Authorities in Thailand have asked for the help of the U.S. and Interpol to arrest two Americans who are accused of trying to mail body parts of infants and three adults to the United States. The two men accused of this disgusting crime may not come as much of a surprise to some people already familiar with their names: Ryan Edward McPherson, 31 (aka “Ryen McPherson”) and Daniel Tanner, 33. The two are producers of the infamous “Bumfights” video series where they paid homeless men small amounts of money to fight each other and have “Bumfights” tattooed on their foreheads. They reportedly made millions of the films. In this case, they are accused of buying such items as an infant’s head with its scalp sliced off as a fun gift to take home. The humor may be lost on McPherson and Tanner if they find themselves entertaining in a Thai prison. It expect they are two exports that most officials would gladly like to send to Thailand for good.
Thai officials say that McPherson insisted that he had purchased the body parts–which included an infant’s head with its scalp sliced off, an infant’s foot sliced into three pieces, two pieces of tattooed human skin and one human heart stabbed through the middle–at a night bazaar in Thonburi. He wanted the body parts as gifts for friends.
The body parts are believed to have been stolen from the medical museums of Siriraj Hospital. Notably, police say that two days before the thefts, two American men were seen touring said museums (One of the museum seems to cater to the macabre and is called “The Museum of Death”). It is not clear if the police believe that McPherson and Tanner actually stole the items or arranged for their theft. Notably, they were released by Thai police, which would indicate that they did not have evidence of a crime (a relatively low standard in Thailand).
However, officials are now saying that at a minimum they may have broken laws by mislabeling body parts as “toys” in their attempt to mail them. According to DHL, the parcels were labeled as ”Puzzle-unlimited collectors ED”, “Steamer Cap” and “Antique Train Collector E.” A person processing the items discovered the gruesome contents when he detected formaldehyde and looked inside the acrylic boxes.
The Bangkok South Criminal Court on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for the two on charges of theft and false declarations in violation of the Customs Act. The first charge would indicate that the police have found more evidence or changed their minds. That charge is a serious threat for these two who have been able to dance along the line of legality (while crossing the line of decency) for much of their notorious lives.
National police deputy chief Pol Gen Ruangsak Jritake said that the two fled to Cambodia Sunday morning. If the two are still in transit, they may find it hard to board a connector flight. Mailing baby parts is the type of crime that tends to unite people against you, including airline security officials.
McPherson and Tanner were sentenced to community service and a small fine for their “Bumfights” videos. McPherson however failed to show up for his community service and he was sentenced to 180 days in jail.
Source: LA Times
I think big head was the chopper and his slick little brother made the deals
Those ugly up close photos of these ugly chumps is too much for the blog here. Back off a bit.
Hearing about bumfights probably did more to change my stance about the death penalty than anything else. Now these sadists did this!
May they rot in a Thai prison until they die.
Wasn’t that guy on the right in “There’s Something About Mary”?
Played a PI named Nick, IIRC.
Nick Spinelli
May they rot in a Thai prison. I never heard of Bumfights and I’m worse for knowing of such depravity.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Amen
Jettexas – I beg to differ – they’re not sick – they are evil. Pure, unadulterated evil.
Bumfights were voluntary ? Where is the crime ? ……… Dead body parts ? I see they are stolen…. do Thailand police go as crazy over the theft of a container of bicycles ? As usual… “the law is an ass”
The fact that they tried to smuggle them out as toys showed they were aware they were breaking the law. They were not budding anatomists labeling their finds as “human specimens”.
Eew yuck eew yuck eew yuck yuck. I need to go wash my brain to get rid of the images.
Please, guys, emigrate somewhere else. They do not appear to value humanity at all. Oh, I know, go to Afghanistan and ask to meet the Taliban, or ISIL in Iraq. They might welcome such depravity.
Sooo, is it finally okay for us to impose our values on somebody???
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
“However, officials are now saying that at a minimum they may have broken laws by mislabeling body parts as “toys” in their attempt to mail them.”
Uhhh, I’m speechless by this sentence alone. Dear God, these guys are sick sick pups and backs up our caution on Executive Orders on Amnesty. These people from Thailand will have to learn a new level of human life and how it is important and not a commodity.
The two Americans are just nuts and I’ll bet my years salary that they were born and or raised in California!
What is WRONG with some people!? !!!
Here is a copy of the extradition treaty between the US and Thailand.
http://www.mcnabbassociates.com/Thailand%20International%20Extradition%20Treaty%20with%20the%20United%20States.pdf
The items are clearly worth owning and displaying because the hospital museum was proudly doing it and noticed the theft right away. So, the major two questions are 1) did they come by the items legally (to their minds) and 2) is there some custom law that prevents you from sending body parts.
I think the case on the theft is thin but they have them on the custom violation, assuming there is a violation.
Mmmmmm, body parts. What kind of cheese to pair them with…
They cane you for graffiti and littering there… I can’t imagine what sentence these two idiots will get.
Not the way to start the day… head back in the sand…
Too bad there was a market where these people actually profited from this. That upsets me more than these two characters.
These guys are radioactive. No US pol would touch them. That would be political malpractice.
I hope no US politician makes a point to have them removed from a Thai prison, if they do get nabbed. A Thai prison is the place for them.
May they rot in a Thai prison. I never heard of Bumfights and I’m worse for knowing of such depravity.