PUEBLO, Colo. — Pueblo County commissioners on Tuesday selected their next coroner as state authorities continue to investigate the more than two dozen decomposing bodies found stashed behind a door at a mortuary in Pueblo last month.
During the regularly scheduled commissioner meeting on Tuesday, the commissioners selected Dr. Gregory Grahek as their final choice for the post after two of the three commissioners picked him for the role.
Grahek's nomination comes after former Pueblo County coroner Brian Cotter resigned following the discovery of decomposing human remains at his private business, Davis Mortuary.
Dr. Grahek was selected from five finalists who applied for the position following Cotter's resignation.
While he has been selected as a finalist, Dr. Grahek still needs to accept the appointment, get fingerprinted, and a formal resolution will be made to the county before being sworn in as the coroner.
Southern Colorado
Four of the 24 bodies found inside Davis Mortuary in Pueblo identified
The CBI has created a contact form for families who have sought services at Davis Mortuary and are seeking information about their loved one. The agency has also set up a dedicated assistance line at 719-257-3359. As of noon Tuesday, CBI has received 843 calls on its assistance line.
Colorado long had minimal oversight of funeral homes, which allowed for numerous abuses. In one case, nearly 200 decomposing bodies were found stored at room temperature at the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from Pueblo.
The discovery in Pueblo occurred during the first inspection of Davis Mortuary, conducted under state laws adopted last year to tighten oversight of Colorado's funeral industry. Before the change, funeral homes could only be inspected if a complaint was filed against them. State regulators said Davis Mortuary did not have any prior complaints.
News5 is working to get Dr. Grahek on camera and will update this article with more information on Dr. Grahek's background.
This is a developing story.
