You should select a funeral home to make final arrangements. The funeral home representative and the Coroner’s Office will coordinate with each other to facilitate these arrangements and to eliminate possible delays

The Medical Examiner is required by law to investigate all deaths (1) that occur outside a physician's care; (2) that are sudden or unexpected; (3) that cannot be ascertained to be a natural death by documented medical history and circumstances. The involvement of the Medical Examiner's Office (MEO) does not mean that an autopsy will automatically be performed. The MEO may take jurisdiction over an apparently natural death if (1) the death was unexpected and no medical cause can be determined; (2) the decedent was not under the care of a physician, and/ or there is no prior documented medical history to explain the death; (3) the death might be a public health hazard; (4) there are extenuating and/ or suspicious circumstances associated with the death.

An autopsy is an examination of the body similar to a surgical procedure performed by a board-certified Forensic Pathologist to determine the cause and manner of death. The cause of death is the disease or injury that produces the physiological disruption inside the body resulting in death (i.e., COPD). The manner of death describes the way in which the death occurred.

The five manners of death are:

• Natural
• Accident
• Homicide
• Suicide
• Undetermined

Autopsies are generally required when:

• A death is caused by violent means or apparent criminal violent means
• A death results from a traffic accident
• The death of an infant or child is unexpected or unexplained
• The death is associated with police action or while in custody
• The death is due to workplace injury
• The death occurs due to apparent electrocution or suspected drowning
• The death is caused by apparent intoxication of alcohol drugs, or poison

Colorado Law (CRS 30-10-606) provides the authority for the Coroner’s Office to perform an autopsy as part of the investigation. We use the following guidelines:

1. If the autopsy is deemed unnecessary for the investigation, it will not be performed. By law, an autopsy cannot be performed by the Coroner’s Office solely for “medical curiosity”. If the family or doctor would like a medical curiosity autopsy to be performed, it must be arranged by the family or by the doctor with the family’s permission and be done by a private pathologist of your choice. You should be aware that the financial responsibility falls upon the requesting party and costs several thousands of dollars.
2. If the Coroner’s Office deems it necessary to perform an autopsy as part of the investigation, the law grants us the ability to take jurisdiction of the body to perform the autopsy. There is no charge for an autopsy under these circumstances.
3. If you or your family should disagree with our decision to perform an autopsy, you must obtain a Court Order through your attorney to prevent the autopsy from taking place. All legal financial obligations incurred are your responsibility.

You can arrange a time with the chosen funeral home to schedule a viewing if one is possible. No viewings are allowed at the Coroner’s Office.

The investigator handling the case will be in touch with the family to relay if an autopsy will be performed and how long after the decedent can be released to the funeral home.

Personal effects obtained by the investigator will be inventoried at the office and if releasable, released to the funeral home along with the decedent. The family may also call the investigator or the office to personally pick them up.

Death certificates are filed by the funeral home director with the Health Department in the county where the death is pronounced. You can request copies of the death certificate from the chosen funeral home or the Vital Statistics Office.

Autopsy reports are matters of public record in Colorado and can be obtained by an online submission on our website at larimer.gov/coroner. Autopsy reports typically take 10-20 weeks to be completed. Next-of-Kin can request an autopsy report from the investigator handling their loved one’s case or from the family advocate.

Approval for release is required by the Coroner’s Office. Please ask the investigator for further details if interested. More information can be obtained from: www.Donoralliance.org

Donor Alliance 303-360-6000

Rocky Mtn. Lions Eye Bank 720-848-3959

Univ of Colo State Anatomical 303-724-2410

Science Care 800-417-3747

Life Legacy 888-774-4438

MedCure 866-560-2525

Tomorrow Link 720-779-8677

Larimer County Burial/Cremation Assistance| 970-619-4493
Veteran Affairs| 970-962-4900

Fort Collins:

Allnutt Funeral Service 970-482-3208

Bohlender Funeral Chapel 970-482-4244

Goes Funeral Care 970-482-2221

Resthaven Funeral Service 970-667-0202

Vessey Funeral Services 970-482-5065

Loveland:

Allnutt Funeral Service 970-667-1121

Kibbey-Fishburn Funeral Home 970-667-5885

Viegut Funeral Home 970-679-4669

Estes Park:

Allnutt Funeral Service 970-586-3101

212 Degrees Restoration

970-231-0120

A.D. Valor Technical Cleaning

303-529-4894

Aftermath

800-366-9923

BioClean of Colorado

970-686-5015

Bio-One

970-818-1099

Blu Sky Restoration

970-416-0600

Colorado Crime Scene Cleaners

303-777-0190

Steri-Clean Colorado

888-577-7209

Summitstone Health Partners

970-494-4200

Alliance for Suicide Prevention

970-482-2209

Center for Loss and Life Transition

970-226-6050

CSP Victim’s Advocates

970-506-4986

Larimer County Victim’s Advocates

970-498-5149

FCPS Advocates

970-224-6089

Loveland Police Victim's Advocates

970-962-2217

Our office is proud to offer grieving families the assistance of our family advocate. The family advocate is involved with most cases that require further investigation from the Coroner’s Office. The family advocate assists families through routine check-ins with next-of-kin and other loved ones affected by a death to connect them with grief support services and answer any lingering questions. Our family advocate handles the release of personal effects and serves as the office’s Public Information Officer. If you require the assistance of our family advocate, his information is listed below.

Rafael Moreno, D-ABMDI Family Advocate/PIO/Investigator
Se Habla Español
970-498-6154
rmoreno@larimer.org