A 20-year-old Columbus woman charged in the stabbing death of a 17-year-old girl in a parking lot on Emporium Square has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge, months after prosecutors dropped the murder counts she originally faced. Bryanna Barozzini entered the plea to involuntary manslaughter in connection with the March 2023 death of Halia Culbertson, who was fatally stabbed during a fight in a parking lot on Emporium Square in northeast Columbus.
Police said Barozzini fatally stabbed Culbertson during the altercation, according to myfox28columbus.com. Culbertson lost her life in March 2023 at an RTA stop, the outlet reported.
A Plea Deal That Angered the Victim's Family
The station's report notes that prosecutors dropped two murder counts against Barozzini as part of the plea agreement, a decision that left Culbertson's family angered by the outcome of the case. Under the deal, Barozzini faced a maximum of three years in prison rather than the far steeper penalties tied to the original murder charges.
Barozzini's attorneys argued self-defense and asked the court to consider probation instead of prison time.
Case Draws Renewed Attention
The case has resurfaced in coverage from FOX 8 News, which reported that the woman who stabbed the 17-year-old was set to be sentenced. Culbertson's death at an RTA stop remains a painful marker for her family, who watched the murder charges against Barozzini give way to a lesser manslaughter plea.
