Man convicted in brutal slaying of UCLA student in Hancock Park

The man accused of killing a 24-year-old UCLA graduate student in a Hancock Park furniture store has been convicted of murder.

Shawn Laval Smith, 34, killed Brianna Kupfer in January 2022 by stabbing her 46 times.

Closing arguments in the case began Monday, and by Tuesday, the jury had returned with a guilty verdict on a charge of first-degree murder and special allegations that a knife was used and that Smith was lying in wait.

Smith could be sentenced to life in prison if a judge determines he was sane at the time of the attack. That portion of the trial is expected to begin next month, as reported by the Westside Current .

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