Coroner

The Cowlitz County Coroner's Office has proudly served the citizens of Cowlitz County for more than 85 years. Our office has a unique and highly specialized mission of providing the highest level of professional medicolegal death investigation services in determining the cause, manner, and mechanism of death for those persons who die within the jurisdiction of this office.

We are dedicated as a team to provide these services in an efficient and courteous manner, respecting the needs of the families involved. We want the citizens of Cowlitz County to know, by our words and actions, that we are sincere and loyal to them, and will deal respectfully with each and every death.

Vision Statement

The Cowlitz County Coroner's Office is committed to providing quality service in the investigation and certification of deaths falling under the jurisdiction of the office. The office will constantly strive to adopt new scientific methods that will increase the quality of our work, decrease costs, and decrease the time necessary to accomplish our tasks. We will maintain excellent relations with the public and members of the Criminal Justice and Health Care Systems.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Cowlitz County Coroner's Office is to serve and protect the interests of the community. This is achieved by determining the cause, manner, and mechanism of sudden or unexplained deaths, identifying deceased persons, and notifying their legal next-of-kin, regardless of where they may live in the world, while ensuring the deceased and their property are treated with the utmost respect and dignity. We accomplish our mission with an internationally accredited facility, certified medicolegal investigators, board certified forensic pathologists, and other scientific methods of inquiry. We serve as an independent finder of fact in our search for the truth. The Coroner's investigation and conclusions strive to provide a balance to the scales of justice and seek resolution to medical mysteries.