Ranger Discovers abandoned funeral home in Alaska — linked to dozens of MISSING tourists…
In the vast, rugged wilderness of Alaska, where the majestic Wrangell-St. Elias National Park sprawls over 13 million acres of glaciers and volcanic ridges, a dark secret lay hidden for decades. It was a secret that would come to light in the summer of 1995 when Ranger Daniel Harper stumbled upon an abandoned funeral home that would unveil one of the most horrific human trafficking operations in American history.
The Discovery
On July 7, 1995, Ranger Harper, a seasoned veteran of the park and a former Marine, began his patrol of the southeastern sector of Wrangell-St. Elias. The temperature hovered around 12°C, and the sky was clear as he set out to check the condition of the trails near the remnants of the old Copper Creek settlement. This once-thriving fishing village had dwindled to nothing more than dilapidated structures and tales of the past.
As Harper navigated the familiar paths, he noticed something unusual—a two-story building made of faded gray wood that he had never seen before. The structure stood defiantly on the northern edge of the settlement, seemingly intact despite years of abandonment. Its sign, barely legible, read “Ever North Memorial Services.” Intrigued and slightly unnerved, Harper activated his radio to report the coordinates and received permission to investigate.
Upon entering the building, Harper was immediately hit by a pungent odor—mold, decay, and the unmistakable stench of formaldehyde. The reception area appeared untouched, with dusty benches and yellowed posters advertising funeral services. However, as he ventured deeper into the facility, the atmosphere shifted from mundane to macabre.
The Horrific Findings
The work area resembled an operating room, equipped with surgical instruments and a cremation oven. But it was what lay within the large freezer chests that would haunt Harper for the rest of his life. As he opened the first freezer, a chill swept over him. Inside were twelve medical-grade containers, each filled with human organs preserved in a viscous, bluish liquid. The labels bore dates ranging from October 1987 to March 1994, marking the grim timeline of this illegal operation.
Harper’s heart raced as he examined the second and third freezers, which contained bones and severed limbs. The sheer number of body parts suggested a systematic and horrifying operation. Panic set in as he realized he was witnessing the remnants of a human organ trafficking ring. With his radio malfunctioning due to the rocky terrain, he rushed outside to contact dispatch and report his shocking discovery.
The Investigation Unfolds
By the time help arrived, Harper had already documented his findings, but the horror was only beginning to unfold. The Alaska State Police, alongside forensic experts, quickly established a crime scene at the funeral home. Over the next few days, they meticulously removed the bodies, capsules, and evidence from the building.
Forensic expert Dr. Elizabeth Coleman noted that the surgical precision of the autopsies indicated the work of someone with medical training. The incisions were clean, and the organs had been removed without unnecessary damage. This was not the work of a mere butcher; it was the chilling handiwork of a pathologist or surgeon.
As investigators delved deeper, they discovered documents in the basement that detailed a chilling network of illegal activity. Lists of names, codes, and dates pointed to a company called Polaris Bio Transport. The messages revealed transactions for human organs, including demands for “children’s material” and instructions on maintaining the correct temperature during transport to avoid decomposition.
Linking the Victims
The investigation quickly revealed that the bodies found in the funeral home were not just random victims; they were connected to a disturbing pattern of disappearances. Among the names listed in the documents were those of missing persons reported over the years—individuals who had vanished while hiking, fishing, or traveling through Alaska.
Tom Baker, a fisherman who disappeared in 1990, and Maria Davis, a hitchhiker who went missing in 1991, were just a few of the names that rang alarm bells with local authorities. The investigation revealed that 14 of the victims matched cases of missing persons reported between 1987 and 1994. Each name told a story of lives cut short, families left in anguish, and communities shaken by the unknown.
The Man Behind the Operation
As the investigation progressed, the focus shifted to the owner of the funeral home: Richard Elden Hayes. A former pathologist with a troubled past, Hayes had been fired from Anchorage Hospital after an internal investigation into his practices. He had reappeared in Alaska in 1986, purchasing the abandoned funeral home and establishing Ever North Memorial Services.
Locals recalled Hayes as a reserved man, rarely seen in town and known for his professional demeanor. However, as investigators dug deeper, they uncovered a disturbing pattern—Hayes had been taking orders from out-of-state clients, often for cremations of relatives who had died under mysterious circumstances. There were no official death certificates, no medical documentation, and Hayes claimed all paperwork had been destroyed in a fire.
When Hayes vanished in 1994, shortly after loading large containers into his van and claiming he was going on vacation, the FBI issued a warrant for his arrest. Despite extensive searches, he slipped through the cracks, leaving behind a trail of horror and unanswered questions.
The Dark Legacy
The investigation into Polaris Bio Transport and the organ trafficking operation continued for years, revealing a complex web of criminal activity that spanned the globe. The FBI discovered that the organs harvested in Alaska were sent to wealthy clients in need of transplants, often without any questions asked about their origin. This shadowy industry thrived on the desperation of patients and the indifference of corrupt medical professionals willing to operate outside the law.
By the end of 1995, 26 victims had been officially confirmed, and families received the closure they had long sought. However, eight bodies remained unidentified, buried under simple headstones marked “unknown victim.” The trial that never took place left many feeling that justice had eluded them, and the case against Hayes remained open, with Interpol placing him on their most wanted list.
The Aftermath
For Ranger Daniel Harper, the discovery changed everything. He continued to work in the park for three more years, but the memories of that day haunted him. Each abandoned building and missing tourist raised questions that he could not shake. In 1998, he resigned and moved to Colorado, seeking solace away from the dark shadows of his past.
In a later interview, Harper reflected on the fragility of civilization and how easily a person can become a commodity in a world driven by greed. He hoped that Hayes was out there, living in fear of being caught, knowing that justice could catch up with him at any moment. The story of the funeral home in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park serves as a chilling reminder that monsters can exist in the most unsuspecting places, hiding in plain sight and preying on the vulnerable.
Conclusion: A Dark Chapter in History
The abandoned funeral home and the horrors it contained remain one of the darkest chapters in Alaska’s history. The case of Richard Elden Hayes serves as a stark reminder of the depths of human depravity and the lengths to which individuals will go for profit. As the years pass, the chances of finding Hayes diminish, but the legacy of his crimes continues to haunt the families of the victims and the community at large.
The investigation may have closed, but the implications of this gruesome discovery linger on, a testament to the shadows that can lurk behind the facade of normalcy. In a world where the line between life and death can be so easily blurred, the story of the Ever North Memorial Services remains a chilling reminder of the darkness that exists just beneath the surface.
