Federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania have announced the indictment of Cedric Lodge, a former manager at the Harvard Medical School morgue, along with his wife Denise and three other individuals.
They stand accused of a grisly scheme involving the theft and illegal sale of human body parts, The Associated Press (AP) reports.
Cedric Lodge, 55, hailing from Goffstown, New Hampshire, is alleged to have illicitly obtained dissected remains of cadavers, which had been donated for educational and research purposes at the esteemed institution.
This unethical operation spanned over five years, from 2018 to 2023.
Prosecutors highlighted that Harvard Medical School was unaware of the thefts, and has fully supported the ongoing investigation.
The stolen body parts, including heads, brains, skin, and bones, were often transported back to the Lodge residence.
Some were even sent to buyers via mail, while others were allowed to visit the morgue to select the remains they desired to purchase.
Reacting to the shocking discovery, deans George Daley and Edward Hundert expressed their outrage in a statement posted on the school’s website.
“We are appalled to learn that something so disturbing could happen on our campus — a community dedicated to healing and serving others,” they wrote.
“The reported incidents are a betrayal of HMS and, most importantly, each of the individuals who altruistically chose to will their bodies to HMS through the Anatomical Gift Program to advance medical education and research.”
Two daughters of a New Hampshire police officer, Paula Peltonovich and Darlene Lynch, discovered that their father’s remains were among those stolen.
“Who could do something like that? What kind of person? No respect at all for the family,” Peltonovich said. “They need to pay.”
The indictments charge the Lodges, along with Katrina Maclean, 44, from Salem, Massachusetts; Joshua Taylor, 46, of West Lawn, Pennsylvania; and Mathew Lampi, 52, of East Bethel, Minnesota, for conspiracy and interstate transport of stolen goods.
The prosecution claims these individuals formed part of a wider network involved in the trafficking of stolen human remains.
Kat’s Creepy Creations, a store owned by Maclean in Peabody, Massachusetts, is said to have been a hub for selling and storing human remains, according to AP.
One particular instance cited in the indictment was when Maclean allegedly sold human skin to a Pennsylvania man who used it to create leather.
In a further twist to the case, Jeremy Pauley, 41, of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, and Candace Chapman Scott, of Little Rock, Arkansas, were charged for their alleged involvement in the illegal trade.
Scott, who worked at an Arkansas mortuary, is accused of stealing body parts she was supposed to have cremated, many of which were donated for educational and research purposes.
Appearing in federal court on Wednesday, Cedric and Denise Lodge were both released on personal recognizance bail. They offered no comments on the charges as they left the courthouse.
