Brian Cotter, the elected Pueblo County Coroner since 2015, made statewide headlines Thursday, Aug. 21, following a mandatory inspection from state officials (on Aug. 20), who reported that, while investigating Cotter’s privately owned funeral home, Davis Mortuary in Pueblo, they discovered decomposing bodies hidden behind a “secret door.”  

Cotter has been officially listed as being from Trinidad and graduating from Trinidad High School.  

The Colorado Bureau of Investigations, CBI, announced on Aug. 21 at 11:30 a.m., that they planned to hold a press conference later the same day regarding their summary suspension of Cotter’s Davis Mortuary, following the results of the inspection.  

“The Pueblo Police Department has requested that the CBI take over the criminal investigation based on its prior experience with the Return to Nature Funeral Home case,” CBI stated in its announcement. “During the inspection (from the state’s OFMSS), authorities reported finding several bodies in various stages of decomposition. The appointed designee for the funeral home, Brian Cotter, told inspectors that some of the bodies had been awaiting cremation for approximately 15 years. He also admitted that he may have given next-of-kin fake cremains.” 

According to Davis Mortuary’s website, Cotter purchased the funeral home, which had been established in 1905, along with his brother in 1989. The website specifically referenced Cotter being raised “80 miles to the south in Trinidad.”  

Cotter’s Facebook account also indicated that he worked as the Pueblo County Coroner, was from Trinidad and attended Trinidad High School.  

Pueblo County officially stated in Cotter’s bio, “Mr. Cotter has over 20 years’ experience working with the Pueblo County Coroner’s office and over 25 years of death care experience as a local mortician, a state death investigator, and a diplomat for the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators. He is a graduate of Trinidad High School in Trinidad, Colorado, as well as the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service in Dallas, Texas.”  

Regarding the mandatory inspection from the Office of Funeral and Mortuary Science Services, OFMSS, within the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, authorities stated, “When inspectors entered Davis Mortuary, they noted a strong odor of decomposition and a door hidden by a cardboard display. Upon entering the room behind the display, the inspectors found several bodies in various stages of decomposition. The appointed designee for the funeral home, Brian Cotter, told inspectors that the bodies were awaiting cremation and admitted that some bodies had been in the room for approximately 15 years. He also admitted that he may have issued next-of-kin fake cremains.”