Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Friday called for a county coroner to resign immediately after state inspectors found about 20 decomposing bodies behind a hidden door in a funeral home he owned.
Pueblo County Coroner Brian Cotter told inspectors from the state Department of Regulatory Agencies that some of the bodies had been awaiting cremation for about 15 years, according to a document from state regulators. Cotter also told them he may have given fake ashes to families who wanted to have their loved ones cremated.
Inspectors found a “strong odor of decomposition” during a Wednesday inspection of Davis Mortuary in Pueblo and discovered the bodies in a room hidden by a cardboard display. Cotter asked the inspectors not to enter the room, documents state.
Polis said Cotter undermined public trust with how he handled the bodies and should resign. Cotter was elected by voters, not appointed by the governor, and could be removed from office if voters petitioned for a recall election.
"No one should ever have to wonder if their loved one is being taken care of with dignity and respect after they’ve passed, and Mr. Cotter must be held to account for his actions,” Polis said in a statement, adding that Cotter should be further investigated.
Colorado long had some of the weakest oversight of funeral homes in the nation, lacking routine inspections and qualification requirements for funeral home operators. That has allowed numerous abuses, including a case involving nearly 200 decomposing bodies that were found stored at room temperature in a building in Penrose, Colorado, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from Pueblo.
