A hospital worker in Hungary has become the focus of a disturbing police investigation after officers allegedly discovered preserved human body parts at both his workplace and his home.
The investigation began after authorities received information suggesting the 30-year-old, from Budapest, had been storing human remains. What followed uncovered a collection that has shocked the country and prompted an ongoing forensic investigation.
On 17 June, police searched the suspect's flat in Budapest's 2nd District, where they reportedly found preserved skulls, bones, facial skin, a human brain, a hand, a lower leg and a heart stored inside a glass jar.
According to Hungarian authorities, forensic experts are still working to determine whether the heart is human or animal in origin.
Officers also seized computers, mobile phones, tablets and other digital storage devices, which are now undergoing forensic examination as part of the investigation.
According to Hungarian newspaper Blikk, the suspect told investigators he had long been fascinated by human anatomy and body parts.
During questioning, he allegedly claimed he had previously eaten a raw heart, which he said had come from a medical clinic in rural Hungary. Authorities have not publicly confirmed the origin of the organ, and the claim remains part of the ongoing investigation.
Police also believe the man regularly dissected animals and had a longstanding interest in pathology and anatomy.
Investigators are examining how the suspect may have obtained the remains.
Police suspect some body parts could have been acquired during his previous work in healthcare, while others may have originated from abandoned cemeteries in Hungary and neighbouring Slovakia. However, authorities have stressed that the investigation is ongoing and the origins of the remains have not yet been established.
According to reports, the suspect also photographed parts of his collection and openly discussed his unusual interests with people around him.
The man was arrested on suspicion of the unlawful use of a human body under Hungarian law. Although he was initially remanded in custody, a court later ordered his release under criminal supervision rather than pre-trial detention.
According to Blikk, he is now staying at his mother's home in eastern Hungary while wearing an electronic monitoring tag and is not permitted to leave the property without official authorisation.
Police also searched another abandoned family property, where additional human remains were reportedly recovered.
The case has unsettled residents in the local community. Local officials have urged people to remain calm, explaining that authorities would be immediately alerted if the suspect attempted to leave the property in breach of his supervision order.