Authorities uncovered 24 decomposing bodies and numerous containers of human remains hidden in a secret chamber at a funeral home, leaving families anxiously seeking details about their deceased relatives.
The unsettling find occurred at Davis Mortuary in August during an inspection by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, conducted for the first time under a new state law. The mortuary, owned by former Pueblo County Coroner Brian Cotter and his brother Chris, saw Brian resign a week after the inspection.
Of the 24 recovered bodies, six have been identified and their families informed, a process described as slow and meticulous by the agency handling the case. The bodies are believed to date back to 2010-2012, as per CBI Assistant Director of Investigations Clint Thomason.
Thomason noted that Davis Mortuary’s paper-based records are impeding the investigation, requiring manual review and potentially months to identify all remains. Charges will be pressed only after all bodies are identified, with close consultation with the district attorney to ensure a comprehensive legal approach.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will utilize dental records, fingerprints, and DNA analysis to identify the remaining 18 bodies. A man revealed that his granddaughter was among the bodies found, renewing old wounds for the family who had entrusted the mortuary to handle the cremation of their deceased baby in 2012.
The man expressed a mix of disbelief and disappointment at the mortuary’s actions, emphasizing that the impact on his family is far from over. The CBI has refrained from disclosing the identities of any of the identified remains.