Pa. Man Accused of Looting Crypt to Stand Trial

A suburban Philadelphia man has been ordered to stand trial on charges of looting a family's burial crypt that dates back to the 19th century.

A judge ruled Friday that there was enough evidence for 28-year-old John Paxson of Doylestown to face trial in Bucks County Court on charges that include burglary and abusing a corpse.

Authorities accuse Paxson of breaking into the Doylestown Cemetery crypt of James Doyle, who died in the 1890s, and stealing a brass rail from the casket and copper. Cemetery officials say Doyle and eight others in the crypt are believed to be descendants of William Doyle, the pre-Revolutionary War tavern owner after whom the town is named.

Defense attorney Richard Fink sought dismissal of the charges, saying prosecutors had not proven that his client entered the crypt.