A woman has admitted guilt in purchasing stolen human remains from a Harvard morgue and storing them in her shop that specializes in eerie creations. Katrina Maclean, 46, pleaded guilty to the crime of “interstate transport of stolen human remains” after US attorneys alleged that she confessed to acquiring body parts between 2018 and 2022, knowing they were pilfered from Harvard Medical School. Prosecutors claimed that Maclean trafficked these remains between Massachusetts and Pennsylvania and sold them to others through her business, which featured unsettling dolls crafted from human body parts.
Maclean, a resident of Bradford, Massachusetts, was reportedly involved in the trade of stolen body parts obtained by former Harvard morgue operator Cedric Lodge, who sourced items intended for medical research and education before their scheduled cremation. Authorities disclosed that Maclean was one of several individuals who received these unlawfully obtained remains, with investigations uncovering additional accomplices.
According to a spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Lodge transported stolen remains to his residence in New Hampshire, where he and his wife facilitated sales to Maclean and others through digital communication platforms. Maclean, on certain occasions, transported stolen remains to Pennsylvania, with her establishment, “Kat’s Creepy Creations,” being raided by the FBI in 2023. Allegations suggested that she utilized the shop to stock and vend the remains, along with the eerie dolls made from authentic body parts, as indicated in a 2023 indictment.
Initially accused of purchasing two partially dissected heads for $600 from Lodge, Maclean faced charges related to trafficking stolen goods. Her defense team portrayed her as a law-abiding individual, emphasizing her family life and lack of a criminal record. They explained her involvement in a legal community that collected oddities, including body parts, stemming from a distinct interest that was not uncommon in her hometown of Salem, Massachusetts.
Several other defendants, such as Mr. and Mrs. Lodge, Jeremy Pauley, Joshua Taylor, Andrew Ensanian, Matthew Lampi, and Angelo Pereyra, have also pleaded guilty to charges related to the stolen remains, with the latter three awaiting sentencing.
