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County coroner reports 2024 caseload, staffing changes and active identification case
Summary
Ouray County coroner presented the 2024 annual report, noted staffing changes and training work, reported case counts (28 natural, 3 accidental, 2 suicide, 0 homicide) and said an unidentified remains case has new DNA leads and full funding from CBI for remaining work.
Lehi Boyd, Ouray County coroner, presented the coroner office’s 2024 annual report to commissioners on Feb. 4, citing staffing changes, training initiatives and case totals.
Boyd said the office promoted Susie to chief deputy coroner, retained Colleen Hollenbeck, added Ed Haggins (mental‑health experience) and began training Ashley from the clerk’s office. The office has updated training requirements for deputy coroners and revised evidence and records‑release policies, Boyd said.
Case statistics for 2024: 28 natural deaths (15 of those hospice cases), three accidents, two suicides, zero homicides and zero undetermined cases. Boyd explained that hospice cases are handled as “paper autopsies” — the hospice physician signs the death certificate and the coroner reviews hospice records — and that death investigations require field work, medical records review and, often, toxicology.
Boyd said the coroner’s office received the “Ending the Wait” award from donor Alliance for a high rate of organ and tissue referrals for a county of its size. He said Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) fully funded the remaining costs for an outstanding unidentified‑remains case; a distant DNA match has been made and the office is following up.
On staffing levels, Boyd told commissioners that, under state rules, the coroner’s office would justify a full‑time elected coroner when the office consistently reaches about 30 death investigations a year; he recommended commissioners consider that metric before the next election.
Sheriff’s Office and other officials praised the coroner’s cooperation and interagency communication.
Boyd said the office will host and participate in statewide coroner association work and that Grand Junction will host the association conference in 2025 — the first time in many years on the Western Slope.
