Brianna Kupfer: Jury selection begins for man accused of stabbing UCLA student

LOS ANGELES – Jury selection was set to begin Thursday in the Shawn Laval Smith case. The man is accused of killing UCLA student Brianna Kupfer in a Hancock Park furniture store two years ago.

Smith, a 34-year-old homeless man with a long criminal record, was arrested days after prosecutors accused Kupfer of stabbing her to death as she worked alone at the furniture store. An autopsy report found Kupfer suffered 46 stab wounds, including 26 stab wounds and 20 cuts. She suffered 11 stab wounds to the chest, two to the abdomen, one to the hip, two to her right arm, five to her left arm, two to her right leg and three to her left leg. All of the stab wounds were reportedly about five inches deep.

The manner of death was judged to be homicide, the cause of death was sharp violence.

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Smith was charged with murder and two special circumstances, accusing him of lying in wait and using a knife. The charges were filed on November 15, 2022, and supersede previous charges, eliminating the need for a preliminary hearing.

He faces a life sentence without parole.

Kupfer attended Brentwood High School and the universities of Miami and Sydney. Her father described her as her sweet angel, smart, devoted to her family, with lots of friends, big dreams and her whole life ahead of her. She was 24.