Despite shocking allegations, officials say they can’t oust Pueblo County Coroner from office
Celeste Springer
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — In a press conference Friday, the Pueblo County Sheriff said that no single public official, not even the governor, can remove Colorado coroners from office.
It means that there is a waiting game to see if Pueblo County Coroner Brian Cotter will resign. Governor Polis called for his resignation on Friday morning.
While a recall election could be possible, it would take quite some time for the issue to head to voters, if it were enacted.
This week, investigators descended on Davis Mortuary following what was supposed to be a routine inspection. The mortuary is privately owned by Cotter.
According to Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) documents, inspectors noted a foul smell inside the mortuary. Later, they say they found a door hidden by a cardboard display. When they went to move the display, Cotter reportedly asked them not to go inside. Inspectors didn’t listen to his request, instead finding bodies in various states of decay, according to documents.
Cotter reportedly told investigators that some of the bodies had been in the room for roughly 15 years. On Friday, the CBI said that due to the state of some of the remains, some will require DNA analysis.
READ MORE: Pueblo County Coroner accused of hiding bodies in secret room at his privately-owned funeral home
The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office said that the El Paso and Fremont County coroner’s offices will take over the day-to-day operations in Pueblo County.
A victim information form has been set up by the CBI. If you entrusted a loved one to Davis Mortuary, you can click here.
The district attorney’s office stressed that this process will be slow. They will not bring charges until the investigation is complete.
“It’s a frustratingly long process, but it’s necessary,” said District Attorney Kala Beauvais. “We only have one chance at prosecution, and we have to do it right.”