The state board that regulates the funeral industry has launched a probe into a Mattapan undertaker's decision to refrigerate a corpse in his basement for two years before burying her in a pauper's grave.

Anne L. Collins, the executive director of the state's Division of Professional Licensure, also said the board will investigate errors made by Roger Shields Jr. on the dead woman's death certificate, including stating she was the wrong race and age. The board's probe follows a Herald report that Shields stated in two separate death certificates he filed with city and state officials that he buried Mary Studen at the city-owned Fairview Cemetery on Sept. 29, 2000.

But through his attorney, Ludwig Alban, Shields told the Herald he didn't bury the corpse until around June 2, 2002, and that the burial took place in the Mt. Hope Cemetery, also owned by the city.

Alban said Shields embalmed and refrigerated the Fenway woman's body immediately after her death on Aug. 10, 2000, but didn't bury her because he was trying to determine if she had any relatives. He finally gave up his search for heirs in June 2002, Shields said. Alban said his client did nothing wrong since state law only mandates a body be buried within a ``reasonable time'' following death. Alban said the board contacted Shields this week and he and his client will cooperate with any probe.

Studen's sister, Sue Wilson, said the family wants to have Studen, an Army nurse who served in World War II, reburied in the veterans' cemetery in Bourne. They are also seeking DNA testing to ensure it is actually Studen, Wilson said.

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