Brianna Kupfer: Police arrest murder suspect in Pasadena after six-day manhunt

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday

Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

Shawn Laval Smith, the ‘armed and dangerous’ suspect wanted for the murder of Brianna Kupfer, has been arrested in Pasadena, the LAPD has announced.

Smith, 31, was detained by officers from the Pasadena Police Department around 11:50am on Wednesday morning near Fair Oaks and Colorado Boulevards, the police said.

The LAPD earlier named Smith as the main suspect in Ms Kupfer’s killing, and said he should be considered armed and dangerous.

“We would like to thank the public, the media and our partners at Pasadena PD for their support in apprehending the suspect,” the LAPD statement said.

Ms Kupfer, a 24-year-old UCLA grad student, was found lying in a pool of blood at the Croft House furniture store in Hancock Park where she had been working alone last Thursday afternoon.

A $250,000 reward had been offered for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

Police revealed at a press conference on Tuesday that Ms Kupfer had texted a friend moments before she was killed to say a customer was “giving her a bad vibe” just before her murder, but the message was not immediately noticed.

They said the suspect had visited several businesses in the same neighbourhood where Ms Kupfer worked prior to her death.

A massive six-day manhunt was launched for the suspect, and he was detained 17 miles away from where Ms Kupfer died.