Shana Grice, 19 years old, was mur*dered on August 25, 2016 by her ex-boyfriend, Michael Lane, who was stalking her. She had reported this five times to the police.
Following their breakup, Lane installed a tracking device on her vehicle, which alerted him via his mobile phone whenever it moved.
Grice reported Lane for stalking her on February 8, 2016, after receiving unwanted flowers and having her vehicle damaged.
On March 24, 2016, Lane took her phone and pulled her hair. He was arrested on suspicion of assault but later released, and the police issued Grice a fixed penalty notice for wasting their time by not disclosing she had dated him.
On July 9, 2016, Lane used a stolen key to enter her residence and observe her while she was ostensibly sleeping. She was awake, had heard his footsteps, and hid herself beneath the duvet. She heard the sounds of a man breathing in her room. The man left shortly after, and when Grice looked out her window, she saw Lane walking away. He was arrested for theft, issued a caution, and warned to avoid Grice.
The following day, 10 July 2016, she received approximately seven phone calls from a blocked number, one of which was accompanied by heavy breathing. She was informed that there were no additional lines of inquiry and that the case would be closed.
On July 12, 2016, she reported to police that Lane was following her. The case was deemed “low risk” by police, but the investigating officer was informed.
On August 4, 2016, she observed Lane loitering in front of her home. She confided in her friend, Joann Pumphrey, that she feared police would not believe her due to a previous fine for wasting police time. Despite the fact that Joann was a witness, Grice did not report the incident to the police.
On August 25, 2016, Lane waited until Grice was alone at home before breaking in, slitting her throat, and setting her bedroom on fire while she was inside. Life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years was imposed on Lane.
