Coroner

Wyoming State Statutes for County Coroners are contained in Title 7, Chapter 4. In Wyoming, coroners investigate deaths that are due to:

  • Violent or criminal action
  • Apparent suicide
  • Accident
  • Apparent drug or chemical overdose or toxicity
  • The deceased was unattended by a physician or other licensed health care provider
  • Apparent child abuse causes
  • Unknown causes

In Wyoming, coroners also investigate:

  • Unattended deaths or deceased having not seen a physician within six months prior to death
  • Death of prisoners, trustees, inmates, or patients of any county or state corrections facility or state hospital
  • Certain deaths that occur in hospital settings but are conservatively considered unattended (for example, an emergency room death caused by an event outside of the hospital)

Duties

Coroners perform the following duties:

  • Pronouncing death and determining the time of death
  • Documenting the death scene and performing interviews to determine medical and social circumstances
  • Skillfully removing the deceased from the scene, taking care not to disturb evidence
  • Positively identifying the deceased with the aid of dental records, fingerprints, and x-rays
  • Determining the need for autopsy and arranging for autopsies to be performed
  • Identifying next-of-kin and notifying family members in a respectful and sensitive manner
  • Completing death certificates and other records once an investigation is complete
  • Providing conclusive information and records to family members, law enforcement, and health care professionals
  • Testifying objectively in legal matters
  • Working with County, State, and federal agencies to proactively develop disaster/emergency plans

Please Note

Coroners complete only one section of the Wyoming Death Certificate. The Coroner's Office in Wyoming does not actually produce or archive death certificates. These records are available through Wyoming Vital Records.