CYRIL WECHT | PHOTO COURTESY OF DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY

Cyril Wecht, the Pittsburgh-based forensic pathologist who rose to unlikely celebrity through a blend of expertise and outspoken opinion, died today at 93.

A resident of Squirrel Hill with multiple degrees from the University of Pittsburgh, among other institutions, Wecht spent decades in local politics, rising from the office of county coroner to stints as Allegheny County Commissioner and the county’s Democratic chairman, according to obituaries in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Tribune Review.

It was as a renowned forensic psychologist, however, that he achieved fame, speaking on high-profile cases for decades. He co-authored several books on famous cases, including “Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey?,” investigating the murder of the child pageant queen; he was a go-to expert on the case, frequently appearing on national television to discuss the killing.

Even amidst a career defined by high-profile cases, none was so monumental as his ongoing analysis of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy — a matter in which he was a prominent dissenting voice, frequently expressing objections to the conclusions of the Warren Commission and, in 1972, exposing evidence that suggested Kennedy’s autopsy materials were either missing or deliberately withheld. He continued to investigate the Kennedy assassination until the last years of his life, speaking on the subject as recently as November.

That appearance was at Duquesne University, at an event bearing his name: the 22nd Annual Wecht Symposium. He taught extensively at both Duquesne and Pitt; the former institution in 2000 established the Cyril H. Wecht Institute of Forensic Science and Law.

He consulted on Oliver Stone’s 1991 film “JFK,” one of several brushes with Hollywood; he was portrayed by Albert Brooks in the Pittsburgh-filmed 2015 drama “Concussion.”

The Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company premiered its film adaptation “Cyril” at the Three Rivers Film Festival on in 2021. It was written by Mark Clayton Southers, who heads the theater company.

“Dr. Cyril Wecht was a globally respected forensic pathologist, a gifted politician, and an incredible champion of Duquesne University. The Duquesne community was blessed by his presence on campus as a professor in the Duquesne Kline Law school for many years,” said Duquesne University President Ken Gormley, in a statement. “His continued influence is felt through the academic work of the Wecht Institute of Forensic Science and Law and in the resources of the Cyril H. Wecht Forensic Science Collection… His professional acumen, captivating stories, and keen intellect will be sorely missed by the Duquesne community, the region he served so faithfully, and the entire world that recognized him as one of the great forensic pathologists of our time.

“On a more personal note, Cyril has been a trusted friend since I began my career — he never minced words, he had a lively and colorful personality, and he also had a heart of gold. There was, and will only be, one Dr. Cyril Wecht.”

Wecht is survived by his wife, Sigrid, their four children and 11 grandchildren. A public memorial is expected to be announced in the future; funeral and burial services will be private.