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El Paso County Coroner’s Office
Annual Report 2011
The Office of the Coroner must rule a Cause and Manner of death on
all cases that are autopsied by our office. In 2011, there were a total of
3,491 cases investigated by the El Paso County Coroner Office. There were
2545 non-autopsied cases and 936 were autopsied, of the 3491 total.
Autopsied Cases
Manner of Death 2011
Natural
385
Suicide
132
Homicide
41
Accident
362
Undetermined
Total
16
936
Suicide
14%
Homicide
4%
Accident
39%
Natural
41%
Undetermined
2%
Natural Cases
A death that is classified as a “Natural Death” comes under the
jurisdiction of the Coroner for the following reasons: 1. The death is
sudden and unexpected; 2. The decedent did not have a physician who has
knowledge and/or awareness of their condition; 3. The decedent was
outside the confines of a treatment facility; 4. During procedures or surgery
at medical facilities; or 5. When circumstances surrounding the death
arouse any suspicion. In these situations, the Coroner becomes
responsible for certification of death.
It should be stressed that the natural deaths investigated by the
Coroner’s Office are not representative of all natural deaths in El Paso
County. These jurisdictional considerations introduce a significant
sampling bias.
Natural Deaths Autopsied
COPD
2%
Diabetes
2% Other
13%
SIDS
2%
Cancer
2%
Alcohol
14%
Cardiac
62%
Stroke
3%
Cardiac
240
Diabetes
8
Pneumonia 15
Stroke
10
Alcohol
56
Sepsis
Cancer
Other
Undeter
COPD
SIDS
7
6
24
4
8
9
Total
385
Cardiac (ASCVD) attributed to over 60% of the Natural Deaths
autopsied. Other causes for Natural Deaths include, but are not limited to:
Alcohol Abuse, Aneurysms, Cancer, Pneumonia, SIDS, Sepsis, and
Seizures.
Suicide Cases
Suicides are those deaths caused by self-inflicted injuries. In 2011
the El Paso County Coroner’s Office had 132 suicidal deaths, accounting
for 14% of the deaths autopsied.
Suicide Deaths Autopsied
70
64
60
50
40
30
25
24
19
20
10
0
GSW
Hanging
Overdose
Other
GSW
64
Suffocation 6
Hanging
24
Exsang
1
Overdose
Jump
CO
Other
25
2
8
2
Total
132
Homicide Cases
A death is classified as a homicide when it results from injuries
inflicted by another person. The person thus responsible for the injuries
may or may not be charged with murder or manslaughter by the District
Attorney. In 2011 there were 41 cases autopsied that were determined to
be homicides. This accounted for 4% of autopsied cases. Since El Paso
County provides autopsies for various other Colorado Counties, note that
not all 41 homicides occurred in El Paso County.
GSW
BFI
Closed Head
25
10
2
Stabbing
Dragged
Strangled
2
1
1
Total
41
Homicide Deaths Autopsied
Dragged
Stabbing 2%
Strangled
Closed 5%
2%
Head
5%
Blunt Force
24%
GSW
62%
Accidental Cases
362 deaths of the 936 total cases autopsied were certified as
accidental deaths in 2011, representing 39% of autopsied cases. Of these,
the largest groups of cases were related to people who died as the result of
drug overdoses, traffic fatalities, and falls. The majority of falls were
accumulated by the elderly, resulting in fractures to the bones.
Accidental Deaths Autopsied
Drug
Related
32%
MVA
24%
Other
12%
Fall
32%
Drug Related
Fall
Drowning
MVA
105
105
18
80
Pos. Asphy. 6
Burns
9
Other
17
BFI
18
Plane Crash 4
Total
362
Undetermined Cases
Deaths are certified as “Undetermined” when serious doubt exists as
to which category of manner (accident, homicide, suicide, or natural)
describes a death. Information concerning the circumstances may be
lacking because of the absence of background information or witnesses, or
because of a lengthy delay between death and discovery. In 2011 there
were 16 cases where the manner of death was determined. Undetermined
deaths made up 2% of the total autopsied cases.
Out- of-County Cases
Of the 936 autopsied cases, 255 were out-of county cases. In 2009
there were 217 out-of-county cases, 228 in 2010, and 255 in 2011.
Fremont
Huerfano
Elbert
Teller
Alamosa
Chaffee
Otero
Costilla
Conejos
Custer
Pueblo
43
13
22
28
13
28
14
7
13
4
1
Baca
2
Rio Grande 20
Lincoln
1
Kit Carson 15
Saguache
9
Prowers
8
Bent
3
Crowley
2
Park
5
Mineral
3
Kiowa
1
Total
255