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Wanda Holloway, the "Pom-pom Mom," whose plot of hiring a hitman in 1991 to take out a competition cheerleading coach for her daughter, has, once again, become a popular news topic lately due to the upcoming documentary The Texas Cheerleader Murder Plot.
Wanda Holloway was convicted on September 4, 1991, for solicitation of capital murder. She was sentenced to serve 15 years in jail. However, her conviction was later dismissed as a mistrial since it was found that one of the jurors was on probation for a felony, according to ABC13. During the second trial, 1996 Holloway entered no contest during her pleas and was put to a 10-year term in jail.
Wanda Holloway completed her sentence in the Hilltop Unit in Gatesville, Texas, and was released in 1998 after completing six months. As per ABC13, She remained on probation for the next 9.5 years and was required to serve 1,000 hours of community service. Since then, she reportedly lives in Texas and has kept out of the limelight.
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The case is explored in more detail in the documentary The Texas Cheerleader Murder Plot. It will be available on Investigation Discovery (ID) on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at 9:00 PM ET/PT. It will also be available to stream the following day, Thursday, December 19, 2024, on Max.
The cheerleading plot that shocked everyone
According to People magazine, Wanda Holloway's dream for her daughter, Shanna, was that she would make the Channelview High School cheerleading squad. However, Shanna did not share her mother's enthusiasm for cheerleading. But Amber Heath, who lived across the street and was in Shanna's class at school, on the other hand, wanted nothing more than to make the team.
Obsession with the contest led Wanda to concoct a shocking and illegal means of getting rid of what, in her mind, now stood between her daughter and victory: Amber's mother, Verna Heath. In January 1991, Wanda approached her ex-brother-in-law, Terry Harper, and asked him to kill Verna Heath for $2,500.
Wanda was under the impression that killing Verna would emotionally devastate Amber, who would probably drop cheerleading and would then allow Shanna to make the cheerleading team. Fortunately, Terry informed the police about the plot and agreed to go undercover and wear a wire, recording Wanda's conversation regarding the murder-for-hire plot.
In a 2024 Good Morning America interview, Shanna confessed that her interest in cheerleading was nowhere near as high as that of her mother. Wanda had wanted to see Shanna end up as one of the most elite members of the team.
What transpired in the court in Wanda Holloway's case?
According to Newsweek, Wanda Holloway was charged with the solicitation of capital murder, and her trial quickly became the talk of the nation. She was sentenced to 15 years. However, the conviction was overturned as it was found to be a mistrial. During the second trial, Wanda entered a plea of "no contest."
In doing this, she accepted the punishment but did not plead guilty. This earned her a 10-year prison term, a $10,000 fine, and $150,000 civil damages to the Heath family. However, Wanda had only served six months in jail. Thereafter, Wanda Holloway was ordered to be on probation for the remaining period and to complete 1,000 hours of community service.
The personal fallout
Wanda's obsession with her daughter's cheerleading success bore devastating effects on her and Shanna's relationship. In the Good Morning America interview in 2012, Shanna said that her mother's actions had a significant impact on her life. "I was lost," she said, speaking of the time Holloway was arrested.
Shanna also said in the interview that while they don't share a close mother-daughter relationship, Holloway continues to be a part of her and her sons' lives.
Shanna further said during the interview that she learned the lesson to never be a "stage mom." Holloway's story made her a cautionary tale about the dangers of parental ambition gone wild. She even inspired a TV movie, The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom. It has helped cement her in the firmament of pop culture.
Following her release from prison, Wanda Holloway has lived a relatively low-key life and, for the most part, avoided the limelight. Today, it's reported that she lives quietly in Texas, causing no waves.
For more details about Wanda Holloway's case, watch The Texas Cheerleader Murder Plot documentary on Investigation Discovery (ID) on December 18 at 9:00 PM ET/PT.
