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At age 14, Shanna Holloway believed she would lose her mother forever.
“I can't even step into the courtroom,” the 47-year-old told FOX News Digital. “When my mother was sentenced, I thought I'd never see her again. I really believed I'd never see her again. Well, maybe I'll see her, but I won't be able to touch her for 14 to 15 years. Dew.”
NETFLIX's “Crime Scene: Texas Killing Fields”: Could multiple killers be involved in a decades-old crime?
Wanda Holloway (left) and her daughter Shanna leave a Houston courtroom after a child custody hearing involving Shanna and her brother on March 6, 1991. Wanda is accused of trying to hire a hitman to kill the mother of a girl competing with Shana for the cheerleader spot. (AP Photo/David Scarborough)
In 1991, Wanda Holloway was charged with conspiring to murder the mother of her daughter's cheerleading rival. The case, which shocked Channelview, Texas, and the nation, is currently being investigated in Investigation Discovery's true-crime documentary series, “The Texas Cheerleading Murder Plot.”
“Texas Cheerleading Murder Project” is currently available. (Disclosure of evidence in investigation)
The network said the special aims to reveal Wanda's “true emotions” and how Shanna dealt with the aftermath of the high-profile trial.
Shanna still lives in Texas and is now a teacher and mother of two children. She said her past has haunted her for decades.
Shanna still lives in Texas, where the incident occurred. (Disclosure of evidence in investigation)
“When I started teaching, there was a pep rally at school,” she recalled. “I remember going to a pep rally when I was pregnant and I started having contractions. My stomach started tightening just as the contractions started.”
“Just the word 'pom-pom' moves my heart,” she said quietly.
Shanna had a deep bond from an early age with Wanda, who was recognized as a devoted mother in the blue-collar community. Like many girls, cheerleading caught Shanna's attention. Although she eventually lost interest, Wanda reportedly encouraged her to still pursue it.
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Shanna had a strong bond with her mother from an early age. Local residents said Wanda would do anything for her daughter. (Disclosure of evidence in investigation)
“I probably wasn’t very competitive,” Shanna said. “That's not in my nature. And this was a time where I had to be very competitive. It wasn't just about having fun. You had to be able to fall, you could cheer. I had to, and I had to.'' Popularity was almost like a job. ”
Wanda, an avid church member, apparently went to great lengths to secure a spot for her daughter Shana on her high school cheerleading team. (Disclosure of evidence in investigation)
Authorities announced that Wanda tried to hire a hitman to take down her archenemy Verna Heath. people magazine Reported. texas monthly It also reported that the two women “had reputations for doing everything they could for their daughters.”
According to reports, investigators believe Wanda came up with the plan after Shanna didn't make the cheerleading squad. According to People magazine, she blamed Heath and daughter Amber for ruining Scheana's chances.
Cheerleading was popular in Texas in the '80s and '90s, but Shanna said she lost interest. “I guess I just wasn't very competitive,” she told FOX News Digital. (Disclosure of evidence in investigation)
Investigators believed that if Heath was eliminated, Amber would be too distraught to compete. This solidifies Shana's position within the team.
According to reports, Wanda contacted her ex-brother-in-law, Terry Harper, and asked him if he could adapt the hit film. After Harper said she would, she went to the Harris County Sheriff's Office. He agreed to wear a wire to gather evidence against Wanda.
Wanda's home at the time of the incident. (Mark Pearlstein/Getty Images)
Texas Monthly noted that Harper's main reason for going to the police was because she wanted to make sure she wouldn't be considered a suspect if something happened to Heath or Amber.
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The defense argued that Wanda's ex-husband, Tony Harper, conspired with his brother to frame her, Newsweek reported. (Disclosure of evidence in investigation)
Shana had no idea what was going on behind the scenes. The defense would later argue that Wanda's ex-husband, Tony Harper, conspired with her brother to frame her. Newsweek reported.
Wanda was arrested before the plot could come to fruition. She was soon labeled “Pon Pom Mama” by the press. She was convicted of inciting capital murder in 1991, but her conviction was overturned due to a mistrial, Texas Monthly reported.
Wanda was eventually sentenced to 10 years in prison in 1996, and was released on probation in 1997, the newspaper said.
Shana said the high-profile incident took a toll on her mental health for years. At some point, she didn't want to live anymore. (AP Photo/David Scarborough)
Shana said she has struggled for years with the intense scrutiny she faced in her hometown after the trial.
“We didn't talk about it…it was swept under the rug,” Shana said. “I wasn't allowed to talk about it. I almost got punished for talking about it. I couldn't even talk about it without getting red and sweaty and my chest tightening… I was holding back all the baggage that I was carrying.'' It wasn't being dealt with. ”
Tony Harper, ex-husband of murder co-conspirator Wanda Holloway. (Mark Pearlstein/Getty Images)
“…I had suicidal thoughts,” she admitted. “I never took action, but I didn't want to be here anymore. I had no purpose for living. I…couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I felt overwhelmed. I was so shocked.'' I was stuck in a negative mindset…I was prescribed medication…At one point I was on 7 different medications. ”
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Wanda believes there are still misconceptions about her family. (Disclosure of evidence in investigation)
Shana said that from the age of 14 to 33, she never talked about what happened. At age 33, she found herself crying on her kitchen floor.
“That wasn't what I was supposed to do. Cry,” Shana said. “I was holding everything back. But when you do that, it takes a toll on your body. I got stomach problems, headaches… It affects everyone differently, but it affected my health as well. I felt like I couldn't go on anymore… It's going to eat you alive.'' If you don't deal with it, it's going to catch up to you. ”
“I didn't know how to get out of the pain that was always there,” she added.
High school cheerleader Amber Heath (left) and her mother Verna Heath enter a Houston courtroom on September 3, 1991. (AP Photo/David Scarborough)
Shana sought mental health help through counseling. For the first time in decades, she was encouraged to talk about what happened and how she personally dealt with it. She launched a website. Smile more and worry lessoffers online courses to others suffering from depression.
“I wanted to heal and this is part of the healing process,” Shanna said. “I wanted to show that people can go through trauma like I did, hit rock bottom, and get back up if they do the work and talk about it. That's what this documentary helped me do. Please tell me about it.''
Scheana is currently in a relationship with Wanda, but her idea of speaking out on camera received “a lot of pushback” from her family.
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Shanna still has a relationship with her mother, Wanda. (Disclosure of evidence in investigation)
“I've even been threatened with lawsuits,” Shana said. “I had to explain that I'm not the only one bringing this up and trying to hurt everyone. That's not my goal… There are people out there who are hurting, but… They don't know what to do.”
Shanna has not spoken to Amber since the incident. new york post Reported. But today, Shanna hopes that by reflecting on her past, others who are secretly dealing with their own trauma will be inspired to share their stories.
“I don't think I'm 100 percent. I don't think I ever will be,” she said. “But what I can say is that I no longer wake up every morning with anxiety. Before I took the medication, I always had a heaviness in my chest. I don't even know what it feels like to be anxiety-free. 'Cause it's been there since I was 14 years old. ”
Shanna is seen here watching her mother's trial on television. (Disclosure of evidence in investigation)
“I was so used to it,” Shanna said. “…But I didn't have to feel this way all the time…I feel like a huge weight and burden has been lifted from me. And even my relationships with my mom and dad are starting to mend now. It’s only been talked about once.”
“Texas Cheerleading Murder Project” is available to stream on Max.
