Bryanna Barozzini Murders Halia Culbertson

Bryanna Barozzini was an eighteen year old living in Ohio when she would fatally stab Halia Culbertson

According to court documents Bryanna Barozzini and Halia Culbertson were involved in a fight when Bryanna pulled out a knife and stabbed Halia in the chest. The girl was rushed to the hospital however she would die from her injuries

Bryanna Barozzini would be arrested and pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter to which she was sentenced to three years in prison

Bryanna Barozzini Current Information

Number W113508

DOB 05/01/2004

Gender Female

Race White

Admission Date 07/17/2024

Institution Ohio Reformatory for Women

Status RELEASED – Judicial Release

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.

Bryanna 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

Bryanna Barozzini gets prison for fatally stabbing Halia Culbertson

Bryanna Barozzini Video

Bryanna Barozzini: The Three Year Sentence That Divided True Crime

On March 26, 2023, two former best friends ran into each other outside a convenience store in Columbus, Ohio. Within 90 seconds, 17-year-old Halia Culbertson was bleeding from a stab wound to the chest, and 18-year-old Bryanna Barozzini was on video backing away with a knife in her hand.

Fifteen months later, Barozzini walked into a Franklin County courtroom facing life in prison for murder. She walked out with a three-year sentence for involuntary manslaughter — the maximum allowed under the plea.

The case sparked national outrage, not because of the brutality, but because of the math: three years for a life.

Who Are Bryanna Barozzini and Halia Culbertson?

Bryanna Barozzini – from Westerville, Ohio, born May 1, 2004. She was 18 at the time, working a retail job and, according to court records, carried a small work knife in her pocket.

Halia Culbertson – 17, from Sunbury, Ohio. Described by family as outgoing and loyal, she had been best friends with Barozzini for years before a falling out in late 2022 over social media drama and mutual friends.

Both were part of the same North Columbus teen circle. The feud had simmered for months online before it turned physical.

March 26, 2023: The Smoke Shop Fight

The incident happened outside a smoke shop/convenience store in the Northland area of Columbus around 7 p.m.

According to court documents, Barozzini and Culbertson were involved in a fight outside the store. Halia allegedly slapped Bryanna, who then pulled out a knife and stabbed the other teen, causing an injury that led to her death.

A bystander filmed the entire altercation on a cell phone — video that became central to both the prosecution and defense.

A Franklin County judge later confirmed the timeline: 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.

Barozzini swung the knife one time, striking Culbertson in the chest. Video shows Culbertson realizing she had been stabbed with blood on her chest after the fight ended. She collapsed minutes later and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

From Murder to Manslaughter: The Plea Deal

Barozzini was initially charged with first-degree murder and faced spending the rest of her life in prison. However, before trial, prosecutors offered a plea to involuntary manslaughter, a third-degree felony in Ohio.

Why the reduction? Two reasons:

1. Self-defense video. Barozzini’s attorney, Robert Krapenc, argued in his sentencing memo that video shows Barozzini attempting to back away. He wrote she took at least 30 steps backward, including several after she pulled the knife from her pocket. “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. She confronted Bryanna, threatening her, pushing her and finally striking her.”
2. Ohio law. Involuntary manslaughter carries a maximum of 3 years. Prosecutors risked an acquittal if a jury believed the retreat.

Assistant Franklin County Prosecutor Trent Grohe pushed back hard, calling the killing “unjustifiable rage” and a “disproportionate response to a slap,” not self-defense.

Barozzini faced up to three years in prison due to the nature of the charge, and on July 11, 2024, Judge Mark Serrott gave her exactly that — three years, the maximum.

The Sentencing Hearing: A Packed Courtroom

The hearing had an undercurrent of tension as Judge Serrott gave members of Culbertson’s family a chance to speak for more than an hour. Franklin County Sheriff’s deputies lined the walls.

Halia’s mother, Haley Culbertson, told the court: “It feels like a betrayal of my daughter’s memory and the justice she was promised. She wished my daughter to hell. She was clearly mad.”

Her sister Kaelyn added: “Nothing has scarred me so badly as losing Halia… Someone who was supposed to be my sister’s best friend killed her and left her to bleed out.”

Grandmother Katherine Langley questioned 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?”

Barozzini briefly spoke before sentencing: “I will be living with this guilt the rest of my life.”

Why This Case Went Viral

The Barozzini case exploded on TikTok and Court TV for three reasons:

1. The sentence disparity. Court TV’s clip — “Bryanna Barozzini, 20, stabbed Halia Culbertson, 17, her former best friend, to death during a fight. She was sentenced to three years in jail, the maximum allowed under a plea agreement” — has 74,000 likes and 3,500 comments asking “Is this justice?”
2. Best friends to enemies. The prosecution emphasized the betrayal. The defense emphasized the slap.
3. The video. Unlike many stabbings, this one was filmed. Viewers could see the retreat, the single swing, and the aftermath, leading to fierce online debate about self-defense vs. escalation.

Legal analysts on Law&Crime’s Sidebar noted Barozzini initially claimed self-defense but pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter after the family pushed for accountability.

Legal Breakdown: Ohio Involuntary Manslaughter

In Ohio, involuntary manslaughter (ORC 2903.04) means causing death during a misdemeanor or as a proximate result of a felony — not intentional murder. It is designed for exactly these cases: a fight, a weapon, a death that wasn’t planned.

The maximum is 36 months and $10,000 fine. Prosecutors sought the max, defense sought probation. The judge split the difference legally — he gave the max prison time but left the door open for judicial release.

Critics argue prosecutors overcharged initially with murder, forcing them to accept a low plea when evidence of mutual combat emerged. Supporters say three years is proportionate for an 18-year-old with no record who retreated.

The Victim’s Legacy

Halia Culbertson’s family has created the “Halia’s Heart” foundation in Sunbury, focused on teen conflict resolution and knife awareness in schools. They lobby Ohio lawmakers for “Halia’s Law,” which would increase penalties for fatal stabbings during mutual combat from 3 to 8 years.

Her mother posts regularly on the anniversary, reminding followers that Halia was more than a 90-second video.

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