Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announces that Michael A. Harris, 56, of Buffalo, was sentenced this morning before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case to 25 years to life in prison.
On Sunday, July 7, 2024, at approximately 2:00 a.m., the defendant, with the intent to cause the death of another person, stabbed the victim in the neck outside of her home on Anthony Drive in the City of Lackawanna. The crime occurred while the defendant and the victim, his former girlfriend, were involved in an argument. Later the same morning, at approximately 10:00 a.m., the victim, 48-year-old Tanya L. Stump, was found deceased on the back porch by family members.
The defendant committed the homicide while knowingly in violation of an existing order of protection. A no-contact order of protection had been issued for the victim following a prior domestic violence-related incident. The orders were issued in West Seneca Town Court on July 25, 2023, and Lackawanna City Court on February 1, 2023.
After the homicide, the defendant tampered with physical evidence by attempting to remove blood from his clothing and sneakers. The defendant’s washed clothes, shoes and other blood evidence was recovered from the common area laundry room of the defendant’s apartment on Heussy Avenue in the City of Buffalo during the execution of a search warrant.
In late May 2025, a jury found Harris guilty of one count of Murder in the Second Degree (Class “A-I” felony), one count of Aggravated Criminal Contempt (Class “D” felony), one count of Tampering with Physical Evidence (Class “E” felony), and one count of Criminal Contempt in the First Degree (Class “E” felony). Jurors rendered their decision after more than two hours of deliberation following a nearly five-day trial, convicting the defendant of all four counts of the indictment.
“This defendant knew he was violating an order of protection when he went to his ex-girlfriend’s home that night. After killing Tanya, he left her body in a bloody crime scene, which no family should ever find – then attempted to conceal the evidence. In addition to be being found guilty of all crimes, I hope that the victim’s family feels justice has been served by Michael Harris receiving the maximum sentence,” said Erie County DA Mike Keane.
DA Keane commends Detective Joseph Milkowski and Detective Chuck Jaworski of the Lackawanna Police Department for their work in this investigation as well as victim advocates Kimberly Rapp and Nicole Haffa.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney John P. Gerken, Jr. of the Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Abbi L. Fuhrken of the Special Victims/Domestic Violence Bureau.
If you or someone you know is a victim or may be at-risk of domestic violence, help is available through the BE SAFE Domestic Violence Victim Advocacy Program. While our staff specialize in trauma-informed support and victim advocacy following the arrest of an offender, you do not need to have a pending criminal case to speak with an advocate and access services. For more information on BE SAFE, call 716-858-4630 or visit www.erie.gov/besafe.