Grisly Evidence Expected In Grosse Pointe​ Cadaver Case

Grosse Pointe Park cadaver dealer Arthur Rathburn’s trial began this morning in U.S. District Court in Detroit. Rathbun stands accused of 12 counts relating to his body-parts rental business, which catered primarily to medical schools and researchers. The charges against Rathbun include wire fraud, transportation of hazardous material and making false statements. Rathbun was arrested in 2016 after investigators allege he sold infected cadavers (whole or in parts) and lied to family members about what happened to their loved ones’ remains.

Representing the U.S. Attorney’s Office, prosecutor John Neal said in his opening statement that Rathbun acted knowingly, hiding information from clients. Neal said witnesses will include Rathbun’s ex-wife and customers, and that jurors will see grisly photographs depicting what became of remains entrusted to Rathbun. "A number of the photographs... are gruesome," Neal said.

According to the Detroit Free Press, prosecutors say power tools were used on bodies, as were crowbars, to separate frozen cadaver parts from one another.

Read full coverage of this story in the Detroit Free Press.

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