So much for organ-theft being an Urban Legend...

The Mad Monk · March 2, 2003, 09:08

http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/69730.htm

Quote:

March 2, 2003 -- Cops in Philadelphia say their sickening discovery of a corpse with its heart, liver and other internal organs expertly removed could be connected to a gruesome black-market trade.
Police found the body of a black man in his mid-30s Friday afternoon in an abandoned ghetto row house in north Philadelphia.

Initially, they thought the man - lying face-down - may have been the victim of a drug overdose or died of natural causes.

But when they turned him over for a better look, they were shocked to find his organs had been removed with chilling surgical precision. A police source revealed the man's ribcage and breastbone had also been stolen by the ghoul.

"There's a really sick person out there who wants to keep somebody's internal organs," said homicide Capt. Charles Bloom. "[Or] is there a market for this?

"Or are they trying to send a message?"

Bloom said dead junkies turn up regularly in the blighted Philly neighborhood, but organ-stealing is rare.

"We thought it was a drug overdose or a homeless person," Bloom said. "It was a pretty gruesome sight. I've seen enough after all the years in this business, but this did it."

The body had been sliced from the base of the neck to the stomach, and sources told the Philadelphia Daily News that a rope - or something like it - was wrapped around the man's neck.

Investigators would not describe what instrument may have been used to do the cutting.

The sickening discovery was made by a man foraging for scrap metal who called cops.

When the body was found, the dead man's face was frozen, and cops believe he had been dead between 24 and 48 hours. However, they were unsure whether he had died at the scene or dumped post-mortem.

They were also unsure whether the monster's vile "surgery" was conducted in the filthy row house or elsewhere.

Detectives are hoping an autopsy will shed light on whether the man had been murdered or whether they were dealing with abuse of a corpse.

They described the man as black, about 5-foot-7, with a small build and between 30 and 40 years old. He has been tentatively identified.

This really goes beyond the pale.

Skanky Burns · March 2, 2003, 09:10

Thats pretty sick.

Lancer · March 2, 2003, 09:20

Horrific...insane world

Starchild · March 2, 2003, 09:21

Did any Philly supermarkets report theft of fava beans and Chianti?

uh Clem · March 2, 2003, 09:51

Probably just Michael Savage's caterer.

Urban Ranger · March 2, 2003, 10:10

Eh, how could you steal the ribcage? The whole thing is connected to the spine.

Starchild · March 2, 2003, 10:17

Once you've got the internal organs out, it's not that difficult to saw through the bones of the ribcage where it joins up to the spine. After that, just peel off the membranes and skin and you're got yourself a lovely set of ribs.

Urban Ranger · March 2, 2003, 10:52

Yes, but you pretty much can't take it out because of all the muscles and other stuff attached to it without making a big mess.

Starchild · March 2, 2003, 10:55

Urban love, considering this guy already cut out the heart, liver, and other organs while playing pick-and-mix with a corpse, I doubt he was that concerned about making a mess.

Urban Ranger · March 2, 2003, 10:58

How could somebody not notice the mess was what I was trying to say.

Quote:

Initially, they thought the man - lying face-down - may have been the victim of a drug overdose or died of natural causes.

Stuie · March 2, 2003, 11:01

All that's being reported locally (that I've seen/heard) is that his heart, liver an one lung were missing. No mention of the whole ribcage being removed.

Starchild · March 2, 2003, 11:05

You don't notice the mess cause the mess wasn't created there. Play Iron Chef with the gooey bits somewhere else in town and then dump the body a little ways off. I mean, face down with no obvious signs of Dr. Mengle's dastardly doings except when the corpse is flipped over points to it being sliced and diced elsewhere.

The story didn't identify the man nor say if he was homeless or not. If he was homeless, he could have been picked off the street at anytime, undergone the amature open heart surgery, and then disposed of days or weeks later.

Starchild · March 2, 2003, 11:08

Heart, one lung, and liver are a pretty eclectic mix for organ traders I'd imagine. I'd have thought they'd go after nice, sturdy organs like kidneys.

Clear Skies · March 2, 2003, 11:14

Ugh...

Boris Godunov · March 2, 2003, 11:18

Starchild has now frightened me.

Combat Ingrid · March 2, 2003, 11:34

Probably only the front part of the ribcage was stolen. The cartilage connecting the ribs to the sternum is easy to cut through, giving you free access to the stuff inside.

The Mad Monk · March 2, 2003, 11:38

I was thinking it was something along those lines. Also, that if it was left behind, it would provide clues as to what specific tools were used to do it.

Combat Ingrid · March 2, 2003, 11:47

Actually, you don't really need special tools to open a chest and remove the organs. Scissors and scalpel covers most of it.
http://web2.iadfw.net/uthman/autopsy_tools.html

Starchild · March 2, 2003, 11:47

Gimme a hacksaw, scissors, and a decently sharp knife and I could probably do the job to a reasonable degree. Identifying the tools is probably easy. Tracking them down in a city like philly? Hard. I mean, Albert Speer probably has a dozen knives that could do this job in his kitchen.

Stuie · March 2, 2003, 11:58

They've identified the man but are withholding the info pending notification of his family. No word whether he was homeless or not.

JohnT · March 2, 2003, 12:51

Given how fragile organs are after removal, it is more likely that the man was eviscerated as either:

1. Part of some bizarre religious rite.

2. Part of some bizarre psychosis.

Urban Ranger · March 2, 2003, 13:11

Quote:

Originally posted by Starchild
You don't notice the mess cause the mess wasn't created there. Play Iron Chef with the gooey bits somewhere else in town and then dump the body a little ways off. I mean, face down with no obvious signs of Dr. Mengle's dastardly doings except when the corpse is flipped over points to it being sliced and diced elsewhere.

That's possible, but they wouldn't have left a rope around the body's neck if that's the case, no?

Dis · March 2, 2003, 13:58

loinburger · March 2, 2003, 14:03

Quote:

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
How could somebody not notice the mess was what I was trying to say.

Maybe the corpse was covered by a blanket or large coat or something. Turn it over, and Whoah nelly!

Lawrence of Arabia · March 2, 2003, 14:31

NY Post?

is there an article on any other major non tabloid websites?

Az · March 2, 2003, 14:48

They just don't want you to see the Truth, Lawrence.

But NY Post is the real deal. It's a newspaper that is not afraid to bring the truth. There is a reason why it is considered one of the more respected newspapers in the US.

JohnT · March 2, 2003, 16:57

Quote:

Originally posted by Lawrence of Arabia
NY Post?

is there an article on any other major non tabloid websites?

Here is one from the local Philly newspaper. Do note the lack of sensationalism.

JohnT · March 2, 2003, 16:58

Quote:

Originally posted by Azazel
They just don't want you to see the Truth, Lawrence.

But NY Post is the real deal. It's a newspaper that is not afraid to bring the truth. There is a reason why it is considered one of the more respected newspapers in the US.

It is? That's news to me... hell, the USA Today is more respected over here than the NY Post.

The Mad Monk · March 2, 2003, 19:13

The NY Post may be 'less respected', but try not to confuse it with the National Enquirer.

Lawrence of Arabia · March 2, 2003, 19:22

or the SF examiner