An Uber passenger has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2022 murder of 38-year-old Christina Spicuzza, a mother of four.
Calvin Crew, 25, was handed the life sentence at the Allegheny County Courthouse in Pittsburgh. Spicuzza’s family, though devastated, requested that the death penalty not be pursued, stating they “showed mercy” despite the senseless nature of the crime.
Crew was not present at the sentencing, but family members gave emotional impact statements. “You should have the death penalty, but we showed mercy,” said Spicuzza’s mother, Cindy. “You executed her. No mercy, no remorse. It was abhorrent. It was murder.”
Spicuzza’s fiancé, Brandon Marto, condemned Crew for his absence, calling him a coward. “Christy was everything for my family,” he said. “I was lost, out of control. She saw something in me.”
In addition to life imprisonment, Crew received 13 to 26 years for kidnapping and robbery.
The tragic incident occurred on February 10, 2022. Spicuzza picked up Crew—who was wearing a mask and hoodie—around 9 p.m. while working for Uber. Ten minutes into the ride, dashcam footage showed Crew putting a gun to the back of her head.
“You’ve got to be joking,” Spicuzza said, then pleaded for her life. “Come on, I have a family… I’m begging you. I have four kids.”
Crew responded, “I got a family too. Now drive.”
The video ended when Crew noticed the dashcam and removed it. Spicuzza’s body was found two days later in a wooded area in Monroeville with a single gunshot wound to the head.
Crew was arrested shortly after. Although he claimed he left the vehicle and took a bus home, surveillance footage contradicted his story. GPS records tracked Spicuzza’s car through multiple neighborhoods with Crew inside, and her dashcam was later recovered near the pickup location.
A text message from Crew’s girlfriend, Tanaya Mullen, found during the investigation read, “I’m not going to jail if we get caught,” according to a criminal complaint.
During sentencing, Crew’s defense attorney cited his violent and neglected upbringing. His legal team has announced plans to appeal the conviction.
Uber passenger sentenced to life in prison for executing a mother of four who was begging for her life.
25-year-old Calvin Crew was sentenced to life in prison for taking the life of Uber driver Christina Spicuzza. pic.twitter.com/6ZXjnv0wCo
— Suhr Majesty™ (@ULTRA_MAJESTY) May 6, 2025
