Colorado Mortuary Scandal Exposes Forensic and Regulatory Challenges

Colorado Mortuary Scandal Exposes Forensic and Regulatory Challenges

Colorado residents and the wider forensic community are grappling with the shock of a mortuary scandal that has laid bare serious lapses in death investigation practices and oversight. In late August 2025, state inspectors conducting a routine check at Davis Mortuary in Pueblo discovered over 20 decomposing bodies—some stored for up to fifteen years—hidden in a concealed room operated by Brian Cotter, the county coroner. The bodies were in vario…