Man Charged in Palisadian Brianna Kupfer’s Murder

By LILY TINOCO | Reporter

Shawn Laval Smith was charged with murder and the use of a deadly weapon in the fatal stabbing of 24-year-old Palisadian Brianna Kupfer in the Hancock Park furniture store where she worked. He was formally charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office on Friday, January 21, and faces a life sentence if convicted.

Smith was arrested after Pasadena police received a tip from a caller of a possible sighting, Lieutenant William Grisafe of the Pasadena Police Department said to City News Service. He was taken into custody on Wednesday, January 19, in Pasadena.

Smith was arrested without incident and was transferred to LAPD’s custody, according to Grisafe. The arrest was made at 11:50 a.m. near Fair Oaks and Colorado Boulevard.

LAPD had identified Smith Tuesday evening, January 18, in connection with Kupfer’s death.

Kupfer was stabbed to death during a daytime attack while working at luxury furniture store Croft House in Hancock Park on Thursday, January 13.

Wilshire Patrol officers responded to a call of an “ambulance assault with a deadly weapon” on Thursday afternoon at approximately 1:50 p.m., according to LAPD. The officers met with the reporting party, a customer who had entered the store and discovered Kupfer deceased.

According to Lieutenant John Radtke, who is in charge of Operations of the West Bureau Homicide Unit, Kupfer was working alone at the time of the murder.

“At 1:36 p.m. in the afternoon, Brianna was working in the store all by herself,’’ Radke said in a statement. “She sent a text to a friend letting her know that there was someone inside the location that was giving her a bad vibe. Regrettably, that person did not see the text immediately.”

Her body was found in the store by a customer approximately 15 minutes after the text was sent.

Detectives determined Smith did not know Kupfer and was a “random walk-in” to the store.

According to Fox 11 News, Smith had an extensive criminal history with over a dozen arrests in three states including South Carolina, North Carolina and California, dating back to 2010. Smith had a prior arrest in Daly City in January 2021 for resisting arrest, obstructing an officer and vandalism, according to ABC7 Eyewitness News.

His current arraignment was postponed until February 17, and he remains jailed in lieu of more than $2-million bail.

“There will be serious consequences to those who show no compassion for human life. We will be in communication with the Kupfer family to provide them services and an update on the prosecution of the case,” said Alex Bastian, special advisor to District Attorney George Gascón. “One homicide is one too many, and our heart aches for the Kupfer family and all families who have lost a loved one.”

Kupfer was a graduate of both Brentwood High School and the University of Miami. Her father told CBS LA that she was working on a degree in architectural design at UCLA while she worked as a design consultant at the Croft House.

“Bri was the type of person you love to work with. The attitude she brought to the team was infectious; a bright, positive energy, while simultaneously keeping a calming, even composure,” Kufper’s colleagues at Croft House shared with the Palisadian-Post. “She was a kind, smart and capable person who got along well with everyone. Bri inspired us with all she could fit into a day: school, work while still maintaining a healthy work life balance.

“She was a joy to be around, an amazing colleague and a wonderful friend. Our hearts break for her family and the bright future that was taken from us all. She is loved and she is missed.”

Kupfer grew up in the Palisades, where she lived with her father Todd, her mother Lori, her sister Mikaela and her brothers Tucker and Brandon.

“Brianna was an incredibly creative, loving person,” her brother Tucker said to the Post. “She made everyone she talked to smile because she was so full of love and empathy.”

City News Service contributed to this report.