Tissue donation business scheme: Owner of Biological Resource Center takes deal

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - When state investigators and the Federal Bureau of Investigation raided the Biological Resource Center in January of 2014, families were just beginning to discover what may have happened to their loved ones.

"We were trying to do a good thing and help medical school students and help people learn, make the tragedy not quite as bad, instead who knows who is doing what with my brother," said Jennifer Caines.

Jennifer donated her brother Tim's body to the center after his 2012 death. They were eventually given ashes back from the center, but after hearing all the things the center is accused of, they have painful questions.

"We keep telling ourselves that hopefully a part of him did something good for somebody, but we don't know, we just don't know, and we don't know if the person who are going to be burying or scattering his ashes is who they say he is," said Jennifer.

In the letter sent to families, the Arizona Attorney General's Office says Stephen Gore, the owner, agreed to plead guilty to a class three felony after investigators determined that vendors were provided with contaminated human tissue, or tissue that was used in a way against the donor's wishes. This relative feels the punishment may not be harsh enough.

"It has got to be more severe than that, something has got to be done to stop this from starting up somewhere else," said Jennifer.

The AG's office also told families that remains recovered from the facility have been kept in storage, and will be returned to the relatives.