James Nott, a resident of Kentucky, was visited by FBI agents on Tuesday with a search warrant. When asked if there was anyone else in the house, Nott responded, “Only my dead friends,” according to the FBI. The agents discovered 40 human skulls and other remains decorating Nott’s house, tying him to a network of individuals involved in the illegal buying and selling of human body parts. This network allegedly includes the director of Harvard Medical School’s morgue, who has been accused of stealing body parts from cadavers. The skulls were scattered throughout Nott’s house, with one having a scarf wrapped around it and another found on the mattress where he slept. Additionally, the agents found spinal cords, femurs, hip bones, and a bag from Harvard Medical School. Nott has not been charged with any crimes related to the human remains, but he does face a federal charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
In 2011, Nott pleaded guilty to possession of an unregistered destructive device after being found with detonating cord, ignition devices, timed fuses, and other materials that could be used to assemble a destructive device.
CNN reached out to Nott’s court-appointed attorney, Aaron Dyke, for comments but has not received a response.
This investigation began last summer when the East Pennsboro Police Department in Pennsylvania received a tip about possible human remains at the house of a man named Jeremy Pauley. Upon searching Pauley’s house in Enola, Pennsylvania, the agents found organs, skin, and other human remains. During the FBI investigation, Pauley mentioned a network of individuals involved in the illegal buying and selling of stolen body parts. One of those individuals was Cedric Lodge, an employee at Harvard Medical School’s morgue, who allegedly stole body parts from cadavers to sell them online. Lodge was fired in May and currently faces federal charges for stealing, selling, and shipping body parts.
Through Facebook messages, officials connected Nott to Pauley and the network of individuals involved in the illegal trade of body parts. Nott used a Facebook account under the username “William Burke” to post human remains for sale in June. He even sent Pauley pictures of skulls for sale last summer.
William Burke was a serial killer active in Edinburgh between 1827 and 1828, along with his partner William Hare. Burke and Hare sold the bodies of their victims to Dr. Robert Knox, an influential professor in the Anatomy Department at the University of Edinburgh.
Pauley was charged last month with offenses related to the interstate transportation of stolen goods and conspiracy. He is expected to plead guilty, according to WGAL, a CNN affiliate. CNN has reached out to Pauley’s attorney for comments but has not received a response.
During the search of Nott’s house in Mount Washington, Kentucky, authorities also found multiple weapons, including an AK-47 rifle.
“It’s shocking. You never know who your neighbor is,” said Caroline Branum, a neighbor living across the street from Nott, to CNN affiliate WLKY.
Nott is currently being held without bail, and his appearance in court is scheduled for August 4th.
— Jessica Xing and Laura Ly, CNN contributors.
In summary, FBI agents found 40 human skulls and other remains decorating James Nott’s house in Kentucky. This discovery has linked Nott to a network involved in the illegal buying and selling of human body parts, including the director of Harvard Medical School’s morgue. Nott himself has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The investigation began with a tip about possible human remains at Jeremy Pauley’s house in Pennsylvania, which led to the uncovering of a network involved in the illegal trade of body parts. Cedric Lodge, an employee at Harvard Medical School’s morgue, was also implicated in the theft and sale of body parts. Nott was connected to Pauley and the network through Facebook messages where he posted human remains for sale. He is currently held without bail and is scheduled to appear in court on August 4th.
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