A court has been shown dash camera footage capturing the moments before Uber driver Christi Spicuzza was allegedly killed by passenger Calvin Crew, who appeared in court in Pittsburgh for the first time on Wednesday.
Prosecutors played a 20-minute long clip from 10 February, captured by a camera on Spicuzza’s dashboard, which they say shows Mr Crew, dressed in a hood and face mask, ride along in silence before putting a gun to the driver’s head.
“Stop it man” and “why are you doing this?” Ms Spicuzza can be heard asking, before pleading, “I have four kids, what are you doing?”
“I have a family too. Now drive,” the man responds, before ordering Ms Spicuzza to complete the trip.
When contacted by The Independent, the victim’s mother, Cindy Spicuzza, declined to comment.
Mr Crew has been charged with homicide, robbery, and tampering with evidence, to which he has pled not guilty.
Police found Ms Spicuzza’s body in a wooded area two days later near Monroevilla after she logged her final trip. They also located her phone, vehicle, and dash camera throughout the greater Pittsburgh area, and found evidence her cash apps had been accessed before she was killed.
Officials are still weighing whether to prosecute Mr Crew’s girlfriend Tanaya Mullen, who ordered Mr Crew’s Uber the night of the killing and later texted him “[I’m] not going to jail if we get caught,” according to the criminal complaint in the case.
Ms Mullen later told police that her boyfriend had previously asked to borrow her weapon, a 9mm handgun, and when police searched her home, the gun was missing.
Christi Spicuzza was remembered by friends and family as a “loving mother” who enjoyed art, crafting and Bible study.
“Anyone who knew Christi knew her smile could light up every room she was in,” reads an online obituary. “No matter what was going on in her life, Christi was always smiling, always positive and always loving.”
She is survived by her four children Andrea, Drew, Scotty and Tori, and fiancé, Brandon Marton.
Uber has expressed its condolences over the killing.
“No family should have to suffer such an unimaginable loss and our thoughts are with Christi’s loved ones during this difficult time,” the company wrote in a statement.
