Ector County Medical Examiner

03/12/2026

Make a difference in just one morning!

Join us for Basin Action Day on Saturday, April 11, from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., as volunteers come together to clean up and beautify our community through the No Trash in Our Patch initiative.

Sign up today and be part of the change! Scan the QR code or fill out this form:
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03/08/2026

International Women’s Day 2026

03/08/2026

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.

03/08/2026

Last Responder, a program of Responders Inc., is conducting a survey focused on the experiences, workload, and wellness needs of Medicolegal Death Professionals. The purpose of this survey is to better understand the realities of death investigation including trauma exposure, work environment, menta...

03/03/2026

An example of why our work matters.

Behind every case number is a family.
Behind every report is a mother.
Behind every notification is a moment that changes a life forever.

Medicolegal Death Professionals step into the most painful days of someone’s life - not as spectators, but as mandated public servants.

We are required to respond. We are required to investigate. We are required to document and certify the cause and manner of death.

What we do is mandated by law.

But we are not required to care. And yet we do.

Becky Pfeiffer -

You don’t do this work for recognition. None of us do. But when a family pauses in the middle of grief to say thank you, it means something.

Thank you for taking the time to share this letter and your story with us.

We are always happy to celebrate the bright side of a dark job.

02/24/2026

Congressperson Email Address Phone # Subject: Request to Support the Congressional Forensic Science Caucus Dear Representative [Last Name], I am writing to you as a Medicolegal Death Professional working within the forensic and death investigation system. Our profession plays a critical role i...

02/16/2026

CONGRATULATIONS to our own Tricia Hart on the win. This was a nationwide contest with I’m sure more than 500 entries. Just a fun, creative diversion.

02/14/2026

02/06/2026

The Odessa Police Department has made an arrest in connection to a death that occurred last month involving a 22-year-old male. Nicole Marie Jones, 40, has been charged with murder, a news release said. According to the release, on Jan. 9 at approximately 6:48 p.m., OPD responded to the 5000 block o...

02/04/2026

Our staff !!!

02/04/2026

We view positive identification as a major resposibility in our office. No assumption.

This week is Medicolegal Death Investigator Week, and today we want to talk about identification.

Confirming a person’s identity is one of the most critical responsibilities our office has. It is not something we rush or assume. In many cases, identification requires fingerprints, dental records, DNA, medical devices, or other unique identifiers. This process can take time, but accuracy is essential.

Families waiting for confirmation are often experiencing an unimaginable level of uncertainty. While waiting is difficult, certainty matters. Every name we release must be correct, because behind that name is a life and the people who loved them.

Providing accurate identification is about respect, dignity, and giving families the truth they deserve!