CO - “Strong odor" leads police to 20 bodies behind hidden door at Colorado funeral home - 22 Aug 2025

[Knox]

Twenty decomposing bodies were found by Colorado state inspectors behind a hidden door in a funeral home owned by a county coroner.

The coroner told authorities he might have given fake ashes to the next of kin who requested cremations, the Associated Press reported.

State inspectors discovered the bodies in a room behind a door hidden by a cardboard display while an inspection was being performed at the Davis Mortuary in Pueblo, Colorado.

Citing a document from state regulators, the Associated Press reported that inspectors found a "strong odor of decomposition" after arriving at the mortuary. Brian Cotter, the owner and Pueblo County coroner, asked the inspectors not to go into the room.

“Strong odor" leads police to 20 bodies behind hidden door at Colorado funeral home

The owner told inspectors that some of the bodies found at his funeral home had been waiting to be cremated for years.

www.foxla.com

 

[Knox]

PUEBLO, Colo. -- Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Friday called for a county coroner to resign immediately after state inspectors found about 20 decomposing bodies behind a hidden door in a funeral home he owned.

Colorado governor calls for county coroner to resign after inspectors found decaying bodies

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is calling for a county coroner to resign immediately after state inspectors found about 20 decomposing bodies behind a hidden door in a funeral home he owned

abcnews.go.com

 

[Gemmie]

PUEBLO, Colo. -- Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Friday called for a county coroner to resign immediately after state inspectors found about 20 decomposing bodies behind a hidden door in a funeral home he owned.

Colorado governor calls for county coroner to resign after inspectors found decaying bodies

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is calling for a county coroner to resign immediately after state inspectors found about 20 decomposing bodies behind a hidden door in a funeral home he owned

abcnews.go.com

From your article:

some of the bodies had been awaiting cremation for about 15 years

15 YEARS?!?!? Good lord. I can't even wrap my head around what was going on there and in the coroner's head.

 

[worm]

From your article:

some of the bodies had been awaiting cremation for about 15 years

15 YEARS?!?!? Good lord. I can't even wrap my head around what was going on there and in the coroner's head.

I didn't catch t n at the coroner was the owner at first but wouldn't 15 years cause a body t o basically cremate on its own other than bone? This is crazy.

 

[Gemmie]

I didn't catch t n at the coroner was the owner at first but wouldn't 15 years cause a body t o basically cremate on its own other than bone? This is crazy.

No, but I get your point. A body can't cremate on it's own (high heat till all that's left is ashes), but it will putrefy till all that's left is bone.

 

[LunaInvidia]

I.... I haven't asked my mom if that's where my aunt got sent. She died suddenly and traumatically two years ago this month.
I still haven't processed her death and not having been able to do funeral rites for her. The thought that she might not have really been even cremated properly is wrecking me.

 

[Inthedetails]

From your article:

some of the bodies had been awaiting cremation for about 15 years

15 YEARS?!?!? Good lord. I can't even wrap my head around what was going on there and in the coroner's head.

No, no, no. Just no. I can't even imagine.

jmopinion

 

[LunaInvidia]

I.... I haven't asked my mom if that's where my aunt got sent. She died suddenly and traumatically two years ago this month.
I still haven't processed her death and not having been able to do funeral rites for her. The thought that she might not have really been even cremated properly is wrecking me.

(update in case anyone is curious: i texted my mom and they took my tía to a different funeral home at the time. so, we are not personally affected, but my mom attended the vigil because we do know families who are.)

 

[libraryg]

I remember the Tri State Crematory scandal in 2002, where 339 bodies were found in various states of decomposition in Noble GA. Horrific. This puts me in mind of that.