BREAKING: Margot Lewis facing second-degree murder charges in Hennepin County

Published: Jun. 26, 2024 at 7:05 PM CDT

HENNEPIN COUNTY, Minn. (KTTC) – According to court filings in Hennepin County Margot Lewis is facing two counts of second-degree murder in the death of Liara Tsai.

Tsai, 35, of Minneapolis was found in the back seat of a car that crashed on I-90 near Eyota on Saturday. According to court documents, Tsai was wrapped in blankets and her cause of death is listed as multiple sharp force injuries.

According to the criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County Wednesday, the car’s registration led investigators to Tsai’s Minneapolis home.

Inside the home, investigators found a bloody scene. The document details blood saturated Tsai’s bed, along with a bloody plastic and metal object. More blood was located in the bathroom. The complaint also states items commonly located in the trunk of a car were inside the apartment.

Investigators also noted a single steak knife missing from a butcher block. The missing knife was not located in the apartment.

According to the complaint, in surveillance video from outside of the apartment, Tsai’s vehicle is seen leaving the driveway at 4:37 a.m. on June 22. The driver of the vehicle was wearing clothing that matches what Lewis was wearing at the scene of the crash hours later in Olmsted County.

Once in custody, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office says Lewis sat on the floor and began to cry. When officers went to collect evidence from Lewis, they say she became combative.

The complaint says officers spoke with Tsai’s former spouse, who indicated Lewis was planning to visit Minneapolis from June 21 to June 29. The former spouse indicated the relationship between Tsai and Lewis was “sordid and emotionally challenging.”

As of Wednesday night, Lewis has an active warrant in Hennepin County. When Lewis will be seen by a judge to be officially charged has not be scheduled yet.

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