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Dashcam Captures Uber Driver Begging For Her Life Before Suspect Fatally Shoots Her
The body of Christina Spicuzza was found in a wooded area two days after she picked up the murder suspect for an Uber ride.
A Pennsylvania man is under arrest after police say he killed his Uber driver and left her body in a wooded area.
Calvin Crew, 22, was charged with several felonies in connection to the Feb. 10 murder of Christina Spicuzza, 38, according to a probable cause affidavit from the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office sent to Oxygen.com. Two days after Spicuzza collected Crew for his ride, authorities with the Monroeville Police Department found a body in the woods near Rosecrest Drive, later identified as Spicuzza.
She was discovered face-down about 50 feet from the road, according to the affidavit, and had suffered a single gunshot wound to the head.
While at the crime scene, authorities learned that Spicuzza’s long-time boyfriend, Brandon Marto, hadreported her missing on Feb. 11. The next day, prior to discovering Spicuzza’s body, police located Spicuzza’s gray Nissan Sentra in Pitcairn, according to the affidavit. The unoccupied vehicle was locked and, as later gleaned from Marto, Spicuzza’s cell phone and dashboard camera were missing from her car.
On Feb. 12, an unnamed witness contacted Monroeville police after finding Spicuzza’s phone along the railroad tracks beneath the Triboro Expressway. The phone helped investigators map Spicuzza’s travel route throughout the night.
Marto told investigators that Spicuzza left their home on the evening of Feb. 10 to drive for Uber, but failed to stay in touch when on her way to pick up a rider from Pitcairn at around 9:00 p.m. that evening.
Police say the Uber pickup request for a ride from Pitcairn to Penn Hills was made through the account of Crew’s girlfriend, Tanaya Mullen. At 10:27 p.m., Mullen then answered a FaceTime call from Crew, asking her when she’d be home. He called several more times after midnight from their porch as he was locked out of the house. Mullen returned home and let Crew into the residence at approximately 1:30 a.m.
On Feb 14, Crew accompanied Mullen to meet detectives at the Penn Hill police station. Crew was arrested for a separate outstanding warrant and booked with the Northern Regional Police Department.
During questioning, Mullen told detectives that she had purchased a 9mm pistol over the summer, but it disappeared.
“Mullen stated that she never reported the gun missing/stolen because the next day she gave birth to her son,” according to police. “Then spent time in and out of the hospital with COVID.”
Crew initially told detectives he arrived at his destination and headed towards Pershing Street to collect mail and tax return information from a previous address. He claimed he later took a bus home, but authorities were unable to spot him on surveillance cameras.
The current tenant at the Pershing Street addressed told police he had no visitors, while the landlord stated he returned all mail addressed to Crew and his mother back to the post office.
Detectives found Spicuzza’s dashboard camera while canvassing the area of Crew’s destination on Feb. 17.
The footage showed the suspect entering Spicuzza’s vehicle at 9:14 p.m. Near the end of the 20-minute ride, the suspect pulled out a firearm and pressed against the back of Spicuzza’s head while instructing her to “keep driving,” according to transcripts provided by police.
“Come on, I have a family,” said Spicuzza.
“I got a family, too,” the suspect responded. “Now drive.”
At one point, the suspect grabbed the victim’s ponytail to control her head as she pleaded, “I’m begging you. I have four kids.”
The suspect leaned forward and grabbed Spicuzza’s phone from the dashboard. He stated, “Do what I say, and everything will be alright,” before reaching for the dashcam.
That’s when the video ended.
“Through the investigation, detectives determined that Calvin Crew, age 22, of Penn Hills was responsible for the homicide,” said authorities with the Allegheny County Police Department. “Detectives obtained a warrant for Crew’s arrest, and he was taken into custody in Penn Hills just before 7:00 p.m. on Feb. 17, 2022.”
According to court records, Crew was booked on charges of homicide, robbery while inflicting serious bodily injury, robbery of a motor vehicle, carrying a firearm without a license, possession of a firearm as a delinquent, and tampering with physical evidence. At a bail hearing on Feb. 18, a judge denied Crew’s request for bail.
Navideh Forghani, a spokesperson for Uber, made a statement to CNN regarding the murder of Christina Spicuzza.
“No family should have to suffer such an unimaginable loss, and our thoughts are with Christi’s loved ones during this difficult time,” said Forghani. “We’ve been in touch with law enforcement to support the investigation and are grateful for everything they’ve done.”
Spicuzza’s murder comes during growing concern for the safety of rideshare drivers and occupants alike. In June, Uber driver Joseph Schelstraete was shot to death during an attempted carjacking. After another attempted carjacking last May, a 15-year-old girl was found guilty of murder after witnesses saw her pin the driver under his own vehicle. Earlier in 2021, two teens confessed to stabbing a woman as she made an Uber Eats delivery.
Crew is scheduled to appear for his preliminary hearing on Feb. 25.
