The FBI has arrested an eighth man after discovering 40 human skulls in his home – which he told investigators were ‘his dead friends’.
Cops say James William Nott was part of the macabre underground network dealing in stolen brains, hearts, skin and fetal remains which were allegedly stolen from Harvard’s prestigious Medical School.
Nott, 39, had dozens of human skulls which were being used as ‘decoration’ as well as hip bones and spinal cords which were being used as furniture at his home in Louisville, Kentucky, according to the complaint.
One of the skulls had a scarf tied around its neck and another on the bed where Nott slept – with authorities accusing him of purchasing the remains from Jeremy Pauley.
Pauley, 41, has previously been arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse, receiving stolen property and dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activities.
James William Nott was part of the macabre underground network dealing in stolen human remains which were allegedly stolen from Harvard’s prestigious Medical School
One of the skulls had a scarf tied around its neck and another on the bed where Nott slept – with authorities accusing him of purchasing the remains from Jeremy Pauley
A separate indictment in Pennsylvania claims that Pauley spent $40,049 buying body parts from Josh Taylor – who had purchased them from Cedric Lodge.
Lodge, the manager of Harvard’s Medical School for over a decade, is accused of taking heads, skin, bones and brains from cadavers donated to the prestigious school.
A Harvard medical bag was found in Notts’ home, and when he was asked if anyone else was in the apartment, he said ‘only my dead friends’.
Investigators say that Nott used a different name online and would send pictures and videos of remains to Pauley.
Pauley asked in one transaction: ‘How much total for the couple and the last video you sent plus the spines?’
Nott was immediately arrested after the raid on Tuesday, and was initially charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
He bought an AK-47 rifle a .38 special, Charter Arms, revolver, and ammunition on July 11, and was previously convicted in 2011 of a felony of possession of an unregistered destructive device and possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of marijuana.
The felon currently remains in federal custody, and will face a maximum of 10 years in prison if he is convicted of the crimes.
Nott, 39, had dozens of human skulls which were being used as ‘decoration’ as well as hip bones and spinal cords which were being used as furniture at his home in Louisville, Kentucky
Federal court documents filed in Arkansas say that Scott first reached out to Pauley (pictured with his girlfriend) in October 2021
Nott was immediately arrested after the raid on Tuesday, and was initially charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
An investigation into the grim underground network of human body parts started after Pennsboro Township Police Department received a tip about possible human remains inside of Pauley’s Pennsylvania home.
Pauley agreed in May to admit guilt to one count of interstate transportation of stolen property and a second count of conspiracy.
Cedric Lodge had worked at Harvard Medical School’s morue since 1995 until he was fired on May 6
The agreement doesn’t specify what sentence federal prosecutors will recommend.
Pauley was also in contact with a funeral home worker in little Rock, Arkansas, and bought $10,975 worth of body parts.
Candace Chapman Scott, 36, was contracted to transport cadavers for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) since 2014.
Her role required her to move the bodies to the UAMS campus and return the remains – which had been cremated – back to UAMS within 72 hours.
Federal court documents filed in Arkansas say that Scott first reached out to Pauley in October 2021 and Over a nine-month-period sold him a heart, brains, liver, kidney, trachea, ears, ‘two fake boobies’, lungs, skin, a penis, testicles, a whole head and two fetus’.
She is facing 12 criminal counts: one count each of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud; four counts each of mail fraud and wire fraud; and one count each of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and interstate transportation of stolen property.
Candace Chapman Scott, 36, (left) allegedly sold $10,975 of body parts to Jeremy Pauley, 41, (right) after meeting on a Facebook group dedicated to buying, selling and trading ‘oddities’
Pauley is accused of reselling the remains he received to others, including tattoo artist Matthew Lampi. In a 2008 magazine interview with Big Tattoo Planet , Lampi revealed some of the details to his collection
Lodge’s wife, Denise, 63, is accused of shipping the illicit goods to others in their network using the United States Postal Service
Court records show she has been held without bail since April and was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.
A separate indictment in Pennsylvania claims that Pauley also spent $40,049 buying body parts from Josh Taylor – who had purchased them from Lodge.
From at least April 2021 to January 2022, it is alleged that Taylor, of Pennsylvania, sold human remains he bought from Lodge at a higher price to Pauley.
Taylor pleaded not guilty to the charges in Pennsylvania on Wednesday and was also released.
A federal incitement revealed that ‘at times’ Lodge would take them to his home in New Hampshire, and his wife Denise, 63, would ship the illicit goods to others in their network using the USPS.
The couple moved from their four-bedroom and three-bathroom $385,000 property in Manchester to a smaller three-bed and two-bath house in Goffstown in 2020, where they are accused of continuing their gristly scheme.
Lodge is said to have stolen remains from cadavers donated to Harvard Medical School for scientific research and education
Cedric Lodge (pictured), 55, is accused of taking heads, skin, bones and brains from cadavers donated to Harvard’s Medical School – which he had access to as morgue manager
Court documents state that Denise sent ‘stolen human remains’ from Manchester to Montgomery, Pennsylvania, in 2018 and 2019.
From 3 September 2018, through to 12 July 2021, Taylor sent 39 transactions through PayPal to Denise Lodge for a total of $37,355.56, the indictment states.
Pauley had previously been arrested and charged for abuse of a corpse, receiving stolen property and dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activities
One payment of $1,000 was referenced as being for ‘head number 7’, while another in November 2020 was sent for ‘braiiiiins’ – which cost $200.
Lodge and his wife were released on conditions after appearing in federal court in New Hampshire.
He is also accused of selling the remains to Katrina MacLean, a doll maker from Salem, Massachusetts.
On more than one occasion Lodge is accused of allowing MacLean and Taylor access to the morgue to choose what remains to purchase.
MacLean owned and operated a business called Kat’s Creepy Creations in Peabody, Massachusetts, where she stored and sold the remains.
The 44-year-old appeared in federal court in Boston Wednesday afternoon, where she was charged with transporting stolen goods and granted bail.
MacLean, 44, (pictured) appeared in federal court in Boston Wednesday afternoon, where she was charged with transporting stolen goods and granted bail
Pauley (pictured) is accused of reselling the remains he received to others, including tattoo artist Matthew Lampi
She is also accused of selling the remains to buyers in multiple states – including to Pauley.
In October 2020 Maclean allegedly sold two dissected faces and skin to Pauley for $600, who was hired to tan the skin and make it into leather before shipping it back to MacLean.
MacLean is then said to have shipped human skin to Pauley in June or July 2021 so he could tan the leather.
In total he paid her $8,800 in October 2021 for the stolen human remains. Overall Pauley paid $59,824 for the body parts from various sources, the documents state.
Pauley is accused of reselling the remains he received to others, including tattoo artist Matthew Lampi.
Lampi, 52, of East Bethel, Minnesota, and Pauley allegedly bought and sold from each other over an extended period of time and exchanged over $100,000 in online payments.
If convicted of conspiracy and interstate transport of stolen goods, the seven defendants face as long as 15 years in prison, according to the US Attorney’s office in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
