The Coroner is an elected County Official. A certificate of each death that occurs in the State must be filed with the Local Registrar of the district (appointed by the State Registrar of Vital Statistics) within five days after the occurrence of death. The person in charge of interment or investigation:

• If no physician was in attendance during the last illness of the deceased;
• When the circumstances suggest that the death occurred as a result of other than natural causes;
• When a death is presumed to have occurred within the State of Idaho but the body cannot be located;
• In the case of a stillbirth of a fetus of twenty weeks or more.

It has been both an honor and a pleasure to serve the citizens of Boise County as your elected Coroner.  I served as Deputy Coroner in 2002, taking office in January 2003.

A widowed mother of four, I have been full-time resident of Boise County since 1999, after retiring from the U.S. Army after 15 years of service.  I live at Star Ranch near Placerville.  Beginning in 1997, I volunteered as an EMT with the East Boise County Ambulance District, serving both Placerville and Idaho City Ambulance services, continuing through the COVID-19 pandemic.

During my tenure as Coroner, I have participated in the investigation of more than 1700 deaths, including natural, accidental, suicidal, homicidal, undetermined, and the review of hospice cases for cremation.  Additionally, I have been responsible for death notifications to next to kin,

Since taking office, I have prioritized professional training for my Chief Deputy and Deputy Coroners to ensure our office maintains the highest standards of medicolegal death investigation.

The Coroner’s Office has an Annual Operating budget for Fiscal year 2026 of just over $78,000, the majority of which supports autopsies, required toxicology testing, training, and day-to-day operations:  salaries comprise less than one-quarter of the budget with the Coroner’s salary of $16,343.60 for this fiscal year.

Role of a medicolegal (coroner) death investigator:

Conducts a thorough investigation of the scene, recording relevant details pertaining to the circumstances surrounding death.

Collaborates closely with law enforcement, healthcare professionals, and forensics specialists.

Collects and preserves evidence, oversees transport of the deceased, and documents the chain of custody.

Requests and reviews autopsies and toxicology and interprets findings in collaboration with forensic pathologists.

Determines cause and manner of death and completes official death reports.

Notifies next to kin and provides family liaison support, including guidance on next steps and available resources.

Maintains secure and precise records to ensure compliance with legal, medical, and privacy regulations (including HIPAA)