Author: KRDO

Celeste Springer

Editor’s note: To see all of our coverage on this case, click here.

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — In a bizarre turn of events, 13 Investigates has uncovered that the Pueblo County Coroner is accused of hiding bodies in a secret room of his privately-owned funeral home, Davis Mortuary.

According to records by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Brian Cotter’s funeral home was due for an inspection on Wednesday. When inspectors arrived, they noted “a strong odor of decomposition.”

Later, inspectors said they noticed a door was hidden by a cardboard display. When they went to remove the display, inspectors say Cotter asked them not to go inside, according to DORA’s records.

Inspectors did not follow Cotter’s request; when they entered, they said they found bodies in various stages of decomposition.

“Mr. Cotter stated that the bodies were awaiting cremation and admitted that some bodies had been in the room for approximately fifteen years,” suspension records say.

Additionally, Cotter allegedly told inspectors that he “may” have given family members of the deceased fake cremated remains.

Inspectors allege that Cotter failed to take action to embalm, refrigerate, cremate, bury, or entomb human remains within 24 hours.

According to the lead agency, the Colorado Bureau of Investigations (CBI), officials have set up a victim assistance line/tip line, which families can reach at (719)257-3359. Families also email the CBI at CBITIPS@state.co.us.

According to suspension records, Davis Mortuary is ordered to cease operations, pending proceedings.

Who is Brian Cotter?

According to Pueblo County, Brian Cotter has over 20 years of experience working with the Pueblo County Coroner’s Office. He was first elected in 2014, with his current term slated to sunset in 2027.

Davis Mortuary is a privately owned funeral home with Cotter listed as the appointed designee, according to DORA records.

The funeral home has been in operation for over 100 years and was purchased by Brian and Chris Cotter back in 1989, according to their website.

“The Cotter brothers brought with them to the Davis Mortuary the ‘old school’ ways of caring for families in need, which they learned from their father, who owned and operated several funeral homes in Kansas, Nebraska, and Southern Colorado,” reads the website.

Striking similarities

Those living in Southern Colorado are likely to notice similarities between these allegations and those in a separate case out of Penrose, Colorado.

There, funeral home owners Carie and Jon Hallford were accused of allowing close to 200 bodies to stack up at their funeral home, Return to Nature.

KRDO 13 Investigates was first to break the story. Our coverage helped contribute to the drafting of new legislation providing oversight in the funeral home industry.

To read all our reports on that case, click here.

For all of our latest reports on the Davis Mortuary case, click here.

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Fundraising at the second-annual Olympic City Field Day at Acacia Park will help WHealthy Unlimited launch its free after-school program for families in Colorado Springs.

There will be outdoor games, competitions, vendors and a Children’s Entrepreneur Market on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s free for all children. No signup necessary. Just show up!

The kids who sign up through the Children’s Entrepreneur Market of Colorado Springs will host booths from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WHealthy Unlimited is the brick-and-mortar operation for the Community Anchor Academy. The organization said it was inspired to start a free after-school program in part because Harrison School District 2 (D2) announced it had to cut its free after-school program for the current school year.

D2 sent a message to parents blaming funding cuts for the cancellation of the free program. It said the temporary COVID-19 relief funds helped keep the program going. Those expired at the start of this year. It said, despite efforts, D2 has not been able to secure enough funding on the state or federal levels to keep the program running. D2 still offers paid before and after-school programs on a sliding scale with scholarship opportunities.

WHealthy said the field day will be its enrollment kick-off. It said the goal is to make the after-school program free for all children who qualify for free or reduced lunch while providing scholarships for other children who don’t qualify.

The Program is called Sweat and Steam. It’s formatted to teach literacy and STEM through fun activities like workouts and rooms, while also emphasizing money management.

WHealthy said it will give away $5,000 to local non-profits and as prize money for some of the competitions. It will host local business vendors and sell their own food and juice. It said a percentage of their own sales will go toward the after-school program.

WHealthy will also be collecting donations for the program. The founder/CEO has committed to equal the total donation dollars with his own workout reps (pushups, pullups, squats, etc.).

At the field day, WHealthy said there will be bounce houses, giant Jenga, Connect 4 and Tetris. It will host classic competitions like potato sack races and fake egg transport, along with other agility and memory races, boxing and exercise rep competitions. It will also have hula-hoops, jump ropes and sidewalk chalk throughout the park.

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Scott Harrison

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — The Steel City’s warmer climate allows it to start and end its street repaving sooner and later than most southern Colorado cities.

However, while paving typically begins in mid-spring, it has not yet occurred due to various factors beyond the control of the Public Works Department.

Those factors include two scheduled water main replacements by the Pueblo Board of Water Works, an emergency wastewater line repair, an emergency stormwater line repair, and the removal of 41 trees that have damaged concrete along Saratoga and Lexington roads.

“I haven’t had it where everything pushed,” said Chuck Roy, acting public works director. “I’ve been here just over four and a half years now, and we haven’t had it where everything pushed. We’ve had one or two (in the past) that have had to move because of this.”

Due to the paving delay, crews are more at the mercy of the schedules of the two local asphalt suppliers, who are already busy with other projects.

The city also had to wait for permits from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to perform paving that intersects Interstate 25, and state highways 47 and 50.

Roy said that most of the utility projects should be finished by the end of the month.

The first street on the repaving list is Monument Avenue between 5th and 10th streets, in front of the Risley School of Exploration and Park View Elementary School.

That’s where one of the water mains was replaced, but the final block in front of Park View wasn’t finished in time for school to resume, so it will have to be completed later — which means paving will be delayed on that block.

One benefit of the delay is that the city and the Board of Water Works will split the cost of paving on Monument and on Lehigh Avenue between Northern Avenue and Pueblo Boulevard.

A neighbor, Jo Ann Gutierrez, is unhappy that the Monument project detoured neighborhood traffic through a bumpy alley full of potholes.

“It was closed down for 2-1/2 months,” she explained. “So, you had to come down this side, and this is what you have to deal with. It’s just embarrassing. It’s hurtful to your cars. It cost me $1,500 to fix my muffler.”

Meanwhile, at the other water main project on Lehigh, neighbor Marc Anzlocar, is more sympathetic.

“Yes, traffic is stopped, roads are closed, and it takes time for the road to get repaired,” he said. “But you know, in the long run, it has to be done.”

Roy said that crews still should be able to finish all of the paving before the end of the season — which will depend on when winter weather arrives.

“Last year, the asphalt plants were open until the first week of December,” Roy said.

Other streets on the city’s paving list this year include Bonforte Boulevard and 6th Street; Elizabeth Street, where the emergency utility repairs were made, will be repaved next year.

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Marina Garcia

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – The Bessemer Association for Neighborhood Development is teaming with business owners to call for the cleanup of a growing illegal dump at 1310 E. Routt Ave.

According to organizers, a house on the property has caught fire several times now, and the resulting pile of junk is leading to outrage for many in the Bessemer community. Neighbors say they’re tired of waiting for the city to clean it up, and say the home even has asbestos.

On Wednesday, community members gathered for a protest, including Al Martinez, who owns The Klamm Shell.

“We all need to get together, be one voice, and maybe get a change around here and maybe start doing something about it,” said Martinez.

However, emails sent to Councilman Roger Gomez show that the city attorney told the councilman that they are in the process of obtaining proper permits to get the building demo’d. They say that due to environmental contaminants, the property is dangerous and it’s best to stay away.

“I understand you and your constituents are frustrated by the time it is taking to clean this property, but the City must follow the law,” read the email. “Cleaning this property without the proper permits and licensed contractors knowledgeable of the risks and process is dangerous. Failure to follow the regulations and proper methods is likely to result in cross-contamination of neighboring properties and public right-of-ways.”

Despite the danger, residents say they’ve been pulling weeds and maintaining the area for months, but warning signs over the asbestos were only put up a week ago.

The Bessemer Association for Neighborhood Development will meet again in two weeks, saying they hope to see more support from the city.

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Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Starting September 5th, over 30 homes will open their doors to the public in Colorado Springs’ highly anticipated Parade of Homes.

KRDO13 will be giving a sneak peek of some of the most coveted locations. This week takes us to the Flying Horse North community, where featured homes range in price from $500,000 to nearly $4 million.

One of those homes, The Cornerstone, will soon be on the market for a cool $3.85 million. The home features a gourmet kitchen that is right off the main level. Builders were going for a resort-style look, with plenty of opportunities to entertain.

Planning on having guests? One of the amenities is a 700-square-foot apartment– what many would call a pool house.

Downstairs, you’ll find a wine room and a wet bar, with generous seating nearby.

Want to see this for yourself? The Parade of Homes runs from Sept. 5 to Sept. 21. You can buy tickets by clicking here.

Want to see more of this content by KRDO13? Click here to view our Parade of Homes page, which will be updated each week as new homes are featured.

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Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) says that hazmat teams are in the area of the 2400 block of North Chelton Road.

According to CSFD, they were called out around 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Initial reports said a sanitation worker was dumping trash into a trash truck when CSFD says he was exposed to an “unknown substance.” The substance was later determined to be sulfuric acid, a corrosive liquid that can be found in items like car batteries, the department said.

He was taken to the hospital with serious burns, CSFD said. He has been airlifted to Denver in critical condition, the fire department said. The department adds that he received chemical burns over 60% of his body.

The fire department says the chemical is contained to the area of the trash truck, so there is no threat to the neighborhood.

The department wants to remind residents of the importance of properly disposing of hazardous material, which should not go in regular garbage bins.

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Celeste Springer

TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) confirms their search alongside the FBI of rural grounds in Florrisant is related to the murder case of a Southern Colorado woman.

On Monday, KRDO13 was the first to tell you about an investigation underway near Chapparral Trail and Chateau West Drive. CSPD says that they are searching for human remains. Neighbors nearby said that crews were using an excavator and were there for days.

At this time, CSPD says they haven’t found any remains yet, but their search is tied to the Jepsy Amaga murder case. CSPD says while they haven’t found anything, they also say they haven’t exhausted leads from what they say was a credible tip.

Jepsy went missing in 2019 at the age of 26 years old. Friends and family reported her missing after she had not been heard from.

According to our previous reports, she moved to Colorado Springs from the Philippines after falling in love with her husband and getting married.

Her husband, Dane Kallungi, was arrested in the summer of 2021 for her murder. According to arrest records, he reportedly confessed to his ex-wife that he strangled Jepsy and buried her near Florissant. His defense claimed he was pressured into “falsely confessing.“

A jury found him guilty of murder in 2023, and he was sentenced to life without parole.

Jepsy’s mother, Margie, was unable to be in town for the trial because she lives in Hong Kong, and friends say her visa was denied four times.

“I feel better knowing that they’re out there looking for her because, since he was arrested and convicted, it’s honestly felt like I’m the only one in Colorado looking for her,” said Britney Hartman, who has been searching for Jepsy since Jepsy’s mom reached out to her after her disappearance.

Hartman says she is cautiously optimistic, adding that being able to bring Jepsy’s remains back to her mother would be the ultimate dream.

“That’s all I’ve ever wanted is to get her home. I let her mom know during the trial and after he was convicted that when and if she’s ever found, I will personally get on that plane with her to get her home,” shared Hartman.

She says as soon as she heard police were searching again, she immediately called Jepsy’s mom.

“Now that it could potentially be any minute, any day now, it’s definitely got her [mom] emotional. It’s bringing up a lot of that past emotion of not being able to be here, feeling like she didn’t do enough for her daughter,” said Hartman, “but also that she might be able to finally bring her home.”

It’s unclear what new tip or information has led police to a specific location in Florissant this week to search for Jepsy’s remains.

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The Ivywild School parking lot will be lined with classic Volkswagen buses Saturday for Bristol Brewing’s 19th annual “Buses at the Brewery.”

The event lasts from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s free to show up and peruse the lines of buses. The event is German-themed (like Volkswagen) with footlong brats, strongman stein competitions (holding out beer mugs as long as you can), live music, Oktoberfest-style beer, a tie-dye station and a “cruise to the brewery” with all the buses.

“You get waves. People honk the horn, they give you the salute (the “Shaka” with your thumb and pinky). It’s just a good feeling,” Volkswagen bus owner Michael Gaboriault said.

Gaboriault is a member of the Pikes Peak Air Coolers. His bus looks in near-new condition, while fellow bus owners Eric and Robin Engelmann left the original coloring. Rust in all.

“That was by intention,” Eric said.

The couple found it sitting, rusting away in a field. During their 4-year restoration process, they tracked down the daughter of the original owner.

“{Her} daddy taught her how to drive the bus as soon as she could reach the pedals!” Robin said.

This weekend, she is traveling from Amarillo to see the restored bus (except for the original exterior) at Buses at the Brewery.

“We’re looking forward to her joining our community and the Pikes Peak Air coolers, and it should be an awesome time,” Eric said.

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Scott Harrison

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — In a rare weekend paving project, crews will resurface Glider Loop, a mile-long, unpaved road that has generated complaints from neighbors over the past year about muddy and slick conditions in wet weather.

From Saturday through at least Monday, the county will place a double chip-seal surface on the road — similar to the treatment on Myers Road earlier this summer.

Crews have made several visits to the road, which is just south of Black Forest, to apply more dirt and re-grade it.

However, some neighbors say that the dirt applied by crews contained too much clay, which absorbed water, instead of sand, which provides better drainage.

One homeowner described the road condition when wet as “slicker than snot.”

While many neighbors would prefer asphalt paving, a chip seal is less expensive and should provide a significant improvement to the road.

In a chip seal, small rocks are spread atop a tar-like substance that binds together and becomes a new surface.

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Mackenzie Stafford

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – On Monday, the Fremont County Department of Public Health and Environment announced that two people have died as a result of the West Nile virus.

MORE DETAILS: Two West Nile virus-related deaths confirmed in Fremont County

KRDO13 spoke with El Paso County Public Health (EPCPH) to learn more about West Nile virus and ways you can protect yourself.

“The virus is actually carried by birds. And when mosquitoes feed on infected birds, they carry the virus. And then when they go to bite people, they transmit the virus to us. So people can’t actually transmit the virus to anyone else. There are rare cases of a mother breastfeeding an infant, but I can’t give the virus to you just by walking by. We have to be bitten by an infected mosquito. And that’s why focusing on prevention and preventing mosquito bites is so important,” explained Haley Zachary, Communicable Disease Division Manager at EPCPH.

Zachary explained to KRDO13 ways you can work to prevent getting the disease.

“There is no medication or cure for the virus. And so, really, it’s treating the symptoms. So the best thing to do is to prevent getting the virus in the first place. And that is going to prevent mosquito bites. And so, really using insect repellent is going to be your number one,” Zachary continued, “But also ensuring that you’ve got good screens on your doors and windows to prevent mosquitoes from getting in your home. Most of the mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus are very active during dawn and dusk, so avoiding being outdoors during those times of the day is going to be important. And then lastly, these mosquitoes really like to breed and live in standing water. And so getting rid of any of that standing water around your property, whether that’s a birdbath or puddles, or stagnant pools, all of that is going to help you to limit the amount of mosquitoes on your property.”

Health officials say it’s important to check places for standing water that you might not expect. 

“They breed in kind of natural pools. So that could be a tree stump that could be, you know, your irrigation drain. So really, those tiny, tablespoon-type areas of water are enough for them to breed. So really, emptying out old tires or turning over pots or anything like that is going to help prevent that activity,” shared the Communicable Disease Division Manager at EPCPH.

She recommended using Dunks if you are unable to dump your standing water.

“It’s a safe kind of bacteria that you put in that water that will go ahead and kill the mosquito larvae. But it’s safe for humans and pets,” explained Zachary.

Here are some ways they say you can protect yourself.

Health officials in El Paso County say most people don’t develop symptoms from the virus.

“It’s only about 20% of people that will develop symptoms, and those are going to be flu-like. So you’re going to get a fever, body aches, myalgia and you’re going to be tired. But you’ll get over it and you’ll move on. It’s a very small subset. So about 1% will develop severe illnesses. And most of those people we’re looking at are over the age of 50 or have certain medical conditions that make them more susceptible to severe illness,” said Zachary.

She says it’s important that if you are experiencing symptoms, you should seek medical care.

“If you are experiencing symptoms that are concerning. So, a high fever, a stiff neck, vision issues, things like that. Go to your health care provider, let them know that you’ve been bitten by mosquitoes within the last couple of weeks, and they can kind of help direct your care. And the earlier on in that process that you’re able to seek medical care, often, the better the outcome,” said the Communicable Disease Division Manager at EPCPH.

Lisa Montez is a Colorado West Nile virus survivor who shared her experience with our news partners in Denver from when she was diagnosed in 2022. 

“I was here hanging out with the family, and we decided to go out in the backyard in the evening,” said Montez.

Montez said she was outside for 15 minutes when she got bitten. Out of her group, she said she was the only one who contracted the virus. Montez said her symptoms were mild to start, but her fever and fatigue quickly turned into severe migraines, dizziness and a partial loss of hearing. 

“I could not drive. It was really hard for me to just walk around the house. I could not walk up and down stairs by myself,” explained Montez.

Now, Montez urges others to go to their primary care provider if they were also bitten and are concerned they may have the virus.

West Nile virus data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) shows that 41 people have been affected by the virus in the state in 2025 as of August 19.

3 of those people have died, according to state data.

You can find the full data report here.

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