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Is there any truth to the urban legends of organ harvesting? New Mexico Strange

Is there any truth to the urban legends of organ harvesting? New Mexico Strange

Yahoo13-06-2025
NEW MEXICO (KRQE)— Organ harvesting legends are a staple of horror films, but do they really happen? On this episode of New Mexico Strange, KRQE News 13 Host and Anchor Chad Brummett sat down with author Ben Radford to discuss the urban legends of organ harvesting.
First, urban legends are all around us. Oftentimes, these legends are told as true stories and localized. Over the years, Ben Radford has researched urban legends in the state.
One example he shared of an urban legend turning into a tragic event happened in the mid-1990s. According to Radford, a Taos woman, Melissa Larson, was hiking in Guatemala. During her trip, rumors amongst the locals spread that she was there to harvest the organs of children. She was attacked and later detained. However, she was not harvesting organs and was later set free.
The following month, an Alaska woman traveled to Guatemala and suffered a similar experience. The locals believed the women were there to harvest organs based on fear and rumors.
New Mexico is perceived worldwide as a mecca for the extraordinary. Whether it's the healing soil of Chimayo, the haunted trails of the Old West, or visitors from the final frontier, our state is home to countless myths and mysteries. New Mexico Strange is KRQE News 13's online exclusive web series, celebrating our unique history and shedding light on the shadows of the unexplained, unexplored, and unknown. Hosted by Chad Brummett, New Mexico Strange takes viewers through some of the Land of Enchantment's most mysterious folklore and conspiracies.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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