A 30-year-old man has been arrested in Budapest, Hungary, on suspicion of stealing human body parts from a hospital and cemeteries with the intention of cooking and eating them. The suspect, who worked as an orderly at the hospital, allegedly admitted to police that he had an 'irresistible obsession' with human remains.
Grisly Discovery at Home
Police launched an investigation after receiving a tip that a hospital employee was storing human remains at his home in one of Budapest's wealthiest neighborhoods. During a search of the property, authorities discovered a human face, facial skin, bones, the remains of a leg, a hand, skulls, and a heart inside a preserving jar. The heart is still being analyzed to determine whether it is human or animal.
Officers also found a preserved and assembled human skin mask, multiple human skulls covered in moss and soil, and other bones stored in a suitcase. The suspect reportedly spoke openly about his grisly collection with friends and family.
Admission and Investigation
The man allegedly told police that he obtained remains from abandoned cemeteries in Hungary and neighboring Slovakia. He reportedly used the body parts to prepare and eat various dishes. Authorities seized his vehicle, computer, tablets, mobile phones, and SIM and data cards as part of the investigation.
DNA testing is currently being conducted to determine the origins of the remains. Police added that the range of alleged crimes could expand after the origin of all body parts is determined. In their statement, police said the man is 'passionate about anatomy and pathology, and likes to dissect animals.'
Broader Context of Cannibalism Cases
The case comes after a convicted killer who bragged about eating parts of his victim with a bowl of pasta was denied parole for the ninth time. David Harker, 51, killed mother-of-four Julie Paterson, 32, in Darlington in 1998. To this day only some of her remains have been found.
Harker is currently serving a life sentence after pleading guilty to manslaughter on diminished responsibility grounds. He told friends and a psychiatrist that he fried part of Paterson's thigh before eating it with pasta and cheese after killing her. Harker was 24 when he was sentenced in 1999, after psychiatrists agreed he had a severe psychopathic disorder which meant he could not be found guilty of murder.
The Parole Board said the law required Harker's case to be assessed regularly, and a report found that his recent behavior in custody had 'significantly improved', with no disciplinary findings since 2015. Nevertheless, the Parole Board concluded it was still not considered safe to allow him to be released or to be transferred, based on the continuing need to protect the public.
