Teen's Betrayal: The Shocking Murder of 13-Year-Old Alana Callahan by Her Troubled Friend
The Callahan family's act of welcoming 13-year-old Aaron Schmidt into their lives in 2011 seemed like a blessing for the troubled teen. Coming from a background marked by abuse and neglect, Aaron found in the Callahans everything he had been missing—warmth, stability, and acceptance. He became a regular fixture in their household, helping with chores and forming close bonds with family members, especially 13-year-old Alana.
What began as a nurturing relationship would take a dark turn following a series of events that started with boundary violations. When Aaron entered the Callahan home uninvited, he faced temporary restrictions that he found difficult to accept. On January 31, 2011, what appeared to be a typical rainy afternoon transformed into tragedy when Alana was found unconscious with severe injuries after being briefly left alone at home. Aaron's peculiar behavior during the discovery—knowing exactly where to find her and expressing concern about his fingerprints—would later cast a troubling light on the shocking events of that day.
Key Takeaways
Aaron Schmidt found temporary refuge with the Callahan family, escaping his history of familial abuse and neglect.
A minor disciplinary action restricting Aaron's access to the Callahan home preceded the tragic incident.
Alana Callahan was discovered severely injured under suspicious circumstances with Aaron demonstrating unusual behavior at the scene.
Aaron Schmidt's Troubled Background
Lacy Aaron Schmidt was born in summer 1996 under difficult circumstances. He and his three siblings were born from non-consensual encounters between an adult father and underage mother. Their early years were marked by chaos and abuse. When Aaron was five, authorities removed the children from their mother's custody due to her drug addiction and abusive behavior.
Unfortunately, this intervention failed to improve their situation. The children were placed with an abusive older half-sister in Columbia County, Georgia, approximately 20 miles west of Augusta. Neither the half-sister nor other family members welcomed them, viewing the children as unwanted reminders of their dysfunctional family past.
Growing up, Aaron became solitary, spending as much time as possible away from home. His life changed unexpectedly in spring 2010 while walking through the woods. He encountered the Callahan family—Paul, Betty Joe, and their five children—painting their soon-to-be home. After offering to help, Aaron quickly became integrated into their family life.
The Callahan Connection
Once the Callahans moved in, Aaron became a fixture in their household:
Regularly helped with chores and yard work
Frequently joined them for dinner
Developed close relationships with family members
For Aaron, who had experienced little stability or acceptance, the Callahan family represented everything he lacked. He eventually developed feelings for 13-year-old Alana Callahan, a vibrant girl who enjoyed outdoor activities and participated in Baptist youth groups. Their puppy love relationship was short-lived, ending after just three days when Alana's youth pastor advised against it.
Though outwardly Aaron and Alana remained friends after the breakup, this rejection likely added to his emotional burden. His typically guarded demeanor made it difficult to assess how deeply the breakup affected him.
Deteriorating Relationship
In early 2011, Aaron's relationship with the Callahan family deteriorated following an incident where Betty Joe and Alana found him alone in their house. Aaron claimed the door was unlocked and he had let himself in, expecting them to return soon. Betty Joe, unconvinced, imposed restrictions:
Aaron could only visit when adults were present
No visits before 5:00 p.m. on weekdays
Complete two-week ban from their home
While these boundaries were reasonable, they devastated Aaron, who viewed the Callahan home as his sanctuary. By 2011, both Aaron and Alana were 14, though he attended high school while she remained in eighth grade at Harlem Middle School.
On January 31, 2011, during a cold, rainy afternoon, Aaron appeared at the Callahan driveway looking dejected. He told Alana's sister Amanda that he wasn't allowed at their home for two weeks before walking away. Shortly after 3:30 p.m., Alana arrived home from school, and Amanda drove her up the driveway. The bus driver later reported seeing Aaron walking on the road with his hoodie up and hands in his pockets.
What happened next would transform the lives of both families forever. When Amanda briefly left to collect her younger brother from the school bus, Aaron entered the house against the family's instructions. Upon returning, Amanda discovered Alana missing, a chair tipped over, and red liquid on the floor. Aaron's suspicious behavior during the subsequent search culminated in him "finding" Alana unconscious with a severe facial wound, while making unprompted comments about his fingerprints being on her body.
The Callahan Family's Open Arms
In 2011, the Callahans became a beacon of hope for 14-year-old Aaron Schmidt when they moved into his neighborhood. For Aaron, who had endured a childhood marked by abuse and neglect, the Callahans represented what a loving family should be.
Aaron's early life was extraordinarily difficult. Born in summer 1996, he and his siblings were removed from their mother's custody when he was five due to her drug addiction and abusive behavior. They were placed with an older half-sister in Columbia County, Georgia, who was also abusive and saw the children as unwanted reminders of family dysfunction.
The young boy's fortune seemed to change in spring 2010 when he encountered the Callahan family painting their soon-to-be home. After offering to help, Aaron became a regular fixture in their household, assisting with chores and joining them for dinner several times weekly.
For Aaron, who typically kept to himself, the Callahans provided the stability he desperately craved. He developed feelings for 13-year-old Alana Callahan, a vibrant girl who loved outdoor activities and was active in Baptist youth groups. Their brief relationship ended after three days when Alana's youth pastor advised against it, though they remained friends.
In early 2011, the relationship between Aaron and the Callahans deteriorated following an incident. Alana and her mother Betty Joe returned home to find Aaron inside their house uninvited. He claimed the door was unlocked, but Betty Joe enforced clear boundaries:
No visiting without an adult present
No visits before 5 PM on weekdays
A two-week ban from the home
For most teenagers, these would be reasonable consequences. For Aaron, who saw the Callahan home as his only sanctuary, the punishment felt devastating.
The situation took a tragic turn on January 31, 2011. That rainy afternoon, Aaron was seen near the Callahan property despite his ban. When Alana arrived home from school around 3:32 PM, her sister Amanda drove her up their long driveway. Amanda later left briefly to pick up their younger brother Chase from the elementary school bus.
Upon returning approximately ten minutes later, Amanda and Chase discovered Alana's chair tipped over and red liquid covering the floor. Aaron suddenly appeared in a frantic state, claiming someone had taken Alana. During their search outside, Aaron pointed toward a tree where Alana lay unconscious with a severe facial wound.
His behavior raised immediate suspicions. Despite claiming to be concerned about Alana, he oddly mentioned the police would suspect him because his fingerprints would be on her body. Throughout the subsequent investigation, Aaron displayed a disturbing lack of emotion or remorse.
Aaron's Bond with Alana Callahan
Aaron Schmidt's life transformed when he met the Callahan family in 2010. Walking through the woods one spring day, the 13-year-old encountered Paul and Betty Joe Callahan and their five children painting their soon-to-be home. After offering to help, Aaron quickly integrated himself into their family dynamic.
The Callahans provided Aaron with stability and acceptance that had been absent throughout his troubled childhood. Born in 1996, Aaron and his siblings had endured a chaotic upbringing marked by abuse and neglect. After being removed from his mother's custody at age five, Aaron was placed with an unwelcoming half-sister in Columbia County, Georgia.
For Aaron, the Callahan household became a sanctuary. He assisted with chores, participated in yard work, and often joined them for dinner. This environment represented everything he had missed growing up—warmth, structure, and genuine care.
Aaron developed a particularly close relationship with 13-year-old Alana Callahan. She was a vibrant young girl who enjoyed outdoor activities, four-wheelers, and was actively involved in Baptist youth groups. The two eventually entered into a brief relationship, though it ended after three days when Alana's youth pastor advised against it due to her age.
Despite the breakup, Aaron and Alana maintained their friendship. However, beneath his stoic exterior, the rejection likely added to Aaron's accumulation of disappointments. Aaron typically concealed his emotions, making it difficult to gauge how deeply the situation affected him.
The relationship between Aaron and the Callahan family deteriorated in early 2011 following an incident where Betty Joe and Alana discovered him alone in their house. Aaron claimed the door was unlocked, but Betty Joe was unconvinced. She established new boundaries:
No entering the house unless Betty Joe, her husband, or Alana's older sister were present
No visits before 5:00 PM on weekdays
A complete two-week ban from the home
For most teenagers, these restrictions might seem reasonable. For Aaron, however, being barred from his only source of comfort and acceptance was devastating. The punishment triggered feelings of rejection that echoed throughout his troubled past.
By January 2011, both Aaron and Alana were 14, though they attended different schools. Aaron, a high school freshman, finished classes earlier than Alana, who was still in eighth grade at Harlem Middle School. This schedule difference would prove significant in the tragic events that would soon unfold.
The relationship that had once provided Aaron with happiness and security had become a source of anguish. What the Callahans viewed as a minor disagreement that would eventually resolve became, for Aaron, an intolerable rejection that would lead to unimaginable consequences.
Teenage Romance and Disappointment
Aaron Schmidt's life changed dramatically when he encountered the Callahan family in spring 2010. Walking through the woods, he stumbled upon Paul and Betty Joe Callahan and their five children painting their soon-to-be home. After offering to help, Aaron quickly became a fixture in their household, regularly assisting with chores and joining them for dinner several times a week.
For a boy with a traumatic past, the Callahans represented everything a family should be. Born in 1996 to an underage mother and raised in abusive circumstances, Aaron had been removed from his mother's custody at age five only to be placed with an unwelcoming half-sister. The Callahans' warmth was a stark contrast to his previous experiences.
Aaron developed feelings for 13-year-old Alana Callahan, a vibrant girl who enjoyed outdoor activities and was active in Baptist youth groups. Their puppy love relationship was short-lived, however, lasting only three days before Alana ended it on advice from her youth pastor who deemed it inappropriate for her age.
Though Aaron maintained his friendship with Alana after the breakup, this rejection added to his history of disappointments. The situation worsened in early 2011 when his relationship with the Callahan parents deteriorated following an incident where Betty Joe found him alone in their house without permission.
Betty Joe established clear boundaries:
Aaron could not enter the house unless she, her husband, or Alana's older sister were present
No visits before 5:00 p.m. on weekdays
A two-week ban from the home entirely
This punishment struck Aaron deeply. Being banished from his sanctuary—the only place where he had found acceptance and comfort—was devastating for the emotionally fragile teenager. His reaction to these reasonable boundaries would ultimately have tragic consequences.
By January 2011, both Aaron and Alana were 14, though they attended different schools. On a cold, rainy Monday afternoon, January 31, Aaron appeared unusually dejected when briefly speaking with Alana's sister Amanda, mentioning his two-week ban before walking away with his head down.
Boundary Disputes and Consequences
The relationship between Aaron Schmidt and the Callahan family began with warmth but deteriorated after a boundary violation in early 2011. When Betty Joe Callahan discovered Aaron in their home uninvited, she established clear rules: no visits without adult supervision, no entry before 5 p.m. on weekdays, and a two-week ban from the property. Though reasonable, these boundaries devastated Aaron, who viewed the Callahan home as his only sanctuary.
Aaron's banishment coincided with another rejection in his life. His relationship with 14-year-old Alana Callahan had ended days after it began, following advice from her youth pastor that dating was inappropriate for her age. While they maintained a friendship, this rejection likely compounded Aaron's sense of loss.
On January 31, 2011, events took a tragic turn. Amanda Callahan briefly saw Aaron near their property before collecting Alana from the school bus around 3:32 p.m. After Alana settled at home to use Facebook, Amanda left to pick up their younger brother Chase. Upon returning approximately 10 minutes later, they discovered:
Alana's chair tipped over
Red liquid covering the floor
Aaron's shoes at the entrance (despite his ban)
No sign of Alana
Aaron suddenly appeared in a distressed state, claiming someone had taken Alana. When the three went outside searching, Aaron mysteriously directed them to a specific location where they found Alana unconscious with a severe facial wound.
His behavior raised immediate red flags. Aaron:
Pulled a twig from Alana's hair
Expressed fear that police would blame him because his fingerprints would be on her
Located her body with suspicious precision
The school bus driver later confirmed seeing Aaron walking near the Callahan property wearing a hoodie shortly after dropping off Alana, contradicting his supposed absence from the area. From the moment the investigation began through its conclusion, witnesses noted Aaron displayed no emotional reaction to the horrific events.
The Fateful Afternoon of January 31, 2011
On January 31, 2011, dark clouds hung over East Central Georgia as rain fell steadily throughout the day. The inclement weather prompted Amanda Callahan to drive down the family's long driveway to meet her younger sister Alana's school bus, a routine precaution during bad weather.
Amanda arrived early at the end of the driveway, where she encountered 14-year-old Aaron Schmidt. He briefly mentioned his two-week banishment from their home before walking away with his head down. This brief interaction seemed unremarkable at the time, but would later take on grave significance.
At approximately 3:32 PM, bus driver Cheryl Low stopped on Miles Road to drop off 14-year-old Alana Callahan. Amanda drove her sister back to the house, where Alana settled at the dining room table and logged into Facebook to download pictures.
Around 3:50 PM, Amanda left to pick up their 9-year-old brother Chase from his elementary school bus. The trip would only take about ten minutes, leaving Alana alone at home. This brief window of time would prove catastrophic.
When Amanda and Chase returned, they immediately noticed Aaron's shoes on the mat in the foyer—a concerning sight, given his recent banishment from the home. As they moved through the house, they discovered an alarming scene: Alana's chair tipped over backward and a red liquid splattered across the floor.
Amanda called out for her sister, but received no response. Suddenly, Aaron burst through the door in an apparent state of panic, claiming someone had taken Alana and he didn't know what to do.
Fearing the worst, Amanda gathered Chase and Aaron to search outside. While Amanda and Chase stayed together, Aaron veered in a different direction and quickly called out that he had found Alana near a tree.
The siblings rushed over to find Alana unconscious, covered in blood, with a serious wound near her chin. Aaron's behavior grew increasingly strange—he pulled a twig from Alana's hair and expressed fear that police would blame him because his fingerprints would be on her body.
This tragic afternoon marked the culmination of a relationship that had soured just weeks before. The Callahan family had welcomed Aaron into their lives when they moved to the neighborhood in 2010, providing him a respite from his troubled home life with his abusive half-sister.
For Aaron, whose childhood had been marked by abuse and rejection, the Callahans represented everything a perfect family should be. He had even briefly dated Alana before she ended their relationship on advice from her youth pastor. Though they remained friends afterward, Aaron struggled with this rejection.
The final breakdown came when Alana's mother Betty Joe discovered Aaron had entered their home uninvited while no one was there. She established clear boundaries, including the two-week ban from visiting that Aaron was currently serving on that fateful January afternoon.
Alana's Disappearance and Aaron's Reaction
The relationship between the Callahan family and Aaron Schmidt took a dramatic turn in early 2011. After a minor incident where Aaron entered their home uninvited, Alana's mother Billy Joe implemented reasonable boundaries. She prohibited Aaron from visiting unless specific family members were present, restricted his visits before 5 p.m. on weekdays, and banned him completely for two weeks.
For Aaron, this temporary banishment from his safe haven proved devastating. The rejection from the only family who had shown him acceptance struck deeply, though he rarely displayed his emotions openly.
On January 31, 2011, a cold, rainy afternoon in East Georgia, the situation escalated unexpectedly. Amanda Callahan drove to the end of their long driveway to meet her sister's school bus. Before Alana arrived, Aaron appeared briefly at Amanda's window, mentioning his two-week ban before walking away dejectedly.
At approximately 3:32 p.m., Alana's bus arrived. She joined her sister in the pickup truck, and they drove back to the house. Bus driver Cheryl Low later reported seeing Aaron walking up the road wearing a hoodie with his hands in his pockets.
Alana settled at the dining room table to download Facebook photos. Around 3:50 p.m., Amanda left briefly to collect their younger brother Chase from his elementary school bus. The siblings returned approximately ten minutes later to a disturbing scene.
Key Observations Upon Return:
Aaron's shoes on the mat in the foyer
Alana's chair tipped over backward
Red liquid splattered across the floor
No sign of Alana despite calling for her
As Amanda tried processing the scene, Aaron burst through the door in an agitated state, claiming someone had taken Alana. Amanda gathered the boys and rushed outside to search for her sister, keeping them close for safety.
During the search, Aaron's behavior became increasingly suspicious. He veered away from Amanda and Chase, then suddenly pointed toward a tree base, announcing he had found Alana. Amanda questioned how he spotted her from his position. When they reached Alana, she was unconscious, bloodied, with a severe wound near her chin.
Aaron's reaction was particularly telling. He reached down to remove a twig from Alana's hair, then became frantically concerned that police would suspect him because his fingerprints would be on her body. This unusual reaction stood in stark contrast to genuine concern for Alana's well-being.
Throughout the entire ordeal—from his initial plan through the investigation—Aaron maintained an emotionless demeanor, never displaying remorse for his actions.
The Discovery and Aftermath
When Aaron Schmidt encountered the Callahan family in spring 2010, the scene appeared idyllic. The Callahans were painting their new home, and Aaron, seeking connection, offered to help. This chance meeting transformed his life temporarily, providing structure and familial warmth his troubled childhood had lacked.
Aaron quickly became a fixture in the Callahan household. He regularly assisted with chores, shared meals with the family, and eventually developed feelings for 13-year-old Alana. Their relationship was brief—ending after three days when Alana's youth pastor advised against it—but they remained friends despite the breakup.
The situation deteriorated in early 2011 when Betty Joe Callahan discovered Aaron alone in their house without permission. Her response was measured: Aaron couldn't enter without specific adult supervision, couldn't visit before 5 p.m. on weekdays, and was banned from the home entirely for two weeks. For someone craving acceptance, these boundaries felt devastating.
January 31, 2011, began as an ordinary rainy Monday. Amanda Callahan drove to collect her sister Alana from the school bus at the end of their long driveway. Before the bus arrived, Aaron appeared briefly at Amanda's window, mentioning his punishment before walking away dejectedly. The bus arrived at approximately 3:32 p.m., and Alana joined her sister for the short drive back to the house.
Once home, Alana settled at the dining room table to use Facebook. Around 3:50 p.m., Amanda left to collect their younger brother Chase from his elementary school bus. Her absence lasted only about ten minutes, but the scene upon their return was disturbing:
Aaron's shoes on the mat in the foyer
Alana's chair tipped backward
Red liquid splattered across the floor
No sign of Alana despite calls for her
Aaron suddenly burst through the door appearing frantic, claiming someone had taken Alana. Amanda grabbed both boys and hurried outside to search for her sister. While Amanda and Chase moved away from the house, Aaron veered rightward, quickly pointing toward a tree where he claimed to have spotted Alana.
The discovery was horrific. Alana lay unconscious, blood-covered, with a severe wound near her chin. Aaron's behavior grew increasingly suspicious—he removed a twig from her hair and expressed concern that police would blame him because his fingerprints would be found on her body. His knowledge of her location and unusual comments raised immediate questions about what had truly transpired during those critical minutes.
