Brianna Kupfer murder trial: Jury reaches verdict in Hancock Park furniture store killing

LOS ANGELES – A jury reached a verdict in the case against 34-year-old Shawn Laval Smith, the man suspected in the gruesome killing of UCLA grad student Brianna Kupfer, who was stabbed to death while working at a furniture store in Hancock Park two years ago.

Smith on Tuesday was convicted for the Jan. 13, 2022, attack on Kupfer. Jurors also found true a special circumstance allegation of murder while lying in wait, along with an allegation that he used a knife during the commission of the crime.

The trial will now move into a non-jury sanity phase, which is set to begin Oct. 2.

Smith faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if the judge determines he was sane at the time of the trial.

Investigators said Smith is homeless and has a lengthy criminal record and was arrested several days after prosecutors said he allegedly stabbed Kupfer to death when she was working alone at the furniture store. An autopsy report revealed Kupfer suffered 46 sharp force injuries, consisting of 26 stab wounds and 20 incised wounds. She suffered 11 stabs to the chest, two in the abdomen, one to the pelvis, two on her right arm, five on her left arm, two on her right leg and three on her left leg. All the stab wounds were said to be about five inches deep.

Her manner of death was ruled a homicide and her cause of death was sharp force injuries.

In an exclusive interview with FOX 11’s Hailey Winslow, Todd and Lori Kupfer described their daughter as empathetic and the family peacemaker. Now, they say they’re constantly reminded that she’s gone. 

Prosecutors alleged there are images from security cameras of Smith at the store, along with his DNA on a knife left behind. Prosecutors also have a digital audio recorder they claim Smith left behind. On the recording, they claim to hear him rant about his hatred of women, as well as a recording of the killing.

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Judge Mildred Escobedo did not allow the media to get a copy of the recording, which the prosecution played during their opening statement. The sounds were so disturbing that Brianna’s family walked out of the courtroom.

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Smith, who was ordered to wear a spit mask due to past outbursts in court, sat quietly through the prosecution’s presentation. At times, he stared at the family, wrote notes on a pad, and showed little reaction to disturbing crime scene photos, or the sound of a voice coming out of the recorder saying “it’s over (expletive)” repeatedly, on which Brianna is heard whimpering “I wanted to help you.”

FOX 11’s Christina Gonzalez and Hailey Winslow contributed to this report.