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Luchiano Lewis Sentenced To 9 Years To Life In Deadly Stabbing Of Tessa Majors

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Luchiano Lewis, 16, was sentenced Thursday to nine years to life behind bars for his role in the deadly stabbing of Barnard College student Tessa Majors.

Lewis, who was 14 at the time of the stabbing, was charged as an adult.

As CBS2's Cory James reports, Lewis walked into the courtroom Thursday afternoon ahead of his sentencing for the role he pled guilty to last month.

The 18-year-old's father broke down during the victim impact letter read by the attorney on behalf of the Majors family.

In one part, it stated "with every legal proceeding, we are forced to relive the event to relive the events of December 11, 2019. We have not been able to grieve our daughter properly in peace."

It goes on to say, "On December 11, 2019, the hopes and dreams for our daughter Tess came to a tragic end. Our grief is too profound. We are too changed from the people we used to be. Not a day goes by that we don't consider what could have been done to prevent her brutal -- and again -- senseless -- death."

Minutes later, Majors' father left his front row seat while a video of his daughter's last moments was shown. The security camera footage captured Majors struggling going up the steps near Morningside Park after break away from the three defendants in that brutal attack.

Her attorney said Majors "had already been stabbed once in the heart. With each breath, she is closer to death."

The video shows Majors pull out her phone, which the suspects had attempted to steal, before collapsing face down.

Her father then returned back to the courtroom, as their attorney request the maximum sentence, stating Lewis asked his accomplice after the attack "What did you get? What did you get?"

The prosecutor added Lewis had more than one opportunity to stop and run away but didn't.

Lewis later addressed the Majors family, saying he feels "ashamed and embarrassed for destroying a family."

When he asked Majors' family to accept his apology, her father looked away, his eyes swelling with tears.

When Lewis spoke to his own family, he was brought to tears, telling his father, "I'm sorry that I failed you and became less of the son you raised."

The judge handed down the maximum sentence for the murder: Nine years to life, and an additional three-plus years for the robbery, adding Lewis, while in custody, has been in multiple fights, had contraband that could have been used as weapons, and most recently was involved in a violent slashing with another inmate over a blanket that resulted in a re-arrest for felony assault.

In 2020, the other teen, who was not charged as an adult in this case, was sentenced after pleading guilty to first-degree robbery.

Meanwhile, Rashaun Weaver, who pleaded not guilty to stabbing Majors, is expected to be in court Monday for his trial.

Editor's note: This story was first published Oct. 14.

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