Some different soldiers appeared carrying another person, whom the grand dukes finally recognized as their cousin Grand Duke Pavel Alexandrovich. They were then each escorted arm in arm with a soldier on each side towards a trench that had been dug in the courtyard. As they passed the cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Pavel where their ancestors were buried, the Grand Dukes crossed themselves. The prisoners were lined up before the ditch, in which there were already 13 bodies, Nikolai Mikhailovich who had been carrying his cat, handed it to a soldier asking him to look after it. All of the grand dukes faced death with the greatest courage. Georgy and Dmitry prayed quietly, Dmitry for the forgiveness of his murderers "Forgive them, for they know not what they do" seemed to be his last words. Pavel, who was very sick, was shot on a stretcher. Grand Dukes Nikolai, Georgy and Dmitry were killed by the same blast. The fusillade of shots sent their bodies reeling into the trench.