I would also send my condolences to Don and his family. A hard time for all of them I'm sure and he does always seem like a very nice guy. Very sad. 

I doubt his wife's passing will have any affect on the covid trial, he would not be involved in anything on the go forward of trial execution. Likely her illness did slow him down in some parts of his duties and, as others have said, that would be totally understandable.