Police say they found human remains inside a Central Florida home that belonged to a retired college research professor with some of the items dating back nearly half a century.
NBC affiliate WTLV-TV reports that officers were at the home in Gainesville this week after an inspector doing a repair estimate found at least six jars in a crawl space containing items such as tongues and thyroid tissues.
Police say the items were gathered by Dr. Ronald Baughman, who worked as a forensic odontological expert in the University of Florida’ College of Dentistry.
Baughman told the station he had planned to do research on thyroid problems and gathered the samples from various other states before arriving in Florida.
“In the modern-day, these specimens are heavily regulated…back in the ’60s and '70s those protocols probably were not as strict,” Gainesville Police spokesperson Jorge Campos said.
Baughman said he forgot about the items when he moved out. His ex-wife still owns the home and told police about his career when the investigation began.
Officials from the Medical Examiner’s office will verify the ages of the items, but Campos said it does not appear at the moment that any criminal charges will be filed.
