US Shocker: Woman Kills 4-Year-Old Daughter in West Virginia, Later Has S*x With Husband; Awarded 2 Life Terms
Rebakah Weikle, a woman from West Virginia, was sentenced to two life terms for the 2022 murder of her 4-year-old daughter, Haley. Prosecutors revealed the West Virginia mother acted out of jealousy over her husband's attention toward the child. Evidence showed premeditated digital searches on how to cause fatal wounds before the July 2022 stabbing.
A Summers County woman received two consecutive life sentences on Thursday, April 30, 2026, for the 2022 murder of her four-year-old daughter. Rebakah Weikle, 33, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death, admitting to a crime prosecutors described as being fueled by "obsessive jealousy" over her husband's attention toward the child. After killing her daughter, the accused had s*x with her husband. The sentencing concludes a three-year investigation into the death of young Haley Weikle, who was killed in the family's Forest Hill area home in July 2022. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Weikle will be eligible for parole after serving 30 years.
Premeditation and Digital Evidence
Summers County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Lefler revealed that investigators uncovered a disturbing trail of premeditation on Weikle's cellular phone. Beginning in mid-June 2022, Weikle conducted "pointed searches" regarding how to inflict fatal injuries. US Shocker: High School Basketball Coach in Alabama Arrested for Having ‘Deviant S*x With Student’.
"What we could determine from her searches... she started having these very pointed searches on how to harm people, specifically searches relevant to lacerations or stab wounds, particular locations on the body," Lefler said. He noted that while some searches were generic, her eventual actions suggested she "had her daughter in mind" during the research phase.
Details of the Fatal Incident in West Virginia
On the night of the murder, the prosecution stated that Haley's father, Rusty Weikle, and her two brothers had already gone to bed. After ordering Haley to go to sleep, Rebakah retrieved a knife from the kitchen. To ensure the act remained silent, Lefler stated that Weikle used a blanket or pillow to cover the child's mouth "so that the father would not hear". Following the attack, Weikle reportedly cleaned and hid the murder weapon, washed her clothing, and returned to bed. "And then woke her husband up and they had s*x. Her husband then went back to sleep. She was on her phone all night, just doing various things," he added.
In a move described by the prosecution as a calculated cover-up, Weikle woke her husband and engaged in normal activity before later telling him at 5:00 AM that "Haley's dead". Throughout the initial investigation, Rebakah attempted to frame her husband by alleging he committed the murder to cover up s*xual abuse - claims she later admitted were entirely false. US Shocker: Plymouth Police Officer, Her Husband Arrested for Child Rape After Man Claims S*xual Assault on Numerous Occasions.
Impact on the Family
The victim’s father, Rusty Weikle, expressed relief following the sentencing but described his former wife's actions as "monstrous". "I want everybody to know how evil the person that she is and what all she has done. She killed a four-year-old baby, my baby," he said. "She was jealous that I was paying attention to her... trying to keep her safe," he added. While the murder charge against Rusty Weikle was dismissed after evidence confirmed he was asleep during the act, he pleaded guilty to child neglect resulting in death. He was sentenced to home confinement and probation. Haley's two surviving brothers are currently residing with relatives out of state.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 05, 2026 12:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
