Connect with us

True Crime

Family Funeral Home Illegally Sold Bodies

Published

on

In a twist on modern day grave robbery, a mother and daughter team have sold hundreds of bodies from their funeral home. Instead of receiving the cremated remains of loved ones, families have been given the cremains of strangers, and even foreign filler material.

The mother-daughter ran scam has been going on for nearly 10 years out of their funeral home in Montrose, Colorado.

The Sunset Mesa Funeral Home opened its doors in 2009 by mother and daughter Megan Hess and Shirley Koch. That year they began a non profit donor service out of the funeral home. However, families were not aware the bodies of their loved ones were being sold illegally from the funeral home.

Those who purchased these bodies included those in the medical field, educators, and scientists.

To make the situation even more grisly, entire bodies were not always what were in demand. Instead. limbs were the products the buyers were interested in, so Hess and Koch provided body parts that were requested from their buyers.

Heads, torsos, legs, arms, everything had a price tag to these women. They even extracted the gold teeth from the bodies and used the money to take their family to Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

According to the indictment, the selling of bodies and body parts were so lucrative that the mother and daughter team were able to offer lower costs for their services than their competitors. The low prices for the customers and high prices for the bodies made for a highly lucrative rotating door for Sunset Mesa.

As dishonest and heinous this criminal enterprise proved to be, it was also a lucrative one. Authorities claimed these two women made hundreds of thousands of dollars conducting their macabre activities.

While the women are each faced with 135 years behind bars, many families don’t feel this is enough to rectify not knowing where the bodies of their loved ones are.

Nastassja Olson, a client of the funeral home, trusted the women with her mother after her death. Olson noted she was initially creeped out by Hess, and her suspicions grew when she and her family were not allowed to be alone with her mother’s body. The final nail in the coffin came when Olson went through her mother’s cremains and found things that had no place in being there.

“I found a bunch of stuff in the ashes that just seemed like it shouldn’t really be there. A bunch of weird metal pieces – almost looked like metal tacks and screws.”

Connie Hanson, a previous customer of the funeral home, found the same type of materials when reviewing the cremains of her son Fredrick “Rick” Hanson as revealed in the picture below.

When asked for her opinion on the verdict for the mother and daughter con artists, Olson replied;

I think it will bring me some closure knowing that she isn’t allowed to do this anymore and there’s some justice out there. She gets to suffer. She gets to suffer in prison for a long time.”

Unfortunately the black market has a high demand for bodies and body parts, and as long as the demand is there people will continue to find ways to provide for profit.

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Trailers

Hulu Unveils Riveting Trailer for True Crime Series “Under the Bridge”

Published

on

Under the Bridge

Hulu has just released a gripping trailer for its latest true crime series, “Under the Bridge,” drawing viewers into a haunting narrative that promises to explore the dark corners of a real-life tragedy. The series, which premieres on April 17th with the first two of its eight episodes, is based on the best-selling book by the late Rebecca Godfrey, providing a detailed account of the 1997 murder of fourteen-year-old Reena Virk near Victoria, British Columbia.

Riley Keough (left) and Lily Gladstone in “Under the Bridge”. 

Starring Riley Keough, Lily Gladstone, and Vritika Gupta, “Under the Bridge” brings to life the chilling story of Virk, who disappeared after attending a party with friends, never to return home. Through the investigative lens of author Rebecca Godfrey, played by Keough, and a dedicated local police officer portrayed by Gladstone, the series delves into the hidden lives of the young girls accused of Virk’s murder, uncovering shocking revelations about the true perpetrator behind this heinous act. The trailer offers a first look at the series’ atmospheric tension, showcasing the exceptional performances of its cast. Watch the trailer below:

Under the Bridge Official Trailer

Rebecca Godfrey, who passed away in October 2022, is credited as an executive producer, having worked closely with Shephard for over two years to bring this complex story to television. Their partnership aimed to honor Virk’s memory by casting a light on the circumstances that led to her untimely death, offering insight into the societal and personal dynamics at play.

“Under the Bridge” looks to stand out as a compelling addition to the true crime genre with this gripping story. As Hulu prepares to release the series, audiences are invited to brace themselves for a deeply moving and thought-provoking journey into one of Canada’s most notorious crimes.

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

True Crime

Real-Life Horror in Pennsylvania: ‘Scream’ Costume-Clad Killer Strikes in Lehighton

Published

on

true crime scream killer

In a horrifying echo of the chilling killers depicted in the ‘Scream’ movie series, a Pennsylvania community was rocked by a gruesome murder. The assailant, donning the franchise’s iconic mask and cloak, wielded a black Reapr fixed-blade knife. Zak Russel Moyer, 30, carried out a nightmarish attack on his neighbor, Edward Whitehead Jr., in the small Carbon County town of Lehighton. Moyer’s assault was particularly brutal, employing not only a knife but also a small chainsaw, ultimately resulting in Whitehead’s death.

Zak Russel Moyer

Armed with a small battery-powered chainsaw and a black Reapr fixed-blade knife, Moyer had initially gone to Whitehead’s house next-door ‘for the purpose of scaring him’. However, the situation escalated fatally when he inflicted a stab wound to Whitehead’s head. The incident prompted an immediate response from local law enforcement, aided by Pennsylvania State Police, following a distress call about an active assault in progress within the 200 block of Carbon Street.

Surveillance footage captured a male figure, later identified as Moyer, emerging from the rear of Whitehead’s home. The figure’s attire was notably consistent with the “Scream” movie character, adding a surreal layer to the already grim event. Whitehead was swiftly transported to St. Luke’s Hospital-Carbon Campus but was pronounced dead, having suffered multiple wounds including a significant head injury and cuts indicative of a desperate defense.

Location of attack

In the aftermath, police quickly zeroed in on Moyer, found in a residence nearby. His apprehension followed bizarre communications with the police, where he levied accusations against Whitehead. Previous statements to his sister revealed Moyer’s harbored intentions to kill Whitehead, shedding light on a premeditated malice.

As the community grapples with this real-life horror, authorities have secured the weapons and the “Scream” costume, underscoring the chilling premeditation of Moyer’s actions. He now faces homicide charges, with a preliminary hearing set to determine the progression of his trial.

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

Movies

Netflix to Release Duplass Brothers’ True-Crime Doc ‘American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders’

Published

on

The Octopus Murder Documentary

A strange organization known as “The Octopus” is getting the Netflix true-crime treatment. The streaming service has ordered the documentary called American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders which explores this alleged real crime conglomerate.

Brothers Jay (left) and Mark Duplass have been making films together since they were kids.

Even more interesting is that Duplass Brothers Productions and Stardust Frames will be bankrolling the project. The Duplass Brothers consist of Mark and Jay and they have produced movies such as Bad Milo (2013), Tangerine (2015), and of course the cult horror favorite Creep (2015). Creep 2 (2017) was produced by Netflix and Blumhouse.

Danny Casolaro
Journalist Danny Casolaro

According to Deadline, American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders starts with the discovery of a dead journalist, Danny Casolaro (pictured above), from an apparent suicide. But his family isn’t convinced. They think it was a result of Casolaro’s investigative reporting on a secret crime organization known as “The Octopus.” He believed that they were behind multiple murders, high-tech spy software thievery, and political scandals.

Enter researcher Christian Hansen who is determined to get to the bottom of Casolaro’s death and expose “The Octopus” and its far-reaching arms.

“Six years ago we got to work side by side with the brilliant Way Brothers on Wild, Wild Country,” said Mark Duplass. “When we found out about the Octopus Conspiracy, and Zach and Christian’s unique perspective and unparalleled dedication to this story, we knew this was the project that would bring us back together.”

Maclain Way of Stardust Frames adds, “When Zach and Christian first told us about The Octopus Conspiracy— a story they had been investigating for years— we were enthralled by tales of stolen spy software, government cover-ups, and the parallels with a journalist who died under suspicious circumstances digging into this story.  With our partners Netflix and Duplass Brothers Productions, we can’t wait for audiences to submerge themselves into the mysterious world of The Octopus.”

This will be a four-part series scheduled to air on February 28.

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

Embed Gif with Clickable Title