Why Did a Cheerleader Pay a Classmate to Kill Her Father?
Nearly 40 years ago, a shocking story made the news — a cheerleader from Long Island, New York, hired someone to kill her abusive father. Decades later, Cheryl Pierson, who is now Cheryl Cuccio, spoke out for the first time about why she thought murder was her only option.
'Shocked and Horrified'
In late 1985, 16-year-old Cheryl Pierson made a shocking comment one morning during homeroom at her high school in Selden, New York. She casually talked about a recent murder-for-hire plot and asked her classmates if any of them would kill someone for money. Sean Pica, a fellow student, responded that he would do it for $1,000.
Less than three months later, on Feb. 5, 1986, as Cheryl was getting ready for school, she let her dog outside and saw her father lying face-down in the snow, bleeding in their driveway. James Pierson, 42, a local electrician, had been shot five times in the head and chest with a .22-caliber rifle. "I was shocked and horrified," 47-year-old Cheryl told PEOPLE in an 2017 interview at her home on Long Island, decades later.
Triple Arrest
It didn't take long for Cheryl or the police to figure out what had really happened. The murder wasn't just some random act of violence. The police started putting the pieces together and soon realized Cheryl had played a significant role in the crime. Just one week later, Sean, Cheryl, and her boyfriend, Rob Cuccio, were all arrested and charged with the murder of James Pierson.
The Secret Comes Out
Cheryl's attorneys dropped another bombshell at her first court hearing when they said she had been repeatedly raped by her father. She decided killing him was her only option when she thought he was going to start abusing her 8-year-old sister, her attorneys said.
When Sean offered his help as a hit man, Cheryl told him her secret and discussed the possibility of killing her dad. Even though she says she didn't know Sean was actually going to do it, Cheryl admits she and Rob managed to come up with $400 to give him as part of the payment.
In the end, Sean, who was 18 at the time, admitted to manslaughter and was sentenced to 24 years in prison. He was released in 2002. Rob, who was 20, pleaded guilty to criminal solicitation and was given probation. Cheryl also pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to six months in jail. She served a little over half of that time before being released early for good behavior.
Desperation, Then Regret
Years later, in 2017, Cheryl — now married to Rob Cuccio — spoke out about the terrible events that led her, as a 16-year-old cheerleader, to ask a boy in her homeroom to kill her father. "I wish I hadn't asked him, but I was desperate," she said, according to CBS News. Cheryl and Rob published a book called "Incest, Murder and a Miracle" in 2016. The book talks about how Cheryl's father asserted horrible control over her body and life while her mother was dying. "It would be before we went to the hospital see her on her deathbed. It would be when we got home from seeing her," Cheryl told CBS News. "It was just such torment."
Is Murder Ever Justified?
The story stirred a debate when it first broke in 1986: When, if ever, is murder justified? While many people understood a teen in a desperate situation, some didn't believe her. "Why would you lie about something like that? Why would you want to tell people that happened you?" Cheryl responded, according to CBS News. "That is the most shameful, disgusting, dirty thing that you can ever say."
She and her husband hope that by sharing their story now, it will help others find their voice. "It's not something that just goes away, but incest does not define you," she said, according to CBS News. "We need to speak up for each other, because it still happens out there."
By sharing their story, Cheryl and Rob Cuccio hope to inspire others who have gone through similar pain to speak out and find help. This part of their story is about reaching out to victims and letting them know they're not alone.
If you or someone you know is in need of support from sexual abuse, contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline or call 1-800-656-HOPE.
References: The Cheerleader and the Hit Man: Why She Paid a Classmate $400 to Kill Her Abusive Father | Woman Once Known As Cheryl Pierson Speaks Out About Incest, Murder For Hire
