Post by Graveyardbride on May 3, 2023 16:33:27 GMT -5
Woman Sells Human Body Parts on Facebook
Candace Chapman Scott (above left), 36, a former morgue worker in Little Rock, Arkansas, has pled not guilty to charges of selling stolen body parts for which she received a total of $10,975. The transactions took place on Facebook.
The 12-count federal indictment includes charges of mail fraud, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, and interstate transportation of stolen property.
Scott was employed by Arkansas Central Mortuary Services in Little Rock, where she transported, embalmed and cremated the dead, including cadavers and body parts of individuals who had been donated to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences for the benefit of medical students. Once the medical school is no longer in need of a cadaver, the remains are transported to a funeral home for cremation, after which the ashes are supposed to be returned to the school.
At some point, Scott saw an opportunity to make a little money on the side and sent a message to a man who operates the private Facebook group “Oddities,” saying, “I follow your page and work and LOVE it. Just out of curiosity, would you know anyone in the market for a fully in tact [sic], embalmed brain?” Although her partner in crime isn’t named in the indictment, he is Jeremy Lee Pauley (above right) of Enola, Pennsylvania, he was interested in Scott’s offer, and the two began conducting business. Oddities, which has around 380 members, bills itself as “a safe way to shop.”
During the successive nine months, Scott commenced selling various body parts to Pauley, which, authorities say, included one head minus the skull cap, a half head, three brains with skull caps, a portion of torso including a nipple, four hands, two kidneys, and a heart, liver, lung and pelvis. On one occasion, she offered to sell Pauley the remains of a fetus at a discount price, explaining, “he’s not in great shape.”
Scott is currently in jail and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Jegley told the judge she should remain behind bars. “I think that the facts ... underlying the indictment and in the indictment are uniquely egregious and objectionable and we believe there is going to be some significant public outcry as a result of this,” she alleged.
The judge explained that while Scott’s conduct is “shocking and depraved,” she isn’t considered dangerous, and under federal rules, he can order her jailed while awaiting trial only if she is a flight risk.
Pauley has been charged with a misdemeanor count of abuse of a corpse, a felony count of receiving stolen property, a misdemeanor count of receiving stolen property and a felony count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities. He is presently free on bail with a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 7.
Sources: KFSM, April 29, 2023; The Associated Press, May 2, 2023, and The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
