Mortuary worker sold brains, hearts and penis to man she met on Facebook, officials say
Four brains, three hearts, two testicles, a penis and “one large belly button” were among the body parts stolen and sold online by an Arkansas mortuary worker, prosecutors said.
The Little Rock woman reportedly made more than $4,000 selling assorted human remains to a Pennsylvania man she met through a Facebook group devoted to “oddities,” according to an indictment filed in federal court on April 5.
“Would you know anyone in the market for a fully [intact] embalmed brain?” the woman, who was employed by a mortuary to cremate cadavers used by students at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, reportedly wrote to the man in October 2021.
She sent the man a photo of several organs in her possession, and he expressed interest in purchasing a brain and a heart, prosecutors said.
“Would $1,200 shipped sound reasonable for all 3 pieces including skull caps?” the woman reportedly wrote.
The man wired the money through PayPal the next day, marking the start of a monthslong relationship characterized by numerous illicit transactions, prosecutors said.
Attorneys for the pair could not immediately be reached for comment by McClatchy News.
Between October 2021 and July 2022, she sold the man dozens of pieces of human remains, including multiple brains, hearts, livers, lungs, kidneys, hands, male genitals and parts of a female breast, prosecutors said. She packaged and shipped the remains to Pennsylvania with the United States Postal Service.
She also reportedly sold the man multiple human fetuses, including one for an apparent discount because it wasn’t “in great shape,” she wrote, prosecutors said.
“I am going to get some ice packs tomorrow since our Walmart and dollar store was out by my house and hopefully get the little guy shipped tomorrow,” she reportedly wrote to the man.
She has been charged with mail fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and interstate transportation of stolen property, among other charges.
The woman, who is currently jailed, pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to the Associated Press.
The man was arrested in August 2022 after body parts, including full skeletons and up to 20 skulls, were found in his Enola home, according to WHP. He was charged with receiving stolen property and abuse of a corpse.
“UAMS is extremely grateful to the many people who unselfishly donate their bodies to our anatomical gift program for use in medical education and research,” a spokesperson for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences wrote in a statement, according to the outlet. “We are saddened and appalled that this happened.”
This story was originally published April 30, 2023 at 12:29 PM with the headline "Mortuary worker sold brains, hearts and penis to man she met on Facebook, officials say."