Florida women arrested for selling human remains on Facebook Marketplace: Police
The owners of a Florida curio shop have been arrested for selling human remains on Facebook Marketplace, according to the Orange City Police Department.
Kymberlee Schopper, 52, and Ashley Lelesi were arrested and charged with the purchase or sale of human organs and tissue, according to court records.
"This is something I haven't seen in the 17 years that I've worked for this agency," Orange City Police Department Capt. Sherif El-Shami told ABC News. Orange City is located about a half hour north of Orlando.
Police began looking into Schopper's store, Wicked Wonderland, back in December 2023, when they received a tip regarding a business within the city "attempting to sell human bones," according to the charge affidavit.
The tip included images from the store's Facebook page, which "advertised various human bones for sale, complete with pricing information," the affidavit said.
Schopper's store was allegedly selling two human skull fragments for $90, a human clavicle and scapula for $90, a human rib for $35, a human vertebrae for $35 and a partial human skull for $600, the affidavit said.
Police spoke to Lelesi, the co-owner of Wicked Wonderland, who said the store had been selling human bones for "several years and was unaware that it was prohibited in the state of Florida," the affidavit said.
She confirmed to authorities that the store featured "multiple bone fragments, all purchased from private sellers," the affidavit said. Lelesi said she had documentation for these transactions, but "could not provide it at that moment," the affidavit said.
Schopper and Lelesi later met with police, where Schopper showed documentation from PayPal, but she had "redacted certain information to protect their privacy," the affidavit said.
Schopper told police the bones were "indeed educational models" and that a warrant would be required if further information was needed, the affidavit said.
Police submitted five pieces of human bones from Wicked Wonderland as evidence, with the Volusia County Medical Examiner's Office finding that the fragments "likely represent two different individuals -- one of possible archaeological origin and the other of anatomical origin," according to the affidavit.
Schopper was taken into custody on Thursday and was released on a bail of $7,500 on Friday, according to court records. It is not immediately clear if Schopper has obtained a lawyer.
Lelesi has also been charged with the same crime, El-Shami told ABC News. It is not clear whether Lelesi is in police custody or has obtained a lawyer.
In a post on the store's Facebook page, the pair wrote of the store closing on Saturday, "Wicked Wonderland is currently temporarily closed due to dedicating our time to the care of a beloved family member in their final moments. Absolutely nothing more. While there may be a whirlwind of misguiding information and horrendous assumptions and opinions, we're choosing to focus on what we always have: Life, love, death and Family."
Schopper's arraignment has been scheduled for May 1, according to court records.
