Pueblo County commissioners approve appointment and swear in new coroner; officials urge focus on Davis Mortuary identifications

The Pueblo County Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution Sept. 19 appointing a new county coroner, signed the notice of appointment and administered the oath during a short special meeting.

Commissioners moved to approve the resolution with corrected wording (changing a typographical reference from 'Pueblo County commissioner' to 'Pueblo County coroner'), a motion was seconded, and the chair called for the vote. Commissioners said "aye," and the motion passed; the resolution was described as effective Sept. 19. County staff then prepared the notice of appointment for signature and administered the oath to the appointee on the courthouse dais.

Speakers at the meeting offered congratulations and support to the new coroner as he stepped into the position. Miles Lucero urged transparency and singled out a pending operational priority: "there are still 20 bodies that were found at Davis Mortuary that you and your office are now responsible for identifying," and said he hoped identifying those remains would be the coroner's top priority. Commissioners and county staff said they would support the coroner as the office addresses those responsibilities.

The board set its next meeting for Sept. 25, then moved to adjourn.

Notes: the transcript records the appointment resolution and oath but does not provide a resolution number or a roll-call vote tally by name; the transcript records two 'aye' vocal responses during the vote but does not list individual vote attributions.