The evidence is building in the trial of Detroit cadaver dealer Arthur Rathburn.
His now ex-wife Elizabeth Rathburn and another dealer, Stephen Gore from Phoenix both testified against him. Both took plea deals and are testifying for federal prosecutors.
Elizabeth told the jury she divorced her husband in 2015 after they were busted and charged. She testified she only helped in the business with some records and she knew their business was bad but not sure if it was illegal.
She said Art made all the decisions and deals in the business.
The defense got the ex to admit she was facing up to 20 years in prison and could not walk with no prison time.
Stephen Gore owned The Biological Resource Center in Phoenix before it was raided and shut down in 2015.
He testified he had taken in 5,000 donated bodies and sold them over 10 years. He sold one to Rathburn that was infected with HIV and Hepatitis at a discounted price of $3,300 because that’s what Rathburn wanted.
Gore also testified he once visited Rathburn’s operation in a Detroit warehouse and “It brought tears to my eyes. I’ve been doing this a long time. It breaks my heart.”
The feds raided Rathburn in December of 2013 and found body parts of more than a thousand different people, cut up with a chain saw and stored on ice - not embalmed - so they could be sold or rented for doctors and dentists to practice procedures.
Gore pleaded guilty to an Arizona state charge of running an illegal business, no prison time, 4 years probation and restitution to the families he duped.
The trial could go two more weeks. If convicted, Rathburn could face 20 years in prison.
