A Colorado coroner and funeral home owner, Brian Cotter, is officially resigning after investigators uncovered a nightmare inside the funeral home he co-owns with his brother: 24 decomposing bodies. Nearly two dozen remains were left neglected in conditions that shocked even seasoned authorities.
The discovery was made on August 20 when inspectors from the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) entered Davis Mortuary in Pueblo. Instead of the quiet dignity one expects from such a place, they walked into a scene that has left the entire state reeling. Alongside the bodies, investigators also reported finding bone containers and multiple tubs that appeared to contain human tissue. Some of the remains, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), looked like they had been sitting there for 15 years, per The Spokesman Review.
For grieving families in Colorado, that revelation is particularly disturbing. Imagine being told that your loved one had been respectfully cremated years ago, only to later discover that might not have been true. That’s exactly what the CBI suggests happened. Authorities revealed that Cotter allegedly handed out fake cremains to next-of-kin, while the real remains languished in storage. To say this violates public trust would be an understatement.
Colorado Funeral Home Owner Shocks Community
Governor Jared Polis didn’t mince words when addressing the scandal. “I’m sickened for the families of the loved ones who are impacted by this unacceptable misconduct. It is clear public trust has been lost and Mr. Cotter must resign as the Pueblo County Coroner immediately,” he declared. His outrage reflects the feelings of many across Colorado, who simply can’t believe that someone entrusted with such a sensitive role could fail so catastrophically.
All of the bodies have since been moved to the El Paso County Coroner’s Office for proper identification. Families are being asked to submit DNA samples to help sort out the chaos left in the wake of this scandal. Meanwhile, Davis Mortuary’s license has been suspended, effectively shutting down its operations as investigators dig deeper.
As for Cotter himself, he initially stayed quiet before announcing through his attorney that he would indeed resign on September 2. The letter described him as a “dedicated public servant” and claimed that he had been hospitalized for a “cardiac event” after the inspection that revealed the horrifying conditions inside the mortuary. But sympathy is hard to come by when so many families are now forced to relive their grief in such a devastating way.
The Governor Wants To Throw The Book At Him
Governor Polis responded to the resignation by saying he was “glad” Cotter agreed to step aside, but he also made it clear that this isn’t the end of the road. “This is the first step in addressing the significant difficulties and pain he has caused the families impacted and the entire community. I expect he will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
As of late August, Cotter and his brother Chris, who co-owned the mortuary, have not been formally questioned by the CBI, though both men have secured legal representation. Meanwhile, the Colorado Coroner’s Association wasted no time distancing itself, stripping Brian Cotter of his board secretary role.
The fallout from this scandal is only beginning, but one thing is certain. In Colorado, where community trust in local officials runs deep, the Cotter case will serve as a chilling reminder of how quickly that trust can be shattered. Families who trusted Davis Mortuary deserved compassion and professionalism; instead, they were given false promises and unthinkable neglect.
Hunter Spears 
Kenna Raye 
