Harvard Medical School morgue manager and 6 others accused of stealing and selling human remains — including bodies of stillborn infants

The former morgue manager at Harvard Medical School and six other individuals were recently arrested and charged with stealing human remains from mortuaries and selling them online, including the bodies of two stillborn infants.

On Wednesday, the FBI's Boston field office reported that Cedric Lodge of New Hampshire, Katrina Maclean of Massachusetts, Joshua Taylor of Pennsylvania, Denise Lodge of New Hampshire, and Mathew Lampi of Minnesota were indicted on conspiracy and interstate transport of stolen goods charges. The defendants face a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment.

Also arrested in connection with the nationwide underground network were Jeremy Pauley of Pennsylvania and Candace Chapman Scott of Arkansas, the FBI stated.

The defendants were accused of stealing human remains from Harvard Medical School and an Arkansas mortuary, U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam reported.

"Some crimes defy understanding," Karam said. "The theft and trafficking of human remains strikes at the very essence of what makes us human."

According to the FBI, 55-year-old Cedric Lodge, who worked as Harvard Medical School's morgue manager from 2018 through 2022, stole organs and other body parts from cadavers donated to medical research.

Lodge and his wife, 63-year-old Denise Lodge, allegedly sold the remains on social media websites or via phone to Katrina Maclean, 44; Joshua Taylor, 46; and Matthew Lampi, 52.

The FBI claimed that Cedric Lodge occasionally allowed Maclean and Taylor to enter Harvard Medical School's morgue to select the remains from cadavers, which were then sometimes shipped via mail out of state or driven across state lines by Taylor.

Lodge was terminated from his position in May.

Harvard Medical School's deans called Lodge's alleged actions "an abhorrent betrayal."

"We are appalled to learn that something so disturbing could happen on our campus — a community dedicated to healing and serving others," the school said in a statement. "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."

Maclean and Taylor sold the remains for a profit after purchasing them from Lodge, according to the FBI.

Jeremy Pauley was accused of purchasing stolen remains from Maclean and Taylor, along with Candace Chapman Scott, who was employed at an Arkansas mortuary.

Husband and wife from Goffstown accused of selling human remains from medical schoolyoutu.be

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