James David Russell, 39, was arrested for the murder of David Flaget, 70, after Flaget’s remains were found upside down in the passenger seat of his car outside Russell’s home in Clark Fort, Idaho. On further investigation, police found that parts of Flaget’s body were missing, and on searching Russell’s house discovered a bloodstained microwave, glass bowl and knife, as well as what they describe as “a thermal artefact” – a body part to which heat has been applied. They also found “a cleanup kit” used to dispose of remains and evidence, but did not find all the missing remains. As a result, prosecutors added the charge of cannibalism to that of murder, the first time that it has been used in the state. On being questioned, Russell admitted eating some of Flaget’s remains, saying that he believed he could “heal himself by cutting off portions of flesh” in order to “cure his
