Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - UCLA Grad Student Beauty Stabbed Dead By Fugitive

Episode Date: January 20, 2022

A suspect arrested in the murder of 24-year-old Brianna Kupfer. Shawn Laval Smith, 31, is accused of entering the high-end furniture store where Kupfer worked, then stabbing her to death. The murder happened a short time after Kupfer texted a friend that someone in the store was giving her a “bad vibe.” Smith was reportedly arrested at a bus station in Pasadena.Joining Nancy Grace Today:  Troy Slaten - Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney, Slaten Lawyers, APC, Twitter @TroySlaten  Dr. Shari Schwartz - Forensic Psychologist (specializing in Capital Mitigation and Victim Advocacy), www.panthermitigation.com, Twitter: https://twitter.com/TrialDoc, Author: "Criminal Behavior" and "Where Law and Psychology Intersect" Karen L. Smith - Forensic Expert, Lecturer at the University of Florida, Host of Shattered Souls Podcast, @KarensForensic, barebonesforensic.com Dr. Kendall Crowns – Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County (Ft Worth), Lecturer: University of Texas and Texas A&M, Affiliated Faculty: University of Texas Medical Branch  Hailey Winslow - TV Reporter, FOX 11 Los Angeles, Twitter: @HaileyBWinslow, Instagram: @HaileyWinslow Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. You know those people that you meet that you instinctively know are going to do wonderful things in life. They're the ones that walk in the room and everybody wants to either be with them or be them. This girl, Brianna Kupfer, 24 years old, gorgeous, UCLA grad student in architectural design and working at some high end furniture store. A guy comes in with a rap sheet as long as I-75. Stabs her dead, and just calmly and coolly walks out the door. Why is this happening? Why did this beautiful, brilliant young girl have to die. What is going on with this guy is out walking free to prey on innocent

victims. And I got to tell you something that weighed on my shoulders so heavily as a prosecutor because I would get, you know, just let's just say T times R, theft by receiving. That means you got a guy in a stolen car, can't prove he took it, but you know he received it because he's driving it. So I get a T times R, and I think, what's he going to do next? If I let him off on theft by receiving, when he offends again, will it be with a gun? Will it be my fault because I wasn't harsh enough on a simple theft. The duty of the district attorney and local law enforcement is staggering. And you know what it's worth? It's worth somebody's

life. Because this guy, Sean LaValle Smith, 31, had been in and out and in and out of the penitentiary. And he was out January 13 when he stabbed Breonna Kupfer dead. Then goes on the run, by the way. We've just, in the last hours, managed to catch him. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. Thank you for being with us here

at Fox Nation and SiriusXM 111. And another thing, since nobody asked, nobody's talking about this guy's rap sheet. Why? Do we want to pretend that's not real? Have we gone so woke that we don't look at reality? The risk it was to have this guy out walking free?

Well, I'll tell you one thing. I'm looking at it with me, an all-star panel, to try to make sense of an illogical situation. Troy Slayton, high-profile defense attorney, joining me out of L.A. This is at his backyard with Slayton Lawyers and as his alma mater, UCLA. Dr. Sherry Schwartz, a renowned forensic psychologist joining us capitalizing in criminal behavior you can find her at panther mitigation.com author of criminal behavior and where law and psychology intersect i would say dr sherry they collided in this case karen smith

you know her well forensic expert lecturer of Florida, and host of the highly popular Shattered Souls podcast at barebonesforensic.com. Dr. Kendall Crowns, esteemed chief and medical examiner, Tarrant County, that's Fort Worth, never a lack of business there. Lecturer, University of Texas and Texas A&M and University of Texas Medical School. But first, I'm going to go to a special guest joining us out of LA is Haley Winslow, TV reporter, Fox 11 there in LA. Haley, I just, you know, when I said this girl is gorgeous, from what I understand, she's gorgeous on the inside as well as the outside. I mean, when I first saw this story break, I thought she was a model. But, you know, I've represented all sorts of victims, the good, the bad, and the ugly,

the drunk, the stoned, the strung out, the evil. But a crime victim is a crime victim. And I want to hear what happened to Breonna Cooper. Hit me. Nancy, as you said, she was sunshine. Her dad said, I mean, she was the kind of person who we needed on this earth. She was working alone in this furniture store in the Fairfax District, which is usually I let a guest at least get their first three sentences out. But you said you said her dad. Her father is breaking my heart. Haley, when I lived out in L.A. for a period of

time, it was during Dancing with the Stars. And I will never forget the first night, of course, I was held in jeopardy with Metta World Peace. I thought I was going to be thrown off my very first night. My mother and father had come all the way across the country and they were living in the apartment two doors down from me to help me take care of the twins, Haley. And I remember getting in jeopardy that night and they were about to throw me off. Luckily, I made it on to nearly the very bitter end. But I looked across that huge stage. And in the crowd, I saw one face, my father's. And from across that stage, Haley, and it was big. It felt like a football field, but it wasn't.

He looked like he was about to, well, I think he was crying, because he was embarrassed that he thought I could be upset. Well, as it was, I didn't get thrown off, but I still remember that moment. I looked out, and I saw my father with me through thick and thin. And when I hear Brianna's father talking, it just, it breaks my heart. Okay, go ahead. You couldn't have said it any better.

And I did talk to Todd Coop for the morning after his daughter was murdered for about an hour. And I can't even tell you the pain that he and his family are going through. Brianna was such a family person. She was extremely devoted to her family, really close with her mom. Her best friend was her sister. She had two brothers.

I mean, she was their sweet angel, as her dad put it. I mean, just tons of friends, her whole life ahead of her big dreams. And she's working at this luxury furniture store in the Fairfax district of LA, which is pretty happy. Come on, Haley, everything in LA is luxury. Everything. I mean, you do call Rodeo Drive Rodeo, right, Troy Slayton? They do. I didn't name it Nancy but yes that is the name. I mean you gotta be wearing Versace just to walk down Rodeo Drive. Okay back to you Haley. But yes you're right it was the Croft

isn't that the name of it like C-R-O-F-T or K-R-O-F-T furniture store. It's not really a place for the general public. Her dad kind of put it this way. It's more for interior designers to go and we met a couple who were there visiting from New York, planning to go in the store and didn't know about what had happened.

So yeah, it's a high-end store, but it's not something that you would generally go in unless you were an interior designer. Normally, she would be working with somebody else for whatever reason. She was working in the store alone that day. It was the middle of the afternoon, January 13th, about 1.30 p.m. And this guy comes in, Sean LaValle Smith, 31. Police say he's homeless, definitely seems to have a lot of mental problems, as we know. And for whatever reason, police say he pulled out a knife and stabbed this poor girl to death. She falls on the floor.

And about 20 minutes later, they say a would be customer comes in the store and finds her in a pool of blood on the floor. And he goes out the back of the business, casually seen on surveillance, walking down the alley, like nothing happens. It goes into a 7-Eleven 20 minutes later and buys a vape pen.

I mean, the guy is out of his mind. He had also been in other businesses earlier that day. Oh, man. He did what earlier that day? He went into the chiropractor office, which is right next door to the Croft House, and asked about orthopedic procedures, what they did there.

Was in there just for a few minutes, and then he went next door to the Croft House and killed Brianna. Can I ask you, is it true that he has a rap sheet as long as I-75 and it spans two coasts? Is that correct? Yeah, he had a warrant out for his arrest the day this all happened. Yeah, he had about 12 arrests, most of them in South Carolina. He had been arrested most recently for assaulting a cop, for shooting into a car with a toddler, for trespassing, for theft. I mean, you name it.

And he's out on the streets walking around and killed this innocent girl with her whole life ahead of her. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. You know, I want to talk about the fact that no one seems concerned about his rap sheet and why he was in and out and in and out of jail on two coasts. Now, can I ask you, you said mental problem. To your knowledge, has he been diagnosed with any sort of mental infirmity? If you look at his rap sheet, it lists

mental problems in several of his prior arrests. Because I'm looking at his charges and I don't see that he has ever been put in a mental facility. I don't know that he's ever been put in a mental facility. I don't know that he's on any types of drugs, but I do know this.

Take a listen to our cut 00, Sandra Endo, Fox 11. Croft House, this is a high-end furniture store where 24-year-old Brianna Kuffer was working by herself on January 13th when this suspect, who is not known to Brianna, according to detectives, randomly walked into the store, attacked her with a knife, and left through the back door. Twenty minutes later, a customer walked in, found her unresponsive on the floor, and called 911. According to detectives, there's no motive or information on what led up to the attack. And our cut three, this is Lieutenant John Racky, LAPD. 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. 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. That person called 911. Our officers and paramedics arrived out here quickly, but regrettably, they determined that she was dead. Suspect took off on foot, and he was last seen walking through the neighborhood. He walked for miles, both north, south, east, and west throughout this neighborhood. Took off. Took off. Why did he take off?

Because he knew what he had done was wrong. And to you, Dr. Sherry Schwartz, forensic psychologist joining us, specializing in criminal behavior. Dr. Sherry Schwartz, the definition of insanity in our jurisprudence is whether you know right or wrong at the time of the incident. Not whether you dream something up for trial, but whether you knew right or wrong at the time of the incident and the fact that he took off and hid out for days following Brianna's murder tells me he knew what he did was wrong. Absolutely right, Nancy. And it's really hard for people to make sense of that this idea of insanity is a legal concept, not a psychological concept. And he may, he may be, he may very well be seriously mentally ill, but that doesn't mean he's legally insane. I don't know. I'm not accepting that anybody is mentally ill.

That has to be proven to me before you can tell me that you are not responsible for murdering someone in cold blood. Take a listen to our cut five, our friends at Fox 11, Ed Laskos. Obviously, as a parent of Breon, I want to see this lead to capture. That's first and foremost. You know, I certainly want him off the streets because he obviously appeared to not show much remorse. And you worry that he could put somebody else in harm's way. The father of the victim speaking out earlier on Fox 11 News. This as brand new video just out gives us a good look at the suspected killer.

Chilling video investigators say as it shows the prime suspect shopping at a nearby 7-Eleven just minutes after the killing. He was last seen walking through the neighborhood. He walked for miles, both north, south, east, and west throughout this neighborhood. Someone out there knows this man. Someone out there knows what he did. And now we know Breonna felt something was terribly wrong, sending a text to a friend just before the deadly attack. Quote, can you call me? There is someone in the store that is giving me weird vibes. The text wasn't seen until after Brianna was dead. It's so gut-wrenching and obviously horrible as a father and her mother and siblings to have to go through this. And we just pray and hope that no one else will have to.

Straight out to Dr. Kendall Crowns joining us, the chief medical examiner, Tarrant County. That's Houston, excuse me, Fort Worth, Texas. Dr. Kendall Crowns, thank you for being with us. What did Breonna endure before her death? Well, usually with stab wounds, they often cannot kill the individual with a single stab wound because there's a lot of movement and the person doesn't die immediately from the wound. So they're usually

stabbed multiple times. You get the pain from being stabbed, of course, the fear, etc., etc. And then while you're going to take a time period to bleed out, depending on what gets hit, if it's a major vessel, it could take a few minutes. If it's multiple minor stab wounds, it could take even longer. So if she's stabbed in the chest, she'll be gasping for air as she's slowly bleeding to death. So it's not an easy way to go out. Dr. Kendall-Crowns, if you are stabbed in the chest, does the blood go into your lungs and make it difficult to breathe? So what actually happens if you're stabbed in the chest, it compromises your chest cavity where your lungs sit, and it introduces air into it, and it causes your lungs to collapse.

So it actually will make it hard for you to breathe because of that. Also, your lungs, if they're stabbed, the blood will get into your airway. You'll be coughing up blood, swallowing it, and then also bleeding from that as well. And as the blood fills your chest cavity, it'll again make it hard for you to breathe. So you're basically drowning in your own blood. I'm just thinking about this girl. She's 24 years old. She was a UCLA graduate student in architectural design,

which is certainly no easy thing. And I wonder what was going through her mind as she lied there on the floor of Croft Furniture. I wonder if she knew that she was dying. Dr. Kendall Crowns, you've worked with so many people. When people are dying, do you believe that they know they're dying? I think in certain situations, you know, you realize that you are dying. So, yes.

I mean, if you've had a massive stroke or something like that, no, you probably don't realize you're dying. But I think individuals, especially in this situation, know that they're dying and there's really nothing they can do because you can't get help. I'm just thinking about the logistics of what happened, Karen L. Smith, for this guy to be browsing around, shopping, going in and out of various stores, caught on video in other places. Then after he stabs somebody, he runs, then wants to vape and goes into another store to get vape. Well, Karen Smith, A, what does that tell you?

And also, what in the world? How did it happen that this guy manages to go on the lam and outsmart the LAPD for so long? Lots of different questions, Nancy. You know, going into a 7-Eleven and getting a vape after you've just committed first degree murder. And I say that because it was premeditated. He had the knife with him. He didn't find it at the furniture store. He had it on his person. So that to it was premeditated. He had the knife with him. He didn't find it at the furniture store. He had it on his person.

So that to me is premeditation. Why he would go in and buy a vape, this goes to a complete psychopath. And I'm not saying he's insane as far as the criminal courts are concerned. What I'm saying is that he has no human feelings. He is a monster. He's an absolute monster.

He had a rap sheet from North Carolina to South Carolina to here in California. He fell through the cracks. This is a systemic failure. And it makes me so angry, so angry to know that this young woman's life was snuffed out at the hands of somebody who should have been in prison. And it could happen to anyone. And it should put the fear of God into every single person on this planet that this young woman was working at a furniture store trying to better her life. And this man comes in and takes her life that quickly. That should put the fear of God in everyone. And everyone should rally around and ask for change.

Because falling through the cracks like this is inexcusable. This man should have been in prison a long time ago. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. A lengthy criminal history spanning two coasts. Somehow this guy manages to elude police. Take a listen to our cut six. This is our friend Pierre Thomas at GMA. Police say the suspect identified last night as Sean Lavelle Smith

can be seen here in the surveillance video casually shopping in a city store. Authorities saying he's wanted in connection with the murder of Breonna Kupfer. Police say he should be considered armed and dangerous, is highly likely to be using public transportation, and if spotted, should not be approached. We are topping over $250,000 for the capture and conviction of the suspects. This is important to bring more attention to this crime

and to get more public response. The reward coming after a tragic case of stranger violence. The UCLA grad student was working by herself in the middle of the afternoon at this high-end furniture store in Los Angeles. Authorities say the suspect, believed to be homeless and seen here on surveillance footage, walked in and stabbed her and then left through a back door. Kupfer's father speaking with us overnight. It's the worst feeling I've ever had in my life. She was genuine and she was caring. She's loving and she wanted things to be better. You were also hearing her father speaking right there.

And I also want you to hear our friend Gigi Grissiette at Fox 11 LA, our cut seven. Police believe this was a random murder. And that is just another disturbing fact to this case, and that is why they're desperate to catch this guy. Take a look. They say he's armed, dangerous, and a murderer. 31-year-old Sean LaValle Smith now wanted for the murder of Brianna Kupfer. A young woman police say he didn't even know. Smith, a career criminal with arrests spanning the country,

he was out on bail on a misdemeanor arrest in Los Angeles in 2020. He's also reportedly on bail from a crime he's accused of committing in South Carolina, where in 2019 he was arrested on suspicion of firing a gun into a car. His most recent charges include assaulting a police officer in San Mateo. Police say that Smith entered the Croft House, a high-end furniture store on La Brea last Thursday, where he stabbed to death a designer and sole employee inside, 24-year-old Brianna.

The murder, police say, random. You know, to Troy Slayton, joining us, high-profile lawyer out of L.A. with the Slayton Lawyers. Troy, there's something about the word random that should strike fear into everybody's heart. For me, it's because I can make sense and connect the dots and analyze other murders, but random murders where there's no pattern, where there's no connection between the victim and the defendant, those are much harder to solve and much harder to make sense of. Of course, Troy, you and I both know that you don't have to make sense of it to prosecute it, to put the bad guy behind bars. It doesn't

have to make sense. You don't have to prove bars. It doesn't have to make sense. You don't have to prove motive. There doesn't have to even be a motive. But random acts of such horrible violence to me are even more troubling than when I can figure out on my own two plus two equals four. Who did it? This is one of the more gut-wrenching cases because the victim here was the definition of Southern California beauty. And the suspect here is likely to be represented by the public defenders in Los Angeles County. And when you think about, you know, oh boy, a public defender may not be the best lawyer, it's a government lawyer. Oh no. The public defenders here in Los Angeles County that would represent a murder case, a murder

suspect are some of the absolute best in the country. And we've talked about his insanity or possible mental issues. I didn't. That may very well be one of his defenses. And California follows the McNaughton rule, which means that they only have to show by preponderance of the evidence where a prosecutor normally has to prove things beyond a reasonable doubt, all that he has to show is that it's more likely than not that he either didn't understand the nature of what he did or didn't understand that what he was doing was morally wrong at that moment. And the fact that he just casually walked in to a 7-Eleven right after, buys a vape pen, uses the change from the leave a penny, take a penny thing to pay for it, and walks out to his next thing shows that he wasn't in his right mind.

Wow, I hear an echo in this room. Oh, it's you. Because I just said the old McNaughton rule, which is the legal definition of insanity in our country is whether you know right or wrong at the time of the incident. And we call it the old McNaughton rule because it's really old. It came over from Great Britain from whence we took our common law. Common law is case law as opposed to statute, which is codified, passed by all these legislatures and assemblies that suck up all our money and do what you can tell me, don't know. But common law is based on case law. And McNaughton was actually a defendant that tried to raise insanity.

And way back when it was determined right from wrong, if you know the difference between right and wrong, then you are not insane at the time of the act. Now I guarantee you in California, I'm sure they've managed to somehow muddy that definition. But that is the definition of the old McNaughton rule. You know what? Google it while you're listening to reporter Leanne Souter in our cut. This is ABC7. Go ahead and pull out your phone and Google that, Troy Slayton.

Police know what that suspect looks like they know his name now they are trying to find him they of course say he is armed and obviously dangerous here at the scene of the crime take a look a growing memorial to that 24 year old student all of these flowers and candles left in tribute but it is this poster that is the focus tonight a 250 000 reward for the man wanted for her murder. He's a wanted killer on the loose. So cold and callous, he was seen casually shopping at a nearby 7-Eleven just 30 minutes after police say he brutally murdered 24-year-old Breonna Cooper. This individual responsible for this vicious, senseless, and brutal crime. It walks amongst us. I am

convinced of that. Police now know his name, Sean LaValle Smith, but not his whereabouts. Investigators say the 31-year-old is homeless and has likely been using public transportation, traveling the state from San Francisco to San Diego, Pasadena to L.A. Five days ago, walking into the Hancock Park furniture store where the young UCLA student was working. Speaking of Hancock Park, that's a pretty high-end area choice, because I remember when we lived in L.A., let's see, the children were in Westside United Methodist Church Preschool.

And we looked at apartments to stay in for that duration in Hancock Park. And I'm like, whoa, that's expensive. It's a pretty ritzy area, right, Troy? It's a beautiful area right in the center of L.A. It's called Midwilshire. It's got big, old, beautiful homes built in the early 1900s, mansions, huge estates. It was like Beverly Hills before there was Beverly Hills. And it borders Koreatown and several consulates general have their offices there. It's a beautiful place.

But what I wanted to say earlier, Nancy. Are you still on McDonald's? No, the victim's father here brings up a very good point. And it's about the prosecutions in Los Angeles. Right now, there's a revolt inside the L.A. County DA's office where they recently elected George Gascon, put in certain directives to his deputy district attorneys who are suing him in court because they didn't like the directives that he was giving them regarding bail, regarding their prosecutions in the office. And what are Gascon's directives? They were to not seek bail in many cases that would allow somebody like this who's charged on lesser offenses to be out without having to post bail and other directives

like not seeking the death penalty even though the death penalty is the law in the state of California he made the directive that we will no longer seek the death penalty we're not going to seek life without possibility of parole what is wrong wrong with him? And wait, I'm not getting into an argument about the death penalty. Okay. I'll leave that to juries where the death penalty is presented to them. They can struggle with it. But I am a little concerned about a top prosecutor and a death penalty jurisdiction who doesn't want to seek the death penalty. Okay. Say you're morally opposed to the death penalty, and I understand that. I get that. What about life without the possibility of parole?

He doesn't think that's okay either, Troy? That's right. What is wrong with him? That's why certain district attorneys... How did he get to be the DA anyway? He was elected. I thought maybe some doddering politician named him or appointed him for an interim district attorney no he's a former police chief from los angeles he and san francisco he was a da in san

francisco and then came down to la uh a couple years ago and was elected and ousted the longtime district attorney of la, Jackie Lacey. Okay, so you're telling me more than I really wanted to know about Gascon, the current district attorney there who is known as being weak. And I can tell you this much. When you have been a crime victim, a victim of violent crime, like myself, I mean, some people, I guess, are out for revenge. I was never out for revenge. I wanted the bad guy, whoever she or he may be, to be put behind bars for as long as humanly possible

so another innocent victim would not fall prey to a predator like this guy. Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Let me ask our special guest joining us, Haley Winslow from Fox 11 LA. Why was this guy out? Didn't he just fire into a car where people were in there, including a tot? That's what everybody wants to know. Why was this guy out on the street? There was a warrant out for his arrest at the time for violating probation. But as Mr. Kupfer says, treat criminals better than law-abiding citizens sometimes.

And he says it best. He said, we need to champion Breonna as a beacon of what's wrong and make sure people recognize that because it could be your child next and it is an impossible price to pay. And then amazingly, Karen L. Smith join me forensic expert he goes on the run. How do they figure out who he was first of all to start searching for him from that 7-11 video or did he touch a glass door at the the furniture store? How do you think they figure out yes it's Sean LaValle Smith age 31. How do they think they figured out, yes, it's Charleville Smith, age 31. How did they figure that out? Well, they have the surveillance video from the 7-Eleven

as well as from the streets outside. So they were asking all of the citizens if, you know, somebody knows this man, somebody recognizes him. So I don't know if it was an ID from someone who called in or if it was forensics as far as fingerprints. You know, you go to a 7-Eleven, everybody and their mothers touch that counter. Oh, gosh, you're so right, Karen L. Smith. Of course you're right.

And you know what? We see things, Dr. Kendall Crowns, chief medical examiner and esteemed lecturer at so many universities, it just takes up this whole piece of paper. Dr. Kendall Crowns, the public thinks that law enforcement is like in the movies, like in James Bond or Born Identity. It's not like that. It is not that advanced. And don't trick yourself about the FBI and the CIA. They are a bunch of former investigators and detectives and cops who've made it to the feds.

And we're all just struggling. We don't have face recognition and everything that the public thinks we've got. Yeah, that is a problem. Often the TV and movies give a perception that law enforcement and medical examiners can solve all these cases in a heartbeat. And we really can't. It is based on very detailed investigative work by the law enforcement and the death investigators. And then the medical examiner is doing their job as well. So it takes a big team to actually get the cases done. And it's never as pretty and as clean as it is in the movies.

And I'm sure you're well aware Oh boy, am I. Am I Dr. Kendall Crowns? That does us all in. When you see the cops on TV begging for the public's assistance, I'm like, oh no, they don't have anything. Guys, take a listen to

Our Cut 15. This is Susan Hirasuna at Fox 11 LA. Today, a man waiting at a bus stop in Pasadena recognized Smith and called police. Our busser kind of was just a little bit like that was weird. A busy waitress captured on video the suspect in the stabbing death of Brianna Kupfer in Pasadena police custody. She works at this restaurant across the street from the arrest site. Just minutes prior, the suspect had asked to use the restroom. He left the building and crossed the street. He was sitting on this bus bench when the bartender

recognized him. That's when everybody just felt like really like uncomfortable and just a little bit scared just because of that person had just been inside of our workplace, like inches from all of us. I certainly hope it is because that guy needs to be captured. That was Charlie Salinas' reaction when he stumbled upon the arrest of 31-year-old Sean LaValle-Smith. I was very unsettling, you know. I was, yeah, it's just evil that was just caught from, you know, that I think. And you sensed that? Yeah, it just, he just, he had this cold look in his face. To you, Haley Winslow, special guest joining us from Fox 11 LA.

When I hear that witness describe a sense of evil, I wonder if that's what Breonna Kupfer felt when she was all alone in the Croft furniture store texting her friend, this guy's giving was a guy who was in slacks and a tie about a week after Cooper was murdered, who recognized Smith on a bus bench right after he had gone into Cheesecake Factory to go to the bathroom, recognized him from the news and called police. There is a $250,000 reward out for his arrest. So hopefully this guy gets it but um he just happened to recognize him at the at the bus stop and uh and called it in and i have to say nancy talking to the lead homicide detective on this case yesterday this this guy smith is so violent that even with him in handcuffs with his rap sheet they didn't want anyone near him they didn't want

the news near him they didn't want the general public near him because they didn't know what he was going to do. Even in handcuffs, Haley? Even in handcuffs. Jump in, Karen Smith. That's the kind of person we're dealing with. What I was going to tell you, Nancy, is I'm so glad that the citizens got involved. And that's what the police need. We need the citizens. If you see something, say something. Let us know. Cops are a reactive force for the most part.

So when citizens get involved, this gentleman recognized him from the wanted posters. He said something. He's in custody. So great work. Take a listen to Hour Cut 17. Christy Bejardo, Fox 11. We have since learned that he has an outstanding warrant for his arrest in Northern California and an outstanding case against his arrest in Northern California and an outstanding

case against him in South Carolina. As for the case in San Mateo, according to Fox News, court documents show that he was arrested last year. All of those jurisdictions and more failed. They failed to keep this guy behind bars. He he walked free he crossed the country and turns up at the croft furniture store where he murders innocent brianna coopfer um take a listen again to our cut 14 fox 11 this is a story that has just really rocked the world and it's such a sigh of relief to know that uh it sounds like police have captured her suspected murderer. I just got word from a police officer in Pasadena, and the homicide detective on Breonna Kupfer's case has confirmed that they do believe they've arrested the man who killed Breonna. To you, Troy Slayton, high-profile criminal defense attorney, joining us out of L.A.,

I'm concerned with the elected D.A. in charge, Yescone. What's going to happen to this case? Is it going to let him out for, what, probation, do a little community service? I don't think so in this case, Nancy. The entire world is watching, and he's obviously going to be arraigned on

the murder charge. His attorneys will likely raise the issue of his mental status. You're the only one talking about that. So he'll be evaluated. I believe

that bail will be set. No! Why should he get bail? The court has the ultimate discretion, and I believe the court will set high bail. This is a murder charge. So he kept getting out before. No bond.

ROR. Release to unrecognizance. Blah, blah, blah. What he's not likely to face is any enhancements, because this DA has said that he is not going to see. Gascon is weak. He needs to go. He's not representing crime victims.

I don't know. He must be trying to run for governor. I don't know what he's trying to do. Dr. Crowns. I've seen this throughout my career. Individuals being murdered randomly by homeless people. It's not the first time that this has happened. I agree. And when I worked in Travis County, there was a University of Texas college student that was

kidnapped off campus, murdered and raped. In Chicago, I saw a young lawyer that was kidnapped by a homeless man, murdered, almost beheaded, and then he pawned her VHS machine to buy lottery tickets. So it's a very common thing, and it's often very brutal and very random, and you just can't predict it. But it's constant. We now wait as justice, God willing, unfolds. Nancy Grace, Crime Story, signing off.

Goodbye, friend. This is an iHeart Podcast.