Pittsburgh Synagogue Massacre Trial: Body Exhumation Decision Reached

PITTSBURGH, PA — A federal judge has denied a request in the Pittsburgh synagogue killing court case to exhume the body of convicted killer Robert Bowers' presumed father.

"The motion is denied as untimely," the judicial decision, released Wednesday, stated. "The defense itself acknowledges the late hour and, ultimately, its untimely filing of the motion, where discovery has long since ended and the trial is now in its third and final phase."

The trial now is in the penalty phase of deciding whether Robert Bowers should receive the death penalty or life imprisonment for killing 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue in 2018.

The defense wanted to exhume the body of Randall George Bowers, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia before taking his own life. Doubts were raised during the trial over whether Randall Bowers was the actual father of Robert Bowers.

"At issue in this case is whether Robert Bowers is a person with schizophrenia," the defense motion stated. "One piece of evidence proving the fact is that Robert Bowers' father has been diagnosed with schizophrenia."