In a chilling account of family upheaval, Grace Showvay reflects on the life-altering events that transpired nearly a decade ago when her father, Chad Schipper, was arrested for his involvement in a shocking crime. The story has gained renewed attention through the episode “The Bible Study Kidnapper” in the series *Betrayal: Secrets & Lies*, available on Hulu and Disney+.
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Grace, now 24, was just 14 years old when her family’s life in rural Illinois was upended. Until then, her childhood had been painted with warmth and bonding moments shared with her father over their mutual interests in sci-fi shows like *Star Trek* and toys like Transformers. Homeschooling meant that the time spent together was frequent, and the rapport between Grace and Chad seemed remarkably ordinary.
However, the tranquillity of their lives was shattered in February 2017. One fateful night, police officers invaded their home, waking Grace, her five siblings, and their mother, Donielle Showvay. The family soon learned that Chad had kidnapped Connie and Larry Van Oosten, a couple from their church involved in teaching Sunday school. Their captivity was brief but traumatic, as they were held in a soundproofed dungeon at a property owned by the Showvay family.
In the lead-up to the crime, Grace noted subtle but concerning changes in her father’s behavior. “I feel like he spent more time in his office,” she recalls, observing that their usual family meals were becoming less frequent. The tension became palpable when Chad made an unusual request—asking Grace to wrap a sledgehammer in black electrical tape. Although she found it odd, he assured her a “special treat” for her assistance, leaving her feeling valued, oblivious to the sinister purpose behind the task.
Chad Schipper would later use that same sledgehammer during the kidnapping, forcibly entering the Van Oostens’ home while armed and dressed in black. Following the abduction, he took the couple to a nearby house where he had created a makeshift prison. The ordeal escalated when he coerced Connie into withdrawing a staggering $350,000 from a bank under the threat of her husband’s life. In a moment of bravery, Connie managed to slip a note to a bank teller, alerting them to their dire situation.
As police visibility surged around their home, Grace had a distressing encounter when officers burst through the door, searching for her father. Initially terrified and convinced that their home was being robbed, she was soon informed of her father’s actions. “I was sure they had the wrong person,” she spoke of her immediate disbelief.
In the aftermath of the arrest, the shock of the revelations left Grace feeling detached, struggling to comprehend the stark reality of her father’s actions. “I couldn’t eat…I felt like it was all a dream,” she recounted, highlighting her deep emotional turmoil.
Information regarding Chad’s acts slowly permeated Grace’s understanding, particularly through the letters written to her mother while he was imprisoned. In these letters, Chad signed his name as “Elouisa Mae,” adopting the persona of a polite Southern woman designed to elicit sympathy from Donielle. This twisted deception became a pivotal point for Grace; it was the moment when the harsh truth of her father’s nature began to crystallise for her.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Grace maintains a complex sense of love for her father. “He’s still my dad, and I still love him even after all that he’s done,” she admits. While she does not envision resuming a relationship, she expresses a desire for Chad to know that his children are doing well.
In the aftermath of these events, Donielle and her children chose to change their last name. They settled on “Showvay,” a creative combination of both her maiden name and a French word meaning “to save,” symbolising a fresh start. This decision marked a deliberate move away from their past, embracing their new identity.
Donielle has since remarried to Billy Oliver, her high school sweetheart, rekindling their relationship years after having gone their separate ways. They married during a Thanksgiving gathering in 2022, representing a joyful new chapter for the family amid the shadows of their previous ordeal.
As Grace navigates her life nearly ten years on from that fateful night, she continues to confront the emotional repercussions of her father’s actions, holding on to a flicker of hope for a future where they can find some form of resolution. New episodes of *Betrayal: Secrets & Lies* continue to air weekly on Sundays, drawing audiences into stories of profound familial betrayal and resilience in the face of adversity.