An Uber passenger has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of the driver and his mother, Christina Spicuzza, in 2022.
Spicuzza’s family expressed that they “showed mercy” by not insisting on the death penalty for what they described as a senseless act.
Calvin Crew, 25, received his sentence at the Allegheny County Courthouse in Pittsburgh for this and other crimes, including the murder of four mothers, according to reports.
Family members of Spicuzza delivered an impact statement in court, although Crew did not attend his sentencing.
“You should be sentenced to death, but we have shown mercy,” remarked her mother, Cindy Spicuzza. “You executed her. There was no mercy or regret. It was awful. It was murder.”
The family had urged the court to refrain from imposing the death penalty, and it was confirmed that prosecutors had not pursued this option before the trial earlier this year.
Brandon Marto, Spicuzza’s fiancé, criticized Crew for his absence, stating, “There’s no reason other than cowardly people. Cowardly people who couldn’t be here today couldn’t face this.”
“Christie was everything to my family. I lost control after her death. She saw something special in me,” he added.
Marto also expressed his hope that Crew would “suffer in prison.”
In addition to the life sentence, Crew also received 13 to 26 years for charges related to robbery and luring.
On February 10, 2022, Spicuzza picked up Crew while working for Uber. He was wearing a dark hoodie and a mask.
About ten minutes into the ride, a dash cam captured footage where he brandished a gun and threatened her.
“You must be joking,” she exclaimed.
As he ordered her to “keep driving,” Spicuzza pleaded, “I have a family,” according to the video.
She continued to request him to remove the gun throughout the drive, saying, “Take it off from me.” Crew replied, “Do what I say, and everything’s fine.”
The video cut off when Crew noticed the camera and took it from the dashboard.
Spicuzza’s body was discovered two days later in a wooded area, with a gunshot wound to her head.
Crew was arrested shortly after and charged with murder, robbery, and tampering with evidence.
At his arrest, he claimed to have left the vehicle and taken a bus, but surveillance records contradicted this, showing he didn’t board or exit any buses.
GPS data indicated that Spicuzza drove through various neighborhoods with Crew, who was allegedly in the back seat. Moreover, police found her dash cam near the pickup spot.
Text messages from Crew’s girlfriend suggested she was aware of the potential consequences: “If you get caught, I won’t go to prison.”
During the sentencing on Monday, Crew’s lawyers argued that he grew up in a violent and neglectful environment. They are planning to appeal his conviction and continue to assert his innocence.
