Murder of Brianna Kupfer

Last updated
Murder of Brianna Kupfer
Brianna Kupfer Murder Victim in 2022.jpg
Publicity photo of Brianna Kupfer
Location326 North La Brea Avenue, Hancock Park, Los Angeles, California, U.S
Coordinates 34°04′38″N118°20′37″W / 34.0772°N 118.3437°W / 34.0772; -118.3437
DateJanuary 13, 2022
1:36—1:50 p.m. (GMT-7)
Attack type
 Crime of opportunity, murder by stabbing
WeaponKnife
VictimBrianna Kupfer
PerpetratorShawn Laval Smith
MotiveNone
Verdict Guilty of both charges
Charges
Sentence Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole

The murder of Brianna Kupfer occurred on January 13, 2022, in Los Angeles, California. Kupfer, a 24-year-old student at University of California, Los Angeles, was murdered by Shawn Laval Smith. [1] Smith, a 31-year-old man with an extensive criminal record, stabbed Kupfer to death in the Croft House store where she was working in the Hancock Park neighborhood. A few minutes later, a customer found Kupfer's stabbed body, covered in blood. Kupfer was pronounced dead that day. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

The high-profile search for the murder suspect became one of the biggest in the Southern California region, [5] with a $250,000 reward offered. [6] On January 19, Smith was found and arrested in Pasadena, California, [7] and charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances and use of a deadly weapon during the commission of the murder. The prosecutor in charge of the case said that Kupfer's murder was motivated by Smith's hatred of women. [8]

In September 2024, a jury of the Los Angeles County found Smith guilty of both charges. [9] In October 2024, Smith was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. [10]

Brianna Kupfer

Brianna Nicole Kupfer was born on April 9, 1997, [b] she was one of four children born to Todd and Lori Kupfer. [12] Kupfer born and raised in Pacific Palisades, a neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. [13] Kupfer attended Brentwood High School, where she was a member of various sports teams, captain of the cheerleading team, and participated in other extracurricular activities. [13] [14] In 2019, Kupfer graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in public relations. [14] She enrolled in a graduate program at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), to study architectural design. [1] Kupfer worked as a consultant at Croft House, a luxury furniture store in the neighborhood of Hancock Park.

Shawn Smith

Shawn Smith
Shawn Laval Smith Mugshot.jpg
Mugshot of Shawn Smith
Born
Shawn Laval Smith

(1990-05-13) May 13, 1990 (age 34)
Conviction(s)
Criminal penaltyLife imprisonment without the possibility of parole
Details
VictimsBrianna Kupfer

Shawn Laval Smith was born on May 13, 1990, [15] making him a 31-year-old man at the time of Kupfer's murder. Smith has an extensive criminal record and he was a homeless man. [4] At the time of the crime, Smith was out on bond awaiting trial in South Carolina with the charges of firing a flare gun at a vehicle with a child inside. [16] [17] Several of his crimes were committed in South Carolina and California.

Crimes committed by Smith include: [4] [18]

Murder

Location map Los Angeles.png
Red pog.svg
Hancock Park
class=notpageimage|
Location of Hancock Park, Los Angeles

On the afternoon of January 13, 2022, Kupfer was working alone at Croft House. At some point, a man, identified as Shawn Smith, entered the store. Around 1:36 p.m., Kupfer texted a friend saying she was getting "bad vibes" from the man who entered the store. A few minutes later, Smith attacked Kupfer with a knife. Kupfer suffered 46 stab wounds, the autopsy revealed that 26 were stab wounds and 20 were incisions. [14] [19]

Twenty minutes after the attack, a customer found Kupfer's stabbed body, covered in blood. [2] The Los Angeles Police Department described the murder as a "random attack of violence". [20] The knife was recovered at the scene, the blade was bent. Smith's DNA was found on the knife. [1] In a surveillance video, Smith was seen walking away from the Croft House store through the back door. [21] Another surveillance video recorded Smith shopping at a nearby 7-Eleven store 30 minutes after Kupfer's killing. [21]

Criminal proceedings

Search and arrest

After Smith was identified, an extensive search began throughout the Southern California region. [5] Surveillance videos showing Smith were widely shared with the news media and the public. [22] The Los Angeles City Council offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to Smith's arrest. Kupfer's relatives and other private groups increased the reward to $250,000. [22] [23] Signs were made with Smith's photo so that anyone who saw him could call 911. [22]

On January 19, in Pasadena, California, Smith was found and arrested in connection with the murder of Brianna Kupfer. [24] Smith was charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances and use of a deadly weapon during the commission of the murder of Kupfer. [8] Smith's bail was set at $2,000.000. [4]

Trial

Smith had wanted to represent himself at his murder trial, but Judge Escobedo revoked Smith's right to act as his own attorney at a hearing in June 2023 for misconduct. [25] Smith was represented by Defense Attorney Robert Haberer. [25]

On August 29, 2024, the murder trial started in the Los Angeles County Superior Court with Judge Mildred Escobedo. [26] Los Angeles County Deputy Attorney Habib Balian was in charge of the case. [27] Deputy Attorney Balian said in opening statements that Smith posed as a client to gain Kupfer's trust and then stabbed her to death. [28] Prosecutor presented audio of Smith saying he "hated women". [28] The Defense Attorney Haberer opted not to make an opening statement. [29]

On September 10, 2024, the jury found Shawn Smith guilty of both charges in relation to the murder of Brianna Kupfer. [9] [27] In October 2024, Smith was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. [10]

Reactions

A memorial for Brianna Kupfer was held in January 2022 at Croft House. Memorial for Brianna Kupfer in Croft House.jpg
A memorial for Brianna Kupfer was held in January 2022 at Croft House.

The murder of Brianna Kupfer and the search for her killer were widely reported in the news media and attracted national public attention. [6] The case was also highly publicized on social media. [30]

At Croft House, the place where Kupfer worked and was murdered, a memorial was held for her with flowers, cards, and pictures. [31] Family members of Kupfer, founded the "Brianna Kupfer Foundation", a non-profit organization which aims to fight against violence against women and defend victims of violence. [32] [33]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Special circumstances of lying in wait.
  2. ↑ This reference states that Brianna Kupfer would have turned 25 years old on April 9, 2022, meaning she was born on April 9, 1997. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Manson</span> American criminal and cult leader (1934–2017)

Charles Milles Manson was an American criminal, cult leader, and musician who led the Manson Family, a cult based in California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Some cult members committed a series of at least nine murders at four locations in July and August 1969. In 1971, Manson was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the deaths of seven people, including the film actress Sharon Tate. The prosecution contended that, while Manson never directly ordered the murders, his ideology constituted an overt act of conspiracy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleepy Lagoon murder</span> 1942 Los Angeles murder case

The Sleepy Lagoon murder was the name that Los Angeles newspapers used to describe the death of José Gallardo Díaz, who was discovered unconscious and dying near a reservoir with two stab wounds and a broken finger in Commerce, California, United States, on the morning of August 2, 1942. Earlier, Díaz was seen at a party for Eleanor Delgadillo Coronado where he left afterwards with two friends, Luis "Cito" Vargas and Andrew Torres. He was then confronted by a group of young men from the 38th Street neighborhood, who came to the party seeking revenge for an earlier beating of some of their friends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Suff</span> American serial killer on death row

William Lester Suff, also known as The Riverside Prostitute Killer and The Lake Elsinore Killer, is an American serial killer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California State Prison, Los Angeles County</span> State prison in Lancaster, California

California State Prison, Los Angeles County (LAC) is a male-only state prison located in the city of Lancaster, in Los Angeles County, California. The only state prison located in the county, it is also referenced as Los Angeles County State Prison, CSP-Los Angeles County, and CSP-LAC. Only occasionally is the prison referred to as Lancaster State Prison, which was particularly avoided in 1992 partly to ease the stigma for Lancaster.

Anthony Wayne Smith is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League and convicted murderer. He was drafted by the Raiders 11th overall in the 1990 NFL draft. He played college football in Arizona and Alabama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility</span> Prison near San Diego, California

Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJD) is a California state prison in unincorporated southern San Diego County, California, near San Diego. It is operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The facility sits on 780 acres (320 ha). It is the only state prison in San Diego County. It is named after Richard J. Donovan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodney Alcala</span> American serial killer (1943–2021)

Rodney James Alcala was an American serial killer, rapist, and convicted sex offender who was sentenced to death in California for five murders committed between 1977 and 1979. He also pleaded guilty and received a sentence of 25 years to life for two further murders committed in New York. He was also indicted for a murder in Wyoming, although the charges filed there were dropped. While Alcala has been conclusively linked to eight murders, the true number of victims remains unknown and could be as high as 130.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of violence against LGBT people in the United Kingdom</span>

The history of violence against LGBT people in the United Kingdom is made up of assaults on gay men, lesbians, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex individuals (LGBTQI), legal responses to such violence, and hate crime statistics in the United Kingdom. Those targeted by such violence are perceived to violate heteronormative rules and religious beliefs and contravene perceived protocols of gender and sexual roles. People who are perceived to be LGBTQI may also be targeted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of violence against LGBTQ people in the United States</span>

The history of violence against LGBTQ people in the United States is made up of assaults on gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender individuals, legal responses to such violence, and hate crime statistics in the United States of America. The people who are the targets of such violence are believed to violate heteronormative standards and they are also believed to contravene perceived protocols of gender and sexual roles. People who are perceived to be LGBTQ may also be targeted for violence. Violence can also occur between couples who are of the same sex, with statistics showing that violence among female same-sex couples is more common than it is among couples of the opposite sex, but male same-sex violence is less common.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Gargiulo</span> American serial killer

Michael Thomas Gargiulo is a convicted American serial killer. He moved to Southern California in the 1990s and gained the nickname The Hollywood Ripper. He was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death on July 16, 2021. As of April 2023, he was incarcerated in the California Health Care Facility; in September 2024, he was extradited to Cook County, Illinois, to face trial for a 1993 murder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PnB Rock</span> American rapper (1991–2022)

Rakim Hasheem Allen, known professionally as PnB Rock, was an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Allen signed with Atlantic Records in 2015 and gained initial recognition for his 2016 single, "Selfish". His first Billboard Hot 100 entry, it received triple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and served as lead single for his commercial mixtape GTTM: Goin Thru the Motions (2017), which entered the Billboard 200. His debut studio album, Catch These Vibes (2017) peaked at number 17 on the chart, while his second album, TrapStar Turnt PopStar (2019) peaked at number four.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder of Blaze Bernstein</span> Antisemitic and anti-LGBT hate crime

On January 2, 2018, 19-year-old University of Pennsylvania sophomore Blaze Bernstein was killed after leaving home to meet an acquaintance at a park in California. Authorities later charged his former high school classmate Samuel Woodward with the murder, declaring that the incident was a hate crime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hells Angels MC criminal allegations and incidents in California</span>

Numerous police and international intelligence agencies classify the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club as a motorcycle gang and contend that members carry out widespread violent crimes, including drug dealing, trafficking in stolen goods, gunrunning, extortion, and prostitution rings. Members of the organization have continuously asserted that they are only a group of motorcycle enthusiasts who have joined to ride motorcycles together, to organize social events such as group road trips, fundraisers, parties, and motorcycle rallies, and that any crimes are the responsibility of the individuals who carried them out and not the club as a whole.

Shawn Smith may refer to:

In late April to early May 2023, a series of stabbings occurred in Davis, California near the UC Davis campus. Three people were stabbed, two of whom died, and one remained in critical condition. On May 3, police arrested a suspect who they believe was responsible for all three stabbings.

Dmitry G. Gorin is an American defense lawyer and academic best known for his work as Los Angeles County District Attorney and for handling a number of high-profile public cases. He has been a faculty member in the Department of Communication Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles since 2003. He also serves as a faculty member at Pepperdine University School of Law.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Neumann, Sean (September 11, 2024). "UCLA Grad Student Texted a Friend She Was Uncomfortable with Man in Store. Then He Stabbed Her 46 Times". People .
  2. 1 2 Hayes, Christal (January 19, 2022). "Man arrested in random knife slaying of UCLA student working at furniture store, LAPD says". USA Today .
  3. ↑ Chan, Stella (January 21, 2022). "Suspect in killing of woman at Los Angeles store charged with murder". CNN .
  4. 1 2 3 4 Winton, Richard; Solis, Nathan (January 21, 2022). "Man with history of mental illness, criminal record charged in Brianna Kupfer's murder". Los Angeles Times .
  5. 1 2 Solis, Nathan (January 19, 2022). "Suspect in killing of Brianna Kupfer arrested in Pasadena". Los Angeles Times .
  6. 1 2 Mossburg, Cheri (January 27, 2022). "Los Angeles officials plead for help in solving the killing of teen girl dumped on the freeway". CNN .
  7. ↑ Haskell, Josh; Suter, Leanne (January 20, 2022). "Man accused of fatally stabbing 24-year-old UCLA grad student arrested in Pasadena, police say". ABC7 Los Angeles.
  8. 1 2 Wenzke, Marissa (September 10, 2024). "Jury convicts murderer of Brianna Kupfer years after killing at Hancock Park furniture store". CBS News .
  9. 1 2 "Brianna Kupfer murder trial: Homeless man convicted of killing UCLA student at furniture store". Fox 11 Los Angeles. September 10, 2024.
  10. 1 2 Sharp, Julie (October 2, 2024). "Man gets life in prison for killing UCLA student at furniture store". CBS News .
  11. ↑ Rice, Travis (April 9, 2022). "Family and friends remember Brianna Kupfer, UCLA grad student killed in furniture store attack". Fox 11 Los Angeles.
  12. ↑ "Brianna Kupfer's parents speak out ahead of trial of her alleged murderer". Fox 11 Los Angeles. August 28, 2024.
  13. 1 2 Montemayor, Constanza; Wakura, Rio (February 26, 2022). "Loved ones remember Brianna Kupfer for compassionate nature, creative abilities". Daily Bruin.
  14. 1 2 3 Winton, Richard; Solis, Nathan (August 2, 2022). "UCLA student Brianna Kupfer stabbed 26 times in deadly Hancock Park attack, autopsy shows". Los Angeles Times .
  15. ↑ "September 10, 2024: Shawn Laval Smith Found Guilty of Murdering a Furniture Store Employee in Hancock Park". Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. September 10, 2024.
  16. ↑ Sheets, Megan (January 19, 2022). "Who is Shawn Laval Smith? Homeless convict wanted for stabbing UCLA grad student Brianna Kupfer to death". The Independent .
  17. ↑ Kandel, Jason (September 11, 2024). "Killer 'hunting for a woman alone' stabbed UCLA grad student 46 times as she worked at furniture store and begged for her life". Law & Crime .
  18. ↑ Sorace, Stephen (January 19, 2022). "Shawn Laval Smith: Suspected killer of Brianna Kupfer has a long history of arrests". Fox 11 Los Angeles.
  19. ↑ Stringini, Mary (January 18, 2022). "Brianna Kupfer murder: UCLA student noticed 'bad vibe' from man prior to her death, text messages show". Fox 11 Los Angeles.
  20. ↑ Adams, Abigail (January 15, 2022). "Woman, 24, Stabbed to Death While Working at Luxury L.A. Furniture Store in Random Daytime Attack". People .
  21. 1 2 "Shawn Smith Charged In Murder Of Brianna Kupfer Inside Hancock Park Furniture Store". CBS News . January 21, 2022.
  22. 1 2 3 "Suspect ID'd As Shawn Laval Smith In Murder Of Brianna Kupfer, Hancock Park Furniture Store Employee Found Stabbed". CBS News . January 19, 2022.
  23. ↑ Hurley, Bevan (January 18, 2022). "Brianna Kupfer: LAPD release new images of suspected killer as reward increases to over $250,000". The Independent .
  24. ↑ Lenthang, Marlene; Stelloh, Tim (January 19, 2022). "Suspect in custody in stabbing death of student at L.A. furniture store". NBC News .
  25. 1 2 Jeong, Helen (August 29, 2024). "Trial begins in 2022 killing of UCLA student inside Hancock Park furniture store". NBC Los Angeles.
  26. ↑ "Man charged in fatal stabbing of woman at Hancock Park store can't act as own attorney, judge rules". ABC7 Los Angeles. June 9, 2023.
  27. 1 2 Winton, Richard (September 11, 2024). "Man who fatally stabbed UCLA grad student Brianna Kupfer found guilty of murder". Los Angeles Times .
  28. 1 2 DuBose, Josh (August 29, 2024). "'A kind woman begging for her life': Trial in grisly killing of UCLA student begins". KTLA.
  29. ↑ Gonzalez, Christina (August 29, 2024). "Brianna Kupfer murder trial begins: Prosecutors say alleged killer recorded attack". Fox 11 Los Angeles.
  30. ↑ Hurley, Bevan (January 18, 2022). "Brianna Kupfer: Outpouring of grief and anger on social media over killing of UCLA student". The Independent .
  31. ↑ Lobell, Kylie (January 21, 2022). "Local Jewish Women Organize Brianna Kupfer Memorial". Jewish Journal .
  32. ↑ Powell, Amy (April 10, 2022). "Brianna Kupfer remembered with foundation focusing on social issues dear to slain UCLA grad student". ABC7 Los Angeles.
  33. ↑ Rice, Travis (April 9, 2022). "Family and friends remember Brianna Kupfer, UCLA grad student killed in furniture store attack". Fox 11 Los Angeles.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.