Philadelphia man convicted of murder in 2021 killing of pregnant girlfriend Dianna Brice
A Philadelphia man was found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2021 fatal shooting of his girlfriend, Dianna Brice, and their unborn child, District Attorney Larry Krasner announced Monday.
On Friday, a jury convicted 28-year-old Justin Smith on first-degree murder, third-degree murder of an unborn child, arson, firearms and conspiracy counts. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 40 years.
On Monday morning, Brice's mother made an emotional statement.
"If you have young girls, just watch your daughters," Betty Cellini said. "Try to find out who the guy they're seeing, dating, get to know that person before you even let them go anywhere with them."
Brice's family said in hindsight, they knew little about Smith, including that he had been convicted and was on parole for charges of robbery and other counts. They said they're still living through what happened.
"I will never ever forgive this man for what he did to my daughter, my unborn grandson," Cellini said.
Brice was 21 years old and three months pregnant when she was reported missing in Upper Darby on March 30, 2021. She was last seen getting into Smith's Ford Fusion in Upper Darby. That same day, the car was found burned in Southwest Philadelphia.
Six days later, her body was found wrapped in trash bags in an abandoned lot off Eastwick Avenue. Police said she had been shot eleven times in the head.
According to investigators, Brice was last seen the morning of March 30, 2021, crying and leaving K Laundry in Lansdowne with Smith.
Prosecutors said Smith killed Brice in his car somewhere between University City and Kensington. He then enlisted the help of his best friend, Tylydia Garnett, to help dispose of the body.
Garnett was seen on surveillance video buying a canister of gasoline and helping Smith load an object into his trunk. That object was later determined to be Brice's body.
According to prosecutors, Smith set his car on fire to destroy evidence and fled with Garnett to Miami.
Garnett was arrested later that year in April. Smith was arrested in March 2025 in Atlanta after being on the run for four years.
"I asked the jury to think about his actions: fleeing immediately, disappearing for five years, torching the car that contained the evidence," Assistant District Attorney Lauren Crump said. "This was a crime of premeditation."
Smith's attorney, Samuel Stretton, said they argued the murder was an accident and that they were preparing a filing requesting a new trial.
Family, including Brice's uncle, Sean Miller, remembered a determined young lady.
"She was such a loving, caring young lady," he said.
Brice left behind a son who is now 9 years old.
