Moments before she was stabbed to death, UCLA graduate Brianna Kupfer had texted a friend about a man that just entered the furniture store where she worked and that was giving her “a bad vibe.”
The body of the 24-year-old architectural designer student was shortly later found in a pool of her blood Thursday afternoon. Police said that the attack was completely random and unprovoked.
“At 1:36 p.m. in the afternoon, Brianna was working in this store all by herself. She sent a text to a friend letting her know that there was someone inside the location that was giving her 'a bad vibe,'” Lt. John Radtke said.
“Regrettably, that person did not see the text immediately and at 1:50 p.m., a citizen who was coming into the store, a customer, found Brianna lying on the ground lifeless, covered in blood.”
Brianna’s killer was minutes later caught on surveillance footage from a nearby 7-11 and walking around the murder scene. He was identified Wednesday as 31-year-old Shawn Laval Smith and described as “armed and dangerous.”
“[Smith] walked for miles, both north, south, east, and west throughout this neighborhood," Radtke added. “Someone out there knows this man…you need to come forward.”
Authorities have raised a reward of $250,000 to anyone with information that leads to the suspect’s arrest. Tips can be submitted to the LAPD 24/7 at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247).
