Justin Smith has been convicted of first-degree murder over the 2021 killing of his pregnant girlfriend, Dianna Brice, in Philadelphia, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Smith, 28, was also found guilty of third-degree murder in the death of Brice’s unborn child, as well as arson, abuse of a corpse and related offences. The verdict was returned by a jury on Friday, 28 August.
Brice, 21, was 14 weeks pregnant when she disappeared on 30 March 2021. She had last been seen getting into Smith’s Ford Fusion after leaving a laundrette in Delaware County.
Her body was found seven days later in a wooded area near Eastwick Avenue in south-west Philadelphia. Prosecutors said she had been shot repeatedly in the head at close range.
Justin Smith’s account rejected by jury
Smith told the court the shooting had been an accident during a struggle over a gun. He said Brice had first pointed the weapon at him before turning it on herself, and that he had tried to pull it away.
Prosecutors argued that Smith’s actions after the killing showed planning rather than panic. His car was found burned near the area where Brice’s body had been left, while surveillance footage captured Smith and another woman moving what appeared to be a heavy object into a vehicle.
Tylydia Garnett, who prosecutors said helped Smith dispose of the body and burn the car, had previously pleaded guilty to arson, abuse of a corpse and related charges. She testified during Smith’s trial that he had told her he shot Brice.
Smith remained at large for almost four years after an arrest warrant was issued in April 2021. He was captured in Atlanta in March 2025 after police said he fled during a traffic stop and was later taken back to Philadelphia to face the charges.
Brice’s family attended the trial and delivered victim-impact statements before Smith was sentenced. Her uncle, Sean Miller, said afterwards that the family was grateful that “justice prevailed”.
