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March 25, 2026 – USA –
An investigative team from NBC News has received first place in the 2025 Shaufler Prize in Journalism, a prestigious award presented by Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The recognition was announced during a ceremony on March 24 and honored reporting that exposed troubling practices surrounding the use of unclaimed bodies in medical education and research.
The award-winning investigation, Dealing the Dead, examined how a body donation program connected to the University of North Texas Health Science Center handled the remains of poor and often socially isolated individuals. According to the reporting, the institution generated significant income by distributing body parts for medical training purposes, raising serious ethical concerns over consent, transparency, and the treatment of the dead.
The reporting team included Mike Hixenbaugh, Jon Schuppe, Susan Carroll, Anagilmara Vilchez, Liz Kreutz, and Tyler Kingkade. Their work shed light on a system that had largely escaped public scrutiny, while also highlighting the vulnerability of those whose bodies entered the program without clear permission from family members or loved ones.
The investigation also carried deep personal significance for the journalists involved. Reporter Susan Carroll had begun looking into the issue in 2023, but died unexpectedly in 2024 before the project was completed. Her colleagues continued the work she helped initiate, ultimately bringing the story to publication. Before the investigation was published, the body donation program at the center of the reporting was shut down.
Organizers of the Shaufler Prize said the investigation reflected the award’s mission to recognize journalism that serves communities too often ignored or harmed by systemic injustice. Established to honor reporting focused on marginalized groups, the prize celebrates journalism that exposes inequity and demands accountability.
The NBC News project stood out for its depth, public impact, and commitment to uncovering an issue with profound human and ethical consequences. Its recognition underscores the essential role of investigative journalism in revealing hidden abuses and giving visibility to people whose stories are too often overlooked.
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