Breaking news: Tissue sample obtained from Fischer's grave

by ChessBase
7/5/2010 – We have been informed that the remains of former World Champion Bobby Fischer were "exhumed" on Monday in the early hours of the morning. This was done on the order of the Icelandic Supreme Court, to settle a paternity dispute. Everything was done in a professional and dignified manner, with a priest and doctor present. The grave was left in its original state.

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Fischer’s remains exhumed

In charge of the exhumation was Ólafur Helgi Kjartansson, the sheriff in Selfoss, where Fischer was buried. "It has to be done to satisfy the Supreme Court," he said, when asked if would be prepared to dig up the chess genius. The Icelandic Supreme Court had ruled last month that Fischer's remains would be exhumed in order to obtain biological samples which could prove whether he was the father of Jinky Young, whose mother Marylin had a relationship with the retired chess champion.


The Laugardaelakirkja churchyard with Fischer's grave


This is where Fischer found his final resting place – and where the sample was extracted

The exhumation was conducted under a tent by specialists, who, we are told, did not unearth or remove the coffin. They dug a hole to the side of the grave and from there drilled into the coffin to extract a tissue sample. Present were Ólafur Helgi Kjartansson and Rev. Kristinn Ágúst Fridfinnsson, the pastor of Selfoss.

Information provided by Símon Birgisson of Visir

In a previous report we provided details of the court decision regarding Fischer's paternity suit. Samuel Estimo, the lawyer representing Fischer's alleged Filipino child Jinky Young, told us that Judge Sigrun Gudmundsdottir of the Icelandic probate court found no DNA samples of Fischer at the National Hospital in Iceland, where the ex-world champion died on January 17, 2008 of renal failure. Because of this development, Estimo and his collaborating Icelandic lawyer, Thordur Bogason, requested the court to issue an order for the exhumation of Bobby's remains for DNA samples to be tested with the blood samples extracted from Jinky when she went to Iceland in December last year.


Bobby Fischer with Jinky Young and "live-in partner" Marilyn Young in 2004

Links


ITN NEWS video report


Related ChessBase reports

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11.11.2009 – Yesterday we published a report on an Islandic court awarding Fischer's estate to his lawfully wedded wife Miyoko Watai. Today we received a message from Marilyn Young, Fischer's "Filipina live-in partner", who is seeking justice for her and Fischer's eight-year-old daughter Jinky. The two are on their way to Iceland to file their claim. Marilyn has sent us some fairly compelling photographic evidence.

Marilyn and Jinky visit Fischer's tomb
05.12.2009 – As we reported some weeks ago, Marilyn young, Bobby Fischer's "Filipina live-in partner", is claiming rights to the late champion's estate for their common daughter Jinky. The claim has been filed with Icelandic courts, and during their visit a blood sample was drawn from Jinky and submitted for DNA ananlysis. Marilyn's lawyer Samuel Estimo sent us the following report from Reykjavik.

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