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A jury in Minneapolis convicted a 33-year-old Iowa woman of murdering Liara Tsai, a beloved DJ in the Minneapolis electronic dance music scene.

On Monday afternoon, Margot Lewis was found guilty of two counts of second-degree murder, one with intent to cause Tsai’s death and the other without intent, using a dangerous weapon. The verdict was delivered after less than a week of attorneys presenting testimony and evidence to the jury.

Tsai, 35, was a former romantic partner of Lewis and court documents have described their relationship as “tense” and “painful.”

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Lewis is still facing another charge of concealing a dead body in Olmsted County, but it’s unclear what will happen with that case.

The jury’s decision found aggravating factors in the case of Tsai’s death, which means Judge Paul Scoggin has the option to go beyond sentencing guidelines for Lewis. 

Her sentencing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Nov. 18.

On June 22, 2024, Tsai was found dead wrapped in bedding and a mattress in the back seat of a car in southern Minnesota. Olmsted Sheriff County deputies initially responded to a report of a single vehicle crash and saw the driver of the car, identified as Lewis, sitting in a lawn chair at the median of Interstate 90 near Eyota.

At the time, Lewis was uncooperative and refused to speak to police.

The jury agreed that Lewis stabbed Tsai in her bed in her Minneapolis apartment and let her bleed to death. Court documents this week noted Lewis’s “unpredictable behavior” requires high observation in the jail. 

Tsai was well-known in Minneapolis’s underground electronic dance community. Loved ones say she was admired for her musical talent and advocacy for people to be their most authentic selves. She grew up in Mauston, Wis., and lived in Iowa City before moving to Minneapolis in May, shortly before she was killed. 

After Tsai was murdered, her community held several gatherings to honor her memory.

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Margot Lewis, 33, was convicted on Monday of murdering 35-year-old Liara Tsai in June 2024. Tsai was a former romantic partner of Lewis and court documents described their relationship as “tense” and “painful.”

Woman found guilty of murdering beloved Minneapolis DJ

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