Michele Avila

After Severson, out of prison, began promoting a memoir about the crime and her prison experience and made a deal to have a film produced, Avila’s family sued her in 2015, seeking to take the profits of the sales. The State of California passed Missy’s Law, requiring entities who are helping publish works made by criminals to contact the families of the victims about the said works.

In March 1990, Severson and Doyle were convicted of second degree murder, and sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. The jurors later said they were not convinced that the murder was planned and rejected the first degree murder charge. Karen Severson was released from prison on December 9, 2011, after serving 23.5 years. Laura Doyle was released from prison in December 2012 after serving 22 years.

Police had no leads in the case and the case went cold. In July 1988, Eva Chirumbolo, another teen who had taken the 45-minute drive into the mountains, came forward and told police about the murder. Severson and Doyle were arrested and charged with first degree murder. According to the prosecutors, Severson and Doyle lured Avila to the creek and then proceeded to yell at her about her supposed promiscuity. Both girls accused her of having sex with their boyfriends and told her that she had messed up too many relationships. The two then held Avila face down in approximately six inches of water. To hold her body down in the water, the two placed a four-foot, 100-pound log on her body.

On October 2, 1985, Avila told her mother that she was going out with one of her school friends, Laura Doyle. Doyle picked Avila up and the two left. Four hours later, Doyle called Avila’s mother and asked to speak to Missy. After Avila’s mother told Doyle that she thought her daughter was with her, Doyle told her that she had dropped Avila off with three boys driving a blue Camaro. After getting gas, Doyle said she returned to the location where she dropped Avila off but she and the three boys were gone.

Michele Yvette “Missy” Avila (February 8, 1968 – October 2, 1985) was an American teenager who was murdered by her former best friends and rivals, Karen Severson and Laura Doyle, in October 1985.