Shawn Laval Smith Charged with Murdering Brianna Kupfer

A reportedly homeless California man has been formally charged with murdering a 24-year-old UCLA pupil discovered knifed to demise whereas working alone at an upscale furnishings retailer.  Shawn Laval Smith, 31, is accused of “one rely of homicide and a particular allegation that he used a lethal and harmful weapon, a knife,” in response to the Los Angeles County District Legal professional’s workplace.

A buyer found Brianna Kupfer, of Pacific Palisades, lifeless on the ground of the Croft Home, a North La Brea Avenue retailer, on Jan. 13.  The grisly discovery occurred about 15-20 minutes after Kupfer texted a pal that somebody had walked into the shop and was giving her “a foul vibe,” LAPD Lt. John Radtke stated earlier within the investigation. Smith is alleged by police to have fled via a again door after fatally stabbing Kupfer; he was then seen on surveillance video heading north via an alley behind the shop, in response to the LAPD.

Smith was arrested Wednesday in Pasadena, the DA’s workplace stated.  Police couldn’t ascribe a motive to the assault.

District Legal professional George Gascón immediately addressed the incident.

“Those that present no compassion for human life will face severe penalties,” he stated. “The homicide of Brianna Kupfer has left Los Angeles County devastated and my workplace is reaching out to her household to offer any companies they could want.”

Smith, who was reportedly dwelling in a shelter, was scheduled for arraignment on Friday.

Authorities have additionally launched a few of the a number of 911 calls that reportedly resulted in Smith’s arrest.

“Good day, I’m, uh, calling as a result of I see a gentleman who appears to be like similar to the suspect within the Kupfer stabbing in L.A.,” one caller stated. “I’m in Pasadena . . . he simply walked previous the nook of Inexperienced and Terrace in Pasadena.”

“He had a black hoodie on,” the caller  continued.  “He had on, like, darkish sweat pants. And he had a backpack, a black backpack that was similar to the one I’ve seen” in wished posters and movies distributed by the LAPD.

The caller stated he was driving when he made the remark; Smith was stated by the caller to be strolling East towards Pasadena Avenue.

Officers caught Smith on a park bench; bystander video captured his subsequent arrest.  The police informed CBS Information in Los Angeles that the arrest was peaceable.

FOX Information and the New York Put up highlighted Smith’s prolonged legal historical past.  He reportedly had been in hassle in South Carolina and was stated to have been out on bond for “allegedly capturing a flare gun at a stranger’s rear automobile window as a toddler sat within the backseat throughout a street rage incident in Nov. 2019” in that state, FOX Information stated.  “Resulting from a COVID-19 backlog of instances, he has not had a single court docket date since his launch — however as a situation of his bond he was not allowed to depart South Carolina.”

He ended up in California nonetheless and subsequently was charged with — and served time for — assaulting an officer, resisting an government order, and vandalism, FOX Information stated.  However his brush was the regulation within the Golden State didn’t set off an extradition again to the Palmetto State, and it was unclear why.

In response to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division jail information, Smith is locked up on the Twin Towers Correctional Facility with a $2 million bail.

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