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Midwest Medical Examiner reports rise in homicides, highlights fentanyl and unsafe-sleep infant deaths
Summary
Dr. Quinn Piper of the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office presented annual statistics to the Anoka County Board on May 27, 2025, reporting a recent rise in homicides, fentanyl as the most common drug in overdose deaths, and four infant deaths linked to unsafe sleep.
Dr. Quinn Piper, medical examiner for the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office (MMEO), told the Anoka County Board on May 27 that the office received 1,850 death reports from Anoka County last year and performed 346 autopsies.
“The office investigated over or had over 10,000 deaths reported to us from all of our jurisdictions and partners, and then we performed almost 1,300 autopsies, last year,” Piper said, summarizing MMEO caseloads across its service area.
Piper said the county saw a peak in homicides last year, with 11 homicides recorded and eight attributable to gunshot wounds; overall counts for manners of death included 155 accidents, 131 natural deaths, 47 suicides and two undetermined cases. “For homicides, there’s that odd number 6 that we hovered around, and then we had 11, unfortunately, last year,” Piper said.
The office reported a decline in motor-vehicle fatalities and in drug-overdose deaths since the 2021–2022 peak, but fentanyl remained the most frequently detected substance in Anoka County overdose cases. Piper said the MMEO’s forensic toxicology partnerships allow detection of novel and low-concentration substances. “Of the drug overdoses, however, in Anoka County anyway, fentanyl, was the most frequent,” Piper said.
Piper also called attention to infant deaths tied to unsafe-sleep situations. “Four infants died due to deaths associated with unsafe sleep,” he said, noting co-sleeping and other unsafe sleep placements as causes and citing American Academy of Pediatrics guidance against bed-sharing.
Board members thanked Piper and MMEO staff for their work. Commissioner Meissner said, “What a fantastic facility and operation that you all run there,” and Commissioner Jepsen added that the office’s work is “a source of pride” and is handled with respect for families.
Piper closed by noting MMEO’s role in facilitating tissue and brain donations for research; the office reported 17 donation cases last year. He told commissioners he would “see you next year” and concluded the presentation.
