Strange Finding in Halas Autopsy: All Internal Organs Had Been Removed

Almost all internal organs had been removed from the body of George Halas Jr. after his death, making it difficult to detect the possible presence of either poison or drugs, a court document submitted by a pathologist said Friday.

The statement that the organs were missing from the body of the only son of Chicago Bears founder George Halas came in a deposition filed by Dr. Michael M. Baden, a forensic pathologist and former New York City chief medical examiner.

Baden performed an autopsy last month on the disinterred remains of Halas Jr., whose death Dec. 16, 1979, was ascribed to a massive heart attack. The disinterment and second autopsy were performed at the request of Halas Jr.’s former wife, Therese, and her two children, who said they had lingering doubts about the cause of his death.

Baden said the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, spleen, gall bladder, testes and spinal cord had been removed from the body and replaced with sawdust.

“Such complete removal and disposal of organs is most unusual and a cause for concern,” Baden said in his deposition.

“The absence of the internal organs markedly diminishes the ability at this time to find drugs or poisons that might have been present at the time of death.”