Harvard Morgue Manager Sentenced to Eight Years for Stealing and Selling Body Parts

A former manager of the Harvard Medical School morgue has been handed an eight‑year prison term for a grisly scheme that turned cadaver parts into profit. Cedric Lodge, who oversaw the morgue for 28 years, shipped brains, skin, hands and faces to buyers across Pennsylvania and beyond after the bodies were no longer needed for research. His wife, Denise Lodge, received a sentence of just over a year for helping him. The two appeared in federal court on Tuesday in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where the judge imposed the sentences.

The Ghoulish Scheme

Lodge’s plan involved removing body parts before cremation and selling them as if they were “baubles.” Prosecutors say he collected thousands of dollars from 2018 through March 2020. In one example, he supplied skin to a buyer so it could be tanned into leather and bound into a book, a “deeply horrifying reality,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan Martin said in a court filing. “In another, Cedric and Denise Lodge sold a man’s face—perhaps to be kept on a shelf, perhaps to be used for something even more disturbing,” Martin added.

Court Proceedings

Lodge, 57, of Goffstown, New Hampshire, filed a plea agreement with prosecutors two years after his arrest. The plea agreement was entered in federal court in Williamsport, not Scranton, as the original story had mistakenly reported. The judge sentenced him to eight years in prison and his wife to a little over a year, reflecting the seriousness of their conduct. Defense attorney Patrick Casey called the acts “egregious” and noted that Lodge had expressed regret in court. The plea agreement included a cooperation clause, allowing Lodge to provide information on related activities.

The Impact on Harvard

After a body was used for research or teaching, the Harvard policy is to return it to the family or cremate it. Lodge admitted to removing parts before the cremation process. Harvard suspended the donation of bodies for five months in 2023 when the charges were filed, halting new donations until the investigation concluded. The university’s decision underscores the importance of strict oversight in medical research. Harvard officials emphasized that the incident prompted a review of internal protocols to prevent future violations.

Legal Repercussions

Prosecutors say at least six other people, including an employee at an Arkansas crematorium, have pleaded guilty in the broader investigation of body‑parts trafficking. The case highlights how a single individual’s misconduct can expose a network of illicit activity. The plea agreement and sentencing serve as a warning to others who might consider similar violations. The investigation also uncovered evidence of additional illicit sales to private collectors.

Key Takeaways

• Cedric Lodge, former Harvard morgue manager, received an eight‑year sentence for stealing and selling body parts.
• His wife, Denise Lodge, was sentenced to just over a year for assisting him.
• The scheme involved selling skin, hands, brains and faces, with examples including a leather‑bound book and a man’s face.
• Harvard halted body donations for five months in 2023 after the charges were filed.
• At least six other individuals have pleaded guilty in the related investigation.

The case serves as a stark reminder that the sanctity of donated bodies must be protected, and that violations can lead to severe legal consequences.