Man To Stand Trial In Death, Burning Of Funeral Home Owner

PITTSBURGH (AP) -  A Pittsburgh man has been ordered to stand trial on charges he killed an elderly funeral home operator whose body was reported on fire afterward.

The criminal homicide charge against 24-year-old Jawwaad Ali was held for court Friday after a detective testified that Ali acknowledged killing 83-year-old John Connors.

Firefighters were sent to the home in the city's Allentown neighborhood at about 11:30 a.m. June 3 after "a report that a man was on fire."

An autopsy determined Connors died from being beaten about the head and neck before he was set ablaze.

Police have since said Ali had been staying at the home for about a week before Connors was killed. They have said Ali gave conflicting accounts of the killing and fire.

Ali's public defender didn't return a call for comment.

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