Nobody killed Verna Heath – but they almost did. This is known as The Assassination attempt on a Texas cheerleader. In 1991, Wanda Holloway, the famous “Pom-Pom Mom,” allegedly tried to hire a hitman to eliminate her, blaming her for her daughter Shanna’s failure to make the cheerleading squad. The police foiled the plan before Verna or her daughter Amber came to any harm.

Years after the incident, Wanda lives quietly and no one knows exactly where she is. Her daughter Shanna still talks to her. Meanwhile, Verna and her daughter Amber have tried to move on and stay away from public attention.

The plan that shook Texas

Wanda Holloway once seemed like a normal, caring mother who was active in her church and well respected in the community. But when her daughter Shanna failed to make the cheerleading squad twice, Holloway reportedly decided someone had to pay. Your goal? Verna Heath, mother of Amber, Shanna’s rival.

Determined to get Verna out of the way, Wanda reportedly sought out her ex-brother-in-law Terry Harper to hire a murderer. Terry, alarmed by the suggestion, went to the police and agreed to record his conversations with Wanda to collect evidence. In one of the recordings she is said to have said:

“The mother, she’s not worth a damn, is she?” she laughs as she discusses the details.

They allegedly negotiated prices, with Wanda claiming:

“$5,000 for the girl. $2,500 for the mother.”

At another meeting in a parking lot, Wanda reportedly handed over a pair of diamond earrings as her first payment and explained that the focus would only be on Verna:

“The mother did more damage than the daughter. The mother is the one who screwed me over.”

With Terry Harper’s help, the police stopped Wanda before she could hurt anyone and then arrested her for conspiracy to commit murder.

Legal consequences

The Wanda Holloway case became a national scandal with extensive media coverage. In 1991, Wanda was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder. Her first conviction was later overturned due to jury problems. To avoid a second trial, she pleaded guilty. She received a 10-year sentence but only served six months before being paroled.

After her release from prison, Wanda disappeared from the public eye. No one knows exactly where she is now, but it seems she wanted to escape the media attention of the early 1990s.

Impact on the family

Shanna Widner, Wanda’s daughter, was deeply affected by the scandal. In an interview with Good Morning America, she recalled the moment she said goodbye to her mother during the trial:

“When I hugged her before they handcuffed her and took her away, I really thought I wouldn’t be allowed to touch her again for 14 years.”

The family avoided talking about the case for years.

“We haven’t talked about it. It was like it didn’t happen,” Shanna said.

Nevertheless, she maintained contact with her mother and allowed Wanda to participate in her children’s lives.

“When my boys were born, she was just as much a part of my life as ever,” she revealed.

However, the experience shaped the way Shanna raised her own children. She decided to avoid any behavior that resembled a “stage mother,” emphasizing:

“If it’s not fun, I think parents should think about it. If you don’t enjoy it, try something else. It’s not worth it.”

The legacy of a scandal

The Wanda Holloway case went beyond police headlines and became part of popular culture. It inspired two TV movies, a book and an avalanche of media coverage. Still, the documentary The Texas Cheerleader Assassination promises a deeper and more critical look at how the media has distorted the impact of the case:

“We examine the ways in which broadcast news — and popular culture — ultimately got it wrong.”

The documentary is scheduled to premiere on ID and Max on December 18, 2024 The Texas Cheerleader Assassination Features exclusive interviews with Shanna, providing new perspectives on her mother’s alleged motivations and the lasting impact of the scandal on her life.

More than three decades later, the Wanda Holloway case continues to fascinate the public, not only as a foiled crime, but also as an expression of how ambition and obsession can lead to extreme acts.