Courtesy New Nation News.
Corpse Thefts Linked To Occult Ritual
Two Teenage Brothers Arrested, Charged In Incident
PHILADELPHIA - The discovery of human remains in a trash-strewn lot leads to charges against two teenagers accused of taking them from a local cemetery crypt.
Detectives believe the remains were about to be sold to be used in an occult ritual.
Those two teenage brothers are charged with grave desecration, criminal conspiracy, abuse of corpse and criminal mischief. Police say this bizarre incident was tied to the occult and the black market sale of human remains, reported Fox 29's Dave Schratwieser.
When detectives came to the locked, trash-strewn lot in the 100 block of East Lippincott Street Tuesday, they made a gruesome discovery.
“A duffel bag with human remains, bones, along with three skulls,” says Captain Len Ditchkofsky of Philadelphia’s East Detective Division.
Further investigation lead police to 19-year-old
Hector Cruz and his 17-year-old brother who live on the same block.
Police say the two boys got into the 15-foot deep underground crypt at the North Cedar Hill Cemetery off Frankford Avenue and took the remains from four bodies.
“It's an entire family. It's disturbing to see. The one individual actually entered the crypt and handed the remains out,” says Captain Ditchkofsky.
Captain Ditchkofsky says one of the brothers is involved in the occult, specifically
"Santeria.” He says the boys apparently planned to sell the skulls and bones to a still unidentified third suspect.
“There is a market out there for human skulls and bones. The skulls are said to bring as much as $800 a piece,” says Ditchkofsky.
In fact, there are websites that advertise and market human skulls and remains that are obtained legally.
“This is the fourth incident since I've been here so it doesn't shock me anymore. The sad part is nothing shocks me anymore," says Captain Ditchkofsky.
Authorities say the remains belonged to a two-month-old, a 62-year-old, an 81 and 82-year-old. The last burial in the crypt was back in 1921. Cemetery keepers told police that family members haven't visited the crypt in years.
“You think there's a place you can go and be in peace and that didn't happen here," says Ditchkofsky.
Family members of the suspects refused to comment as did cemetery employees.
Detectives hope forensic experts can complete their investigation by the end of the week so the remains can be reinterred at the cemetery. The family crypt was covered with a 2-ton stone.
http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/..._Human_Remains