Harvard Morgue Manager Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Stealing Donated Body Parts
Former Harvard Medical School morgue supervisor Cedric Lodge and his wife receive prison terms over the sale of donated cadaver parts.
A former Harvard Medical School morgue manager was sentenced Tuesday to eight years in prison for stealing and selling organs and other cadaver parts donated for medical research and education. Cedric Lodge, who ran Harvard's morgue for more than two decades before his 2023 arrest, pleaded guilty in May to transporting stolen goods across state lines.
His wife, Denise Lodge, was sentenced to one year in prison after admitting to participating in the sale of stolen remains that her husband obtained through his position at Harvard. Prosecutors said Lodge operated from 2018 through at least March 2020, taking parts from cadavers after they had been used for research and teaching and transporting them from Harvard's morgue in Massachusetts to his home in Goffstown, New Hampshire. When the Lodges sold the remains, buyers included several individuals, with at least two in Pennsylvania, who largely resold the remains to others.
In Williamsport, Pennsylvania, U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann ordered the eight-year term after Lodge pleaded guilty to transporting stolen goods across state lines. Prosecutors urged the maximum sentence of 10 years, saying his conduct "shocks the conscience" and was carried out for the amusement of the disturbing 'oddities' community. They argued the scheme caused emotional harm to an untold number of family members who were left to wonder about how their loved ones' bodies were treated.
Patrick Casey, Lodge's attorney, did not respond to requests for comment and had urged the judge to impose a more lenient sentence, arguing that the facts, while grave, did not warrant the maximum. Harvard Medical School issued a statement calling Lodge's actions "abhorrent and inconsistent with the standards and values that Harvard, our anatomical donors, and their loved ones expect and deserve." It added that it had "deep sorrow for the families of donors who may have been impacted."
Massachusetts’ high court in October allowed several families to pursue lawsuits against Harvard, alleging mishandling of the bodies of their loved ones. The decision, while separate from the criminal case, underscores ongoing tensions over donor stewardship and institutional accountability in university settings.
The case highlights broader questions about oversight and transparency in how donated remains are handled within major research institutions. While the defendants' actions are unusual and egregious, legal experts say they also shine a light on the need for robust internal controls to prevent theft and improper distribution of human remains.
