embalming

“They may just be donating, because, as part of the donation, most of the time institutions will cover the costs of embalming, funeral expenses, preparation of the death certificate, or transportation of the body, which can be thousands of dollars,” Bagian told Salon in a phone interview.

Workers at Butherus Maser & Love Funeral Home noticed she was still breathing just before noon immediately after laying her on the embalming table, Chief Deputy Ben Houchin said.

In some communities, civil society workers say, people have dug up graves to grind bones to cut with the drug, seeking chemicals used in embalming.

"It is the local funeral services provider that manages all aspects of a foreigner's death in Cuba, including the embalming, booking the flights, delivering the remains to the airline, and communicating the shipping details," Global Affairs said.

But STR typing is often impossible to use with degraded remains, especially those preserved with post-war embalming techniques involving formaldehyde, Marshall says.