A man has been taken into custody for allegedly stealing human remains from a hospital and cemeteries with the purpose of cooking and consuming them.
The 30-year-old suspect was apprehended by police for purportedly pilfering human body parts from the hospital where he was employed in Budapest and a nearby cemetery, as reported by Hungarian law enforcement.
The individual, employed as an orderly in the hospital, is under investigation on suspicion of violating corpses. Authorities initiated the inquiry following a tip-off that a hospital staff member was hoarding the remains at his residence, situated in one of the affluent neighborhoods of the Hungarian capital.
Upon searching his residence, law enforcement allegedly discovered a human face, facial skin, bones, a leg, a hand, skulls, and a heart in a preserving jar. The authenticity of the heart, whether human or animal, is currently under examination by the police.
In addition, officers found a preserved human skin mask, multiple human skulls covered in moss and soil, and various bones stored in a suitcase. The suspect reportedly openly shared details about his macabre collection of human body parts with acquaintances and relatives.
He purportedly confessed to authorities about his compulsion for human body parts, admitting to obtaining remains from deserted cemeteries in Hungary and neighboring Slovakia. Allegedly, he used the body parts to prepare and consume different dishes. As part of the investigation, law enforcement confiscated his vehicle, computer, tablets, mobile phones, SIM cards, and data cards.
DNA testing is ongoing to identify the origins of the remains. Police mentioned that the scope of alleged offenses could widen once the source of all body parts is confirmed.
According to police, the man has a keen interest in anatomy and pathology and enjoys dissecting animals.
In a related incident, a convicted killer, David Harker, who confessed to consuming parts of his victim, Julie Paterson, has been denied parole for the ninth time. Harker is serving a life sentence after admitting to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility for the 1998 killing in Darlington.
Harker reportedly fried a portion of Paterson’s thigh before consuming it with pasta and cheese, as disclosed to friends and a psychiatrist. Diagnosed with a severe psychopathic disorder, Harker was sentenced in 1999 at the age of 24.
Despite improvements in his behavior in custody since 2015, the Parole Board deemed it unsafe to release or transfer Harker due to the ongoing necessity to safeguard the public.