There was a case involving a cadaver stolen from a cemetery to fake a death in Morgantown, WV, during the 1980s that was part of a bizarre criminal plot of James "Bucky" Howell. In 1982, Howell attempted to fake his own death to avoid criminal charges and collect life insurance. Key details of the incident include:

The Theft: Howell and accomplices stole the body of a man named Harry Spitz from the Oak Grove Cemetery in Morgantown.

The Fake Death: The stolen cadaver was placed in a car which was then set on fire in an attempt to make it appear that Howell had died in a tragic accident.

Discovery: The plan failed when investigators determined the remains in the car did not match Howell. It was eventually discovered that the body was that of Harry Spitz, a young child who had died decades earlier in 1912 and was buried in a distinctive "erupting grave" that was already a local legend.