What drove Tanaya Lewis to kill? The twisted story behind a Michigan murder

An intense romantic jealousy was widely believed to be the motive for the murder by Tanaya Lewis. Prosecutors say Lewis, then 17, saw her classmate Danyna Gibson as a rival when her ex-boyfriend began spending time with Gibson.

The resentment over this personal relationship grew so intense that Lewis brought a steak knife from home to school and attacked her in class. Bringing the knife and sending threatening messages beforehand were calculated moves driven by anger and a sense of betrayal.

The story was later featured in a documentary episode titled Straight A Killer, a part of the Mean Girl Murders series. The episode is set to re-air on August 1, 2025, at 8 pm ET on Investigation Discovery.

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The horrifying story of Tanaya Lewis's crime explained

Tanaya Lewis's crime (Representative image via Pexels)

According to the Detroit Free Press, Lewis came into the classroom that morning in September 2018 with a straight-edged kitchen knife she had brought from home, a planned killing spree, according to authorities.

Suddenly, she screamed, "I'm going to murder him," and ran across the room after Gibson, laughing. The class consisted of an instructor and perhaps 20 to 30 pupils. Gibson suffered two knife wounds to her chest and two to her back, one of which injured her heart and lungs. Within an hour after a school official started CPR, the hospital declared her dead.

As per ABC News, Danyna Gibson was a promising student who was active in robotics, cross-country, marching band, student council, and the National Honor Society. She had aspirations to study computer science engineering. Tanaya Lewis was also considered a bright student and participated in various school activities.

According to the New York Post, authorities stated the two were friends before, but their relationship soured over a boy, Lewis' ex-boyfriend, who started spending time with Gibson.

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Leagal process in Tanaya Lewis's crime

Legal process (Representative image via Pexels)

According to Fox 2 Detroit, during the legal process, Lewis was tried as an adult and charged with first-degree murder under Michigan state laws. She was declared competent to stand trial after a mental evaluation. The prosecution presented evidence to prove that bringing the knife was a premeditated plan.

Before the incident, she also posted messages like "It's time." Lewis appeared emotionally indifferent and was smiling during the attack, according to witnesses and prosecutors, which was seen as proof of preparation and intent.

The prosecution argued that the attack was deliberate and not impulsive. The well-planned crime, which happened in a public school, was supported by several pieces of evidence, such as threats, a knife, and text messages.

In August 2020, Tanaya Lewis entered a “no contest” plea to first-degree murder, not challenging the charges but avoiding a mandatory life sentence. She was sentenced to 27 to 60 years in prison, with approximately 735 days of time served credited

According to MLive Michigan, when determining her sentence, the court and prosecution considered her youth and immaturity. She is currently detained at Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility and will be eligible for release as early as September 2045. She is prohibited from communicating with Gibson's relatives.

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The documentary Straight A Killer factually recreates the incident, objectively showing the backgrounds of the students, the murder scene, and the legal process.

To find out more, watch Mean Girl Murders: Straight A Killer Investigation Discovery.

Edited by Sriparna Barui