Cullman County Coroner's Office

A recent conversation about the number of Medicolegal Death Professionals (coroners, MEs, medicolegal investigators, deputies, autopsy technicians, etc.) there are got me thinking about some crucial statistics.

There are roughly 11,000 Medicolegal Death Professionals in the United States.

That’s it.

Now consider this.

The United States has a population of more than 330 million people.

That means there is roughly one Medicolegal Death Professional for every 30,000 Americans.

But the numbers get even more interesting.

Each year, about 3.4 million people die in the United States.

An estimated 20-30% of those deaths fall under medicolegal jurisdiction - deaths that are sudden, unexpected, violent, unattended, or otherwise require legal investigation.

That means roughly 700,000 to 1,000,000 deaths every year require investigation by medicolegal professionals.

And the national workforce responsible for that work is about 11,000 people.

These professionals operate at the intersection of:

• public safety
• public health
• the criminal justice system

They respond to difficult scenes.

They speak with families during the most devastating moments of their lives.

They document the facts that become legal records, criminal evidence, and public health data.

Yet the profession itself remains largely invisible to the public.

Despite the critical role they serve, Medicolegal Death Professionals are often not afforded the same statutory protections, recognition, or wellness infrastructure that exist for many other public safety responders.

In many jurisdictions, these professionals respond to traumatic scenes, work alongside law enforcement and fire agencies, and carry legal responsibility for death investigations - yet the policy framework supporting them has not evolved at the same pace.

In a country of more than 330 million people…less than 0.003% carry this legal responsibility.

Awareness matters.

Recognition matters.

Support matters.

Because if the law requires a response, the responder should not be invisible. The law should protect the responder.

That is one of the many reasons Last Responder exists - to help bring recognition, support, and a unified voice to this profession.

If you are a Medicolegal Death Professional, comment the state you serve in and your role (Coroner, ME, Investigator, Deputy, Autopsy Tech, etc.).

I’m curious how far this community reaches.

On Thursday May 22, 2025 Day 2 of Sudden Unexplained Infant Death Invetigation was conducted. Todays training covered the CDC SUIDI form and how to conduct scene interviews and doll reenactments.

Conducting a sudden unexplained infant death investigation is important for Coroner, Law Enforcement and Medical Examiner’s to determine cause and manner of death. It’s important to families to understand why their infant died. This class is to familiarize investigators with the best practices for conducting an investigation into infant death and what to look for and what needs to be reported to the medical examiner, and how to fill out forms required by the CDC. The class held in Cullman on May 21 and 22nd was sponsored by the Cullman County Coroner’s Office, Shelby County Coroner’s Office and the Alabama Department of Public Health-Bureau of Prevention, Promotion & Support.

Cullman County Coroner Jeremy Kilpatrick and Shelby County Coroner Lina Evans are both trainers for ADPH in SUIDI.
Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker spoke to attendees on May 21 on the importance of this type of investigation. SIDS is broad area. The intent of the investigation is to narrow the cause and manner of death down.

In 2024 75% of the SUIDI cases investigated by the Cullman County Coroner’s office were “Undetermined” however those 75% were due to unsafe sleeping conditions. Ie co-sleeping, overlaying by guardian or due to other reasons of unsafe sleeping conditions.
ADPH can provide a pack n Play free of charge for families that are unable to provide a safe sleeping space for their baby

29 people representing 17 different agencies participated in the 2 day training
Blount County Coroner’s Office
Blount County Sheriff’s Office
Bibb County Coroner’s Office
Brooks Place
Chambers County Coroner’s Office
Cullman County Coroner’s Office
Cullman County EMA
Cullman County SO
Cullman City PD
Morgan County Coroner’s Office
Lauderdale County Coroner’s Office
Walker County Coroner’s Office
Winston County Coroner’s Office
Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner’s Office
Shelby County Coroner’s Office
Valley Police Department
Lunch was provided Wednesday by the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office
Thursday’s lunch was provided by Legacy of Hope

Day 1 of 2 for Sudden Unexplained Infant Death Investigation. Several law enforcement agencies, coroner offices and child advocacy centers were present today

On 4/16/2025 the Cullman County Coroner’s office responed to Lewis Smith Lake for a boating accident
3 bodies have been recovered
Joey M Broom has been identified as one of the fatalities,

The other 2 victims names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin

3/17/2025 update

The body found on 3/14/2025 has been identified as Greg Mize 56 of Holly Pond. Cause and manner of death are still pending at this time

On 3/14/2025 a body was was found on the Mulberry Fork in Holly Pond. The body has been sent for an autopsy to determine identity and cause of death.

More information will be relased as it comes available

3/17/2025

The body has been identified Greg Mize 56 of Holly Pond. Cause and manner of death are still pending at this time

On Friday August 23, 2024 the Cullman County Coroner’s Office responded to Hanceville Police Department to investigate the death of an employee found unresponsive in an office. The employee was identified as Christopher Michael Willingham 49 of Hanceville. He was a dispatch supervisor.
Mr. Willingham’s cause and manner of death are pending at this time.
Hanceville Police Department requested that Wallace State College Police Department conduct the investigation.

Alabama Coroners attending the 2024 IACME Training Symposium!
Supporting Alabama through Collaboration, Education, & Accreditation.

The Cullman County Coroner’s Office has not recovered a body in the woods in Baileyton today