How a clump of moss helped convict grave robbers in Illinois
The Guardian World
by Ian Sample Science editorMarch 5, 2026
Four cemetery workers dug up and moved more than 100 bodies to resell the burial plots nearly 20 years ago
It was a particularly heinous crime. Four workers at a cemetery near Chicago dug up more than 100 bodies and dumped the remains elsewhere in the grounds, in order to resell the burial plots for profit.
Now, nearly two decades after the scandal broke at Burr Oak cemetery in Alsip, Illinois, scientists have released details of how a tiny clump of moss became crucial forensic evidence that helped convict the grave robbers.
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Originally published on The Guardian World on 3/5/2026