Kansas man accused of illegal autopsies will change federal court plea

Kansas City, MO (KCTV) -- Shawn Parcells, the man who was the relentless focus of KCTV5 investigations, has filed paperwork to change his plea in federal court to “guilty.”

Parcells faces charges of wire fraud related to his autopsy business which was forced to close down.

Shawn Parcells will be sentenced for criminal charges in Waubunsee County, KS at the end of the month.

Families say Parcells promised to provide answers in the deaths of their loved ones. In all, federal documents show that hundreds of family members had paid Parcells more than $1 million for services.

Prosecutors say Parcells lacks the credentials and training to provide those services.

KCTV5 investigative reporter Angie Ricono interviewed families across the nation who had horror stories of paying for autopsies which were never completed. One was for an infant.

Others accuse Parcells of losing brains.

Families told us Parcells went by different names including “Professor Lynn,” and indicated he was a doctor. Parcells is not.

Parcells explained that if people think he’s a doctor, that’s their issue.

“I tell people all the time I almost became a neurosurgeon. That doesn’t mean I’m a doctor. That doesn’t mean that I was in medical school. I really did almost do that,” Parcells told us back in 2019.

A hearing to consider Parcells’ plea change is scheduled for March 3.