader Murder Plot.”
Premiering Wednesday, Dec. 18, on ID (and streaming on Max), the documentary covers the 1991 case of Wanda Holloway, a churchgoing mom in Channelview, Texas, who was convicted of attempting to rent a success man to kill her daughter Shanna’s cheerleading rival’s mother, Verna Heath. (Per police, Holloway thought her daughter’s rival, Amber Heath, can be too distraught to compete if her mom bought killed).
Shanna, now 47, informed The Publish that collaborating on this documentary was a “healing process” for her. She additionally stated she hasn’t spoken to Amber for the reason that incident.
“I was 14 when it happened. So, I was at that pivotal age where you’re figuring out who you are and discovering yourself and what your interests are and what you’re good at and start to think about the future a little bit,” stated Shanna.
She added, “When this happened, it just totally destroyed my personality. It changed it to where I became very introverted instead of extroverted and didn’t want to be even noticed.”
Shanna, whose mom pushed her into cheerleading, recalled, “I wanted to disappear because I was so embarrassed and humiliated. It was shameful. It was traumatic, and I didn’t deal with it for many, many years. And it affected me in all kinds of ways.”
Along side this documentary, Shanna additionally created an internet site known as “Smile More, Worry Less” and on-line programs to assist individuals with melancholy.
She stated she “came through” the incident by which her mother achieved notoriety, “although it almost killed me.”
Shanna, who nonetheless lives in Texas and is now an educator with two sons, stated that considered one of her largest points was the notion that “people were hating me” over this incident.
“I’m sure that was aimed more at my mom. That still hurt me, too… I was a victim in this, and I had nothing to do with it like that… I was just thrust into it. And it was so bizarre and so unheard of. How do you even know where to start in order to deal with something like that?”
Holloway — dubbed “The Pom-Pom Mom” — continues to be alive and now not in jail.
On the time, she was sentenced to 10 years in jail, however she obtained probation after serving simply six months, per ABC13.
Shanna informed The Publish she doesn’t consider Holloway would have gone by way of with the hit man. “I can’t know for sure, but I don’t think so. I really do believe that she tried to get out of the situation and wasn’t able to.”
The documentary covers how Holloway allegedly reached out to her late former brother-in-law, Terry Harper, to see if he might organize a success. He then went to the Harris County Sheriff’s Workplace, the place he agreed to put on a wire and collect proof in opposition to her.
Shanna, who nonetheless has a relationship together with her mom, stated Holloway is satisfied that Terry set her up.
“[People] think that she’s crazy or evil, and I think that’s a misconception. I think everybody has a little crazy and evil in them to some degree and don’t always get called out on it. But she’s also got a really fun side to her. She’s got that personality that draws you in, like the light in the room,” Shanna defined.
She added, “She’s not crazy. She’s human. And she’s got her good days and bad days, just like everybody else.”
