Body Parts Scandal—DNA Becomes Critical

Jane Flasch (Rochester, N.Y.) - Rochester families who are part of a growing body-parts theft ring have been told that some of the stolen body parts may have been located.

When Brooklyn prosecutors raided the Brighton office of Biomedical Tissue services last year, the coolers used to transport body parts were found to be empty.

But authorities had been onto Michael Mastromarino and his alleged scheme for some time.

Many of the tissues and body parts taken from victims hadn't made it all the way through the pipeline to tissue banks.

“Joe,” Son of Alleged Victim

"Joe" (not his real name) has provided key information to officials investigating the cases in Brooklyn and in Rochester.

His 78-year-old father was one of the first local victims traced to a forged consent form.

Joe said, "Permission was given for bones and skin, so we can only assume they skinned him like an animal and stole his bones and parted him out to God-knows-who."

Prosecutors won't discuss their evidence publicly, but sources confirm they've recovered undistributed body parts and tissues that could be key to connecting the chain of events.

In Brooklyn, X-rays of exhumed bodies provided key evidence. Most of the bodies in the Rochester cases were cremated.

The discovery of an inventory of tissues and other body parts allows investigators to use forensic tests to prove their claims.

Joe said, "They're now asking us for DNA samples so they can match the families to the parts they have in different places…I doubt if we'll ever get all of him back."

Families have been asked to submit hair brushes or tooth brushes from their loved ones for potential DNA matches. If those items aren't available they will use the DNA of family members to try to make a reasonable match.

Monroe County District Attorney Mike Green said the crime lab was a key component in this investigation, but he would not talk about specific evidence.

There are up to 70 victims. Separate DNA matches would have to be made for each item taken from each victim, which could be hundreds of matches.