EDWARDSVILLE, Ill (KMOX) - The murder of attorney Randy Gori got everyone's attention in this Metro East town, when an intruder broke into his mansion and stabbed him to death in a botched robbery attempt in January 2020. The trial of the accused murderer got underway Monday with the jury selection process.
The prosecutor hopes to prove St. Louis College of Pharmacy student Timothy Banowitz is the killer. He was allegedly motivated by the need to pay off $11,000 in college loans and he picked Gori randomly through social media as his robbery target.
Some citizens around the Edwardsville courthouse question if Banowitz acted alone, the prosecutor says he did. Others are shocked this kind of violent act could have happened in their town and say they are more careful now.
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Gori, who's law firm specializes in asbestos cases around the county, was stabbed to death in his Edwardsville mansion while his two young sons were tied up. The alleged killer, Banowitz, had a "to-do" list that including burning down Gori's home with the victims still inside, according to prosecutors.
According to motions filed in the case by the Madison County Prosecutor's office, the evidence will show that the defendant had Googled the victim with the intent of robbing him.
The case being planned will attempt to prove that Banowetz made Google searches of the victim, the victim's property map, and entered on search asking, "What does $1 million look like?"
He allegedly had a list of information about Gori and his plans on his phone, including finding Zip ties, Gori's wealthy family members, photos of his house and his expensive collection of cars. He also had studied a home and wooden area near Gori's home, which was the same location he was arrested in Gori's Rolls Royce, according to prosecutors.
Banowitz is represented by a public defender in the trial set to start on Oct. 4. He's charged with three counts of first-degree murder, three counts of theft, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, and unlawful restraint.
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