Episode 166: The Stalking Death of Shana Grice

Shana Grice was a 19-year-old woman from Brighton, England, who was murdered in August 2016 after months of escalating stalking by her ex-boyfriend. After their breakup, Michael Lane repeatedly harassed Shana—sending messages, showing up uninvited, and vandalizing her car. Shana reported his behavior to Sussex Police multiple times, but officers minimized the threat. In one instance, police even fined Shana for wasting police time after Lane claimed she was exaggerating the stalking. On August 25, 2016, Lane broke into Shana’s home, stabbed her to death, and then set the house on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence. He later admitted to the killing. In 2018, Lane was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. An independent review found that police failures—missed warning signs, poor risk assessment, and a lack of understanding of stalking dynamics—directly contributed to Shana’s death. Her case is now frequently cited as a tragic example of how stalking is underestimated until it turns fatal.