The Murder of Zander Lyda – A Tragic Story

By Kieran Burt - August 1, 2023 (Last updated: September 16, 2024)
The Murder of Zander Lyda

By Kieran Burt - August 1, 2023 (Last updated: September 16, 2024)

The Murder of Zander Lyda – a tragic story. Who is Zander Lyda? We explain who Zander is, why his sister stabbed him, and how he died. 

Zander Lyda was a happy and normal kid when on January 5, his life was tragically ended by his sister, who remains unnamed. She has been placed in a juvenile facility in Tulsa, where she is getting treatment for what has happened.

The news of his death shocked and saddened the community and garnered a lot of attention from the press. His family is devastated by the loss, and Zander’s absence has left a void in their life that will never be filled.

The Murder of Zander Lyda

Who is Zander Lyda?

Zander Lyda was a normal 9-year-old kid who lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Like any normal kid, he had a happy life and was getting ready to start being schooled from home when he was attacked in his sleep. He died on January 5, 2023, after his sister stabbed him three times.

The case resurfaced in June when the police released body cam footage when they first arrived at the house. The daughter can be seen running out to the police, confessing to what had just happened in the house. She even offered to show them where the knife she used to stab Zander had been thrown.

Why did Zander Lyda’s sister stab him?

The exact reason why Zander’s sister stabbed him is still unknown. The body cam footage that was released showed Zander’s sister to the police claiming that “some demonic s**t” had taken hold of her.

The mum of the pair, April Lyder, explained that her daughter was as normal as any 12-year-old kid could be and that she was shocked by what happened. In a statement, the mother said:

“They were raised as God-fearing children & never had behavioral issues until she was put back on a medication she was off for over a year — no it wasn’t psych meds — and I can’t get into details because I’m not sure what I’m allowed to share just yet. Just know my kids loved each other and always got along until the very end there. They were fighting a lot more than usual, but they never physically hurt each other on purpose, that just wasn’t who they were.”

She went on to say that her daughter was happy, energetic, loved school, and hadn’t been diagnosed as mentally ill. The mother hadn’t specified what medication the daughter had been taking.

In an interview later on, April explained that she thought her daughter had suffered from a “manic episode” on the night that Zander died, but this hasn’t been confirmed yet.

The father of Zander and his sister, Levi Lyda, hasn’t commented on the tragedy that has happened.

How did Zander Lyda die?

Zander Lyda died because his 12-year-old sister stabbed him in his bed on January 5, 2023. He had been trying to sleep in his room when she burst in and attacked him. He was rushed to hospital by an ambulance, where he later died from his injuries. The police and Zander’s sister remained at the Lyda household.

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