Pueblo swears in new coroner after recent breach of public trust after Davis Mortuary

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) - On Friday, commissioners held an official swearing-in for the new county coroner. After what occurred at Davis Mortuary, owned by past county coroner Brian Cotter, this decision was not made lightly.

Cotter was at the center of an investigation after Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) inspectors alleged he had left decomposing bodies in a hidden room of his privately-owned funeral home.

"Mr. Cotter stated that the bodies were awaiting cremation and admitted that some bodies had been in the room for approximately fifteen years," suspension records say.

Additionally, Cotter allegedly told inspectors that he "may" have given family members of the deceased fake cremated remains.

The CBI is currently investigating the case, but as of publication, Cotter does not face any criminal charges.

The district attorney's office has asked that families remain patient, as the CBI must complete the investigation before the DA can assess any potential charges.

To read all of our reporting on this case, click here.

Dr. Gregory Grahek has his doctorate and currently manages his own primary care practice. You can learn more about his background from our previous coverage here.

Commissioners say they commend him for stepping up to the plate, and after the deceit the community has endured, they will do everything in their power to make sure he succeeds.

"His quality and his effort and his willingness to take this job on at a time when there is a lot of dysfunction; obviously, he's walking into, I can't think of any other person that can handle this job as well as him, which is why I voted for him," says Commissioner Paula McPheeters.

Pueblo County Commissioners say multiple candidates applied to be the replacement for coroner Brian Cotter, but Dr. Gregory Grahek stood out with his strong desire to help heal the community. 

"Davis' event spurred a lot of turmoil, questioning concerns, and patients, family members, staff all had some kind of connection, and you could just see the pain on their faces. And being in medicine for nearly...19 years, prompted me to feel called to do something to help," says Dr. Gregory Grahek.

At his swearing-in on Friday, Grahek expressed gratitude for the opportunity, and the appreciation was mutual. 

Commissioner Miles Lucero took a moment thanking him for taking on the challenge and acknoweldged the pressure of the role he is now stepping into.

"There's a lot of people right now still in this community that... are suffering. And I hope that you can make this your number one priority, sir, to bring that comfort to these families, to turn the page on this chapter, and to really help us heal," says Commissioner Miles Lucero.

As for the current staff at the coroner's office, Dr. Grahek says he has no plans to "blow things up". He says they are capable and compassionate people already in place, who are all helping with the transition.

Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.