The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has declined to hear the appeal of a former University of Pittsburgh medical researcher in what prosecutors said was the cyanide poisoning death of his wife more than five years ago.
Sixty-nine-year-old Robert Ferrante was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole in the April 2013 death of 41-year-old Autumn Klein. Allegheny County prosecutors said he put cyanide in her energy drink, which text messages show he urged her to drink to enhance her fertility.
An appeals court rejected defense arguments that cited a successful transplant of Klein's liver as evidence that cyanide couldn't have killed her.
Defense attorney Chris Eyster told the Tribune-Review that he will seek further review of the conviction. He said "We're confident we're going to get this reversed."
