Former Harvard Morgue Manager Sentenced to Eight Years for Trafficking Cadaver Parts

A former manager of Harvard Medical School’s morgue has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison after a grim scheme that saw brain, skin, hands and faces shipped to buyers across Pennsylvania and beyond.

The Scheme and Charges

Authorities say Cedric Lodge was at the center of a ghoulish operation that involved removing body parts from donated cadavers once they were no longer needed for research. The parts—brains, skin, hands and faces—were then shipped to buyers in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. Lodge, 58, of Goffstown, New Hampshire, treated the parts of “beloved human beings as if they were baubles to be sold for profit” and collected thousands of dollars from 2018 through March 2020.

Court Proceedings

Lodge appeared in federal court in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday. His wife, Denise Lodge, was sentenced to just over a year in prison for assisting him. In court filings, Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan Martin described the crime as a “deeply horrifying reality.” She noted, “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.”

Impact on Harvard

Harvard Medical School had to suspend the donation of bodies for five months in 2023 when charges were filed. After a donated body was used for research or teaching, it is normally returned to the family or cremated. Lodge acknowledged removing body parts before cremation, a practice that violated the institution’s protocols.

Legal Process and Defense

Lodge, who had been a morgue manager for 28 years, filed a plea agreement with prosecutors two years after his arrest. His defense attorney, Patrick Casey, called his acts “egregious” in a court filing. Casey also said, “Mr. Lodge acknowledges the seriousness of his conduct and the harm his actions have inflicted on both the deceased persons whose bodies he callously degraded and their grieving families.”

Wider Investigation

Prosecutors say at least six other people, including an employee at an Arkansas crematorium, have pleaded guilty in the investigation of body‑parts trafficking. The case has drawn national attention to the oversight of body donation programs.

Sentencing Details

Lodge was sentenced to eight years in prison, while Denise Lodge received a little over a year. The sentencing reflects the severity of the crimes and the breach of trust involved. The court also highlighted the financial gain Lodge obtained, which was measured in thousands of dollars.

Corrections and Accuracy

The story has been corrected to show the court hearing was in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, not Scranton, Pennsylvania. This correction ensures that all reporting reflects the accurate location of the federal proceedings.

Key Takeaways

• Cedric Lodge, a former Harvard morgue manager, was sentenced to eight years for trafficking cadaver parts.
• The parts—brains, skin, hands and faces—were sold to buyers across Pennsylvania and other states.
• Harvard suspended body donations for five months in 2023 following the charges.

The case underscores the importance of strict oversight in body donation programs and serves as a stark reminder of the potential for abuse when protocols are not rigorously enforced.