From Columbus, Ohio —
Under the terms of a plea agreement, a Westerville woman was sentenced on Thursday for the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old girl in northeast Columbus last year.
Bryanna Barozzini, 20, admitted last month that she was guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection with Halia Culbertson’s death. Initially, she faced charges of murder.
Police in Columbus, Ohio, discovered Culbertson bleeding profusely from a stab wound on March 26, 2023, after receiving a complaint to a takeout joint on Emporium Square, close to Cleveland Avenue. Transported to a hospital, she subsequently passed away.
The defense’s sentencing document states that Barozzini and Culbertson were friends in the past but ultimately became estranged.
The memorandum states that Barozzini entered the takeout restaurant on the evening of the stabbing without realizing Culbertson was among the customers. A dispute arose in the business, and an employee promptly removed Culbertson from the premises. Culbertson waited outside the store for Barozzini to emerge, as shown on the CCTV footage. Out in the parking lot, Culbertson went up to Barozzini and the man she was with.
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Before Thursday’s sentence hearing, one of Culbertson’s acquaintances had recorded footage outside the store on their cellphone.
The footage showed Culbertson approaching Barozzini and slapping her after the two argued. According to reports, Culbertson seemed to be stabbed as she retreated after striking Barozzini.
The two got into a fight, and after it was ended, the footage showed that Culbertson’s shirt was soaked in blood.
It was understandable that Culbertson’s behavior would enrage Barozzini, according to the prosecution, but the punishment she meted out to Culbertson was justified.
Nothing Bryanna Barozzini did warrant her grabbing a knife and stabbing Halia in the collarbone. Instead, an act of unreasonable anger, according to the prosecution.
The event was described by Barozzini’s attorney as a fistfight that escalated.
Barozzini received the maximum possible prison term of three years as a result of the plea deal, handed out by Judge Mark Serrott.
