Bryanna Barozzini Murders Halia Culbertson In Ohio

Bryanna Barozzini is a teen killer from Ohio who was convicted of the murder of Halia Culbertson

According to court documents Bryanna Barozzini and Halia Culbertson were involved in a fight outside of a smoke shop in Columbus Ohio. Halia allegeedly slapped Bryanna who would then pull out a knife and stab the other teen causing an injury that led to her death

Bryanna Barozzini would initially be charged with first degree murder and faced spending the rest of her life in prison however before her trial was to begin she would reach a plea deal and pled to involuntary manslaughter.

At her sentencing Bryanna Barozzini would be sentenced to three years in prison with eligibility for early release

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Bryanna Barozzini Case

A Franklin County judge sentenced a Westerville woman to three years in prison Thursday for fatally stabbing 17-year-old Halia Culbertson, of Sunbury, during a March 2023 altercation outside a smoke shop.

Bryanna Barozzini, who was 18 when the stabbing occurred, previously pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in June just as jury selection was expected to begin in her trial. She stabbed Culbertson during a March 26, 2023, altercation outside a convenience store in the Northland area.

Thursday’s hearing had an undercurrent of tension as Judge Mark Serrott gave members of Culbertson’s family a chance to speak for more than an hour before handing down his judgment against Barozzini, now 20.

Barozzini faced up to three years in prison due of the nature of the involuntary manslaughter charge.

How Culbertson died was the center of Thursday’s hearing. Her family says Barozzini intentionally stabbed Culbertson, finding her at a convenience store after the former best friends had a falling out.

“It feels like a betrayal of my daughter’s memory and the justice she was promised,” Culbertson’s mother, Haley Culbertson, said. “She wished my daughter to hell. She was clearly mad. Swore on her whole family her intent so how does she end up the same place at the same time?”

But Barozzini’s attorney, Robert Krapenc, said Culbertson attacked Barozzini and she would have argued self-defense at trial.

Assistant Franklin County Prosecutor Trent Grohe said the two women clearly had bad blood between them and said the killing was one of “unjustifiable rage” and a “disproportionate response to a slap”not self-defense.

Franklin County Sheriff’s deputies lined the walls of the packed courtroom Thursday as Serrott rendered his decision.

In a sentencing memo filed prior to Thursday’s sentencing, Krapenc said video filmed by a bystander to the fight shows Barozzini attempting to back away from Culbertson. A person with Barozzini tried to intervene and was told to get away by someone with Culbertson, according to the sentencing memo.

Krapenc wrote in the memo that Barozzini is seen on the video taking at least 30 steps backward, including several after she pulled a knife that she had in her pocket from her work.

“She tried to retreat but was not successful,” Krapenc wrote. “(Culbertson) began the argument in the store. After being removed, she waited for Bryanna to exit the store. She confronted Bryanna, threatening her, pushing her and finally striking her. Although Bryanna repeatedly backed away and said she did not wish to fight, Ms. Culbertson continued in her aggressive actions.”

Barozzini swung the knife one time at Culbertson, striking her in the chest. Krapenc said Culbertson continued to attack Barozzini.

Video of the fight recorded by a bystander shows Culbertson realizing she had been stabbed with blood on her chest after the fight ended.

On Thursday, Culbertson’s family called Barozzini a villain who deserves more than what she could receive as part of a plea deal.

“Nothing has scarred me so badly as losing Halia. When I was with my sister, I didn’t need anything else,” Culbertson’s sister, Kaelyn, said. “How can someone be so cruel? How can someone be so vicious? Someone who was supposed to be my sister’s best friend killed her and left her to bleed out.”

Culbertson’s grandmother Katherine Langley spoke Thursday about the messages she says she received from Culbertson in her prayers, questioning why the teen’s life was only worth a maximum three year sentence.

“Is it any wonder criminals believe they can get away with murder because they can? You are supposed to be fair,” she said to Serrott.

Barozzini briefly spoke before being sentenced, saying she understood how much pain and harm she had caused.

“I will be living with this guilt the rest of my life,” she said.

Barozzini will have the opportunity to apply for early release from prison, Serrott said, and he will consider it at the appropriate point in time.

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/courts/2024/07/11/bryanna-barozzini-westrville-gets-prison-for-fatally-stabbing-halia-culbertson/74341153007