TV host’s bones center of grisly plot - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Brewmaniac · 12-22-2005, 11:00 AM

This is really sick & twisted! They should go to prison for a Long Time!

TV host Alistair Cooke's bones allegedly stolen
Thieves sold venerable broadcaster's body parts for $7,000, report says
MSNBC
Updated: 12:23 p.m. ET Dec. 22, 2005

NEW YORK - A ghoulish ring of body part thieves stole the bones of Alistair Cooke, the late host of the PBS series “Masterpiece Theater,” and sold them for more than $7,000 to two tissue processing companies for eventual use in transplant procedures, it was reported Thursday.

The New York Daily News, quoting sources familiar with the case, said the body snatchers struck shortly after the broadcaster, journalist and actor died on March 30, 2004, of lung cancer that spread to his bones.

Without permission from family members, the thieves surgically carved out the 95-year-old’s diseased bones just before his remains were cremated, the newspaper said.

It identified the alleged ringleader of the body parts gang as Michael Mastromarino, who ran Biomedical Tissue Services Ltd., which sold body parts, including bone, skin and cardiac valves, to tissue processing companies.

Cooke’s bones were sold to Regeneration Technologies, Inc. of Alachua, Fla., and Tutogen Medical Inc. of Paterson, N.J., the Daily News reported. It said Cooke’s bones could have been used for dental implants or numerous orthopedic procedures, including dowels for damaged spines.

Cooke's friends and family were said to be outraged by the theft.

"I hope those guys burn in hell for what they did," the Daily News quoted longtime Cooke family attorney David Grossberg as saying.

The use of cancerous bone for transplant procedures would be a violation of Food and Drug Administration regulations and the use of body parts from the aged also is against transplant protocol, the newspaper said.

It quoted sources as saying that Mastromarino allegedly changed Cooke’s cause of death to a heart attack and changed his age from 95 to 85 in paperwork given to the two processing companies.

It said Mastromarino and former partner Joseph Nicelli, an embalmer, are being investigated by the Brooklyn district attorney’s office.
© 2005 MSNBC Interactive

© 2005 MSNBC.com

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10574333/

flamingdog · 12-22-2005, 11:07 AM

Fucking... hell.

That's crazy. I mean, seriously, batshit crazy. Are you sure that's for real?

abaya · 12-22-2005, 11:09 AM

Umm.. WHY?

Willravel · 12-22-2005, 11:10 AM

That's it! I'm getting creamated or shot into the sun!!!

EDIT: I'll schedule it to happen with armed guards not 15 minutes after my death. Man, this dying thing is getting expensive.

xepherys · 12-22-2005, 11:21 AM

He DID get cremated... they stole them before he did. sad...

flamingdog · 12-22-2005, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willravel

That's it! I'm getting creamated or shot into the sun!!!

Not a guarantee of anything, unfortunately:

Quote:

Without permission from family members, the thieves surgically carved out the 95-year-old’s diseased bones just before his remains were cremated, the newspaper said.

Edit: Foiled! Curses!

Carno · 12-22-2005, 11:30 AM

Hahaha... man that's gross.

Poppinjay · 12-22-2005, 12:31 PM

dem bones dem bones, dem literate bones.

viejo gringo · 12-24-2005, 12:51 PM

---he's not complaining.

Frowning Budah · 12-25-2005, 04:29 PM

Just go to show, nothing too ghoulish that people won't try to make money off it. My wife is always very suspicious of funeral homes so I am sure she will make sure my remains are disposed of properly.

12-22-2005, 11:00 AM	#1 (permalink)
Brewmaniac Searching for the perfect brew!	TV host’s bones center of grisly plot This is really sick & twisted! They should go to prison for a Long Time! TV host Alistair Cooke's bones allegedly stolen Thieves sold venerable broadcaster's body parts for $7,000, report says MSNBC Updated: 12:23 p.m. ET Dec. 22, 2005 NEW YORK - A ghoulish ring of body part thieves stole the bones of Alistair Cooke, the late host of the PBS series “Masterpiece Theater,” and sold them for more than $7,000 to two tissue processing companies for eventual use in transplant procedures, it was reported Thursday. The New York Daily News, quoting sources familiar with the case, said the body snatchers struck shortly after the broadcaster, journalist and actor died on March 30, 2004, of lung cancer that spread to his bones. Without permission from family members, the thieves surgically carved out the 95-year-old’s diseased bones just before his remains were cremated, the newspaper said. It identified the alleged ringleader of the body parts gang as Michael Mastromarino, who ran Biomedical Tissue Services Ltd., which sold body parts, including bone, skin and cardiac valves, to tissue processing companies. Cooke’s bones were sold to Regeneration Technologies, Inc. of Alachua, Fla., and Tutogen Medical Inc. of Paterson, N.J., the Daily News reported. It said Cooke’s bones could have been used for dental implants or numerous orthopedic procedures, including dowels for damaged spines. Cooke's friends and family were said to be outraged by the theft. "I hope those guys burn in hell for what they did," the Daily News quoted longtime Cooke family attorney David Grossberg as saying. The use of cancerous bone for transplant procedures would be a violation of Food and Drug Administration regulations and the use of body parts from the aged also is against transplant protocol, the newspaper said. It quoted sources as saying that Mastromarino allegedly changed Cooke’s cause of death to a heart attack and changed his age from 95 to 85 in paperwork given to the two processing companies. It said Mastromarino and former partner Joseph Nicelli, an embalmer, are being investigated by the Brooklyn district attorney’s office. © 2005 MSNBC Interactive © 2005 MSNBC.com URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10574333/ __________________ "That's a joke... I say, that's a joke, son"

12-22-2005, 11:09 AM	#3 (permalink)
abaya Location: Iceland	Umm.. WHY? __________________ And think not you can direct the course of Love; for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. --Khalil Gibran

12-22-2005, 11:10 AM	#4 (permalink)
Willravel ... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.	That's it! I'm getting creamated or shot into the sun!!! EDIT: I'll schedule it to happen with armed guards not 15 minutes after my death. Man, this dying thing is getting expensive. Last edited by Willravel; 12-22-2005 at 12:41 PM..

12-22-2005, 11:30 AM	#7 (permalink)
Carno Junkie	Hahaha... man that's gross. __________________ http://how-to-spell-ridiculous.com/

12-22-2005, 12:31 PM	#8 (permalink)
Poppinjay You had me at hello Location: DC/Coastal VA	dem bones dem bones, dem literate bones. __________________ I think the Apocalypse is happening all around us. We go on eating desserts and watching TV. I know I do. I wish we were more capable of sustained passion and sustained resistance. We should be screaming and what we do is gossip. -Lydia Millet

12-22-2005, 11:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
flamingdog Still fighting it.	Fucking... hell. That's crazy. I mean, seriously, batshit crazy. Are you sure that's for real?

12-22-2005, 11:21 AM	#5 (permalink)
xepherys <3 TFP Location: 17TLH2445607250	He DID get cremated... they stole them before he did. sad...

12-24-2005, 12:51 PM	#9 (permalink)
viejo gringo Registered User Location: Deep South Texas	---he's not complaining.

12-25-2005, 04:29 PM	#10 (permalink)
Frowning Budah Slave of Fear	Just go to show, nothing too ghoulish that people won't try to make money off it. My wife is always very suspicious of funeral homes so I am sure she will make sure my remains are disposed of properly.