Jury Delivers Guilty Verdict in UCLA Graduate Student Murder Case

The shocking murder of UCLA graduate student Brianna Kupfer two years ago sent shockwaves through the community. This week, justice was finally served as the jury reached a decision on her killer, 34-year-old Shawn Smith.

On January 13, 2022, Kupfer was working alone at Croft House in Hancock Park when Smith entered the store. Text messages from Kupfer’s phone revealed her unease about Smith’s presence, moments before she was brutally stabbed to death. The horrific crime left Kupfer with 46 stab wounds, and Smith fled the scene, leaving behind incriminating evidence.

Police quickly identified Smith as the suspect after finding a weapon and an audio recorder at the crime scene. The chilling recording captured Smith’s voice instructing Kupfer to get on the ground before uttering the chilling words, “It’s over, it’s over, bitch.”

During the trial, prosecutors painted Smith as a misogynistic killer driven by a deep-seated hatred of women. Despite the defense’s attempts to downplay the premeditation of the crime, the jury wasted no time in delivering a guilty verdict after less than 24 hours of deliberation.

Smith now faces a life sentence in prison, pending a determination of his sanity at the time of the murder. The case has sparked discussions about violence against women and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. Justice may have been delayed, but for Brianna Kupfer and her loved ones, it has finally been served.