PSU legend and former NFL LB Brandon Short tragically lost his daughter five years ago. Karli Short, who was 17 weeks pregnant with a baby boy at the time of her death, was fatally shot in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. The Short family had to endure a long wait before Karli’s killer was brought to justice. After a five-year-long battle, that wait was ended.

“Karli deserved justice. Today, she got it,” Brandon Short wrote in a message on X. “Today, after five years of fighting for justice, a jury found the defendant guilty on two counts of first-degree murder. He will spend the rest of his life in prison with no chance of parole. There are no words for what this moment means to our family.”

A month after Karli Short’s death, police arrested 25-year-old Isaac Christopher Smith as a suspect, who was believed to be the father of Karli’s unborn child. During the trial, prosecutors argued that he killed Karli Short to hide the pregnancy and relationship from his long-term girlfriend. While the defense denied there being any motive, ultimately, the accused person’s Smith & Wesson revolver became the key evidence.

Isaac purchased that roughly six weeks before the murder, according to the ballistics experts’ report. The bullet recovered from Karli Short’s head matched that of the firearm, as per forensic analysis. After a two-week-long trial, Smith was convicted of two first-degree murders for shooting Karli and an unborn child.

“We are deeply grateful to the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office and to every detective and officer who dedicated years of their lives to this case. Your commitment to Karli, to finding the truth and holding her killer accountable, will never be forgotten. To everyone who has walked alongside us these past five years—thank you. Your love and support carried us through the darkest days. We carry Karli’s light forward, always,” added Brandon.

The prosecution also detailed how the accused was living a constructed “double life.” They also proved that a “burner phone” belonging to him was the one used to place the final call to Karli.

Brandon Short used the moment to highlight a key issue plaguing the country.

“Unfortunately, we’re not alone in (our) pain,” Short said. “In 2020, over 45,000 Americans died from gun-related injuries. This information is staggering because those aren’t numbers; those are people. They’re children, they’re parents, they’re family members, they’re friends. All lost.”

In the aftermath of Karli Short’s death, her family had taken an initiative to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future.

Brandon Short builds a foundation to honor his daughter

The PSU legend and his family established a foundation, The Karli Short Better Tomorrow, to provide financial and mental support to students at Penn State Greater Allegheny who are dealing with gun violence.

“When my family and I searched for ways to honor Karli and support victims of gun violence, we could think of no better way than to help students achieve the American dream by supporting their education and creating a better tomorrow,” said the PSU star.

“Karli’s legacy won’t be defined by the wrong that was done to her but by the kindness and compassion that radiated from her. We are honoring Karli’s magnificent spirit by lifting up those who are struggling.”

The foundation’s funding relies on its annual gala and charity auction. During its first gala, it raised over $650,000. “We want to help a lot of kids, so it depends on how much money we raise,” said Brandon.