Allegheny Co. DA Seeking Death Penalty Against Man Charged In Deaths Of Karli Short And Her Unborn Child
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office will seek the death penalty against the man charged in the death of Karli Short and her unborn child, according to a filing to the Court of Common Pleas.
Isaac Smith, the father of Short's unborn baby, was held for court on two homicide charges last month.
Short was 26-years-old and 17-weeks pregnant when she died in September. She was the daughter of former NFL and Penn State football player Brandon Short.
During a court appearance last month, home surveillance video captured at the back door of her cousin's home in McKeesport was shown. It captured Karli Short walking out the back door and into the yard at 12:22 a.m. Detectives said a ShotSpotter alert went off close by at 12:23 a.m., and Karli was found in the morning near an alley in the back of the residence.
Detectives said during their interview with Smith, he told them he had three firearms, including a Smith and Wesson revolver which he said he pawned on Sept. 29. The prosecutor said that ballistic testing showed that the revolver that was pawned matched the bullet that hit Karli Short.
Smith's attorney said last month that there is no motive and Smith went voluntarily to provide information to detectives the day after Karli Short's death. His attorney said Smith told detectives about the firearms he had and where he sold the revolver.
The DA said Smith new Short was pregnant and that is why he is seeking the death penalty. No court date has been set at this time.
