ICYMI: Fugitive’s Two-Year Run From PREGNANT Girlfriend’s MURDER Ends in Georgia!
A routine traffic stop in Georgia brought an abrupt end to a nationwide manhunt for a killer responsible for a haunting unsolved murder. 🌐 #News #AtlantaGA #Georgia #Crime
ATLANTA, GA — Cops in Atlanta, Georgia say a Pennsylvania fugitive managed to dodge authorities for years after allegedly murdering his pregnant girlfriend – until he made the rookie mistake of driving with expired tags.
After Two Years on the Run
Justin Smith, 26, had seemingly vanished after the March 2021 death of Dianna Brice, a 21-year-old expectant mother who was found shot multiple times in a wooded area of southwest Philadelphia.
Brice, who was 14 weeks pregnant at the time with what her mother identified as Smith’s child, was last seen with him at a laundromat in Lansdowne, Delaware County.
The Breakthrough in Atlanta
The case broke wide open on Sunday in Georgia when Atlanta police spotted Smith driving a vehicle with expired registration. Despite attempting to flee first by car and then on foot, officers successfully apprehended him.
He now faces extradition back to Pennsylvania to answer for the alleged crimes.
A Trail of Fire and Deception
The investigation revealed a disturbing sequence of events.
After Brice’s disappearance, authorities located Smith’s car engulfed in flames not far from where her body would eventually be found.
The Accomplice Who Cracked
While Smith remained at large, his alleged accomplice, Tylydiah Garnett, faced justice for her role in the crime. In September 2023, she pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including abuse of corpse and hindering apprehension.
During her sentencing, Garnett claimed she helped Smith out of fear for her life and the safety of her family. The judge, unmoved by her explanation, sentenced her to up to 23 months in prison followed by five years of probation.
Smith is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. He will face charges related to Brice’s death upon his return to Pennsylvania.
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RELATED TOPICS: Crime | Georgia | Pennsylvania
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