Tag Archives: garfield county coroner

Is Colorado Hiding Crimes?

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Steve asked me a question today, he asked me what I thought Morgan would want the most right now, and I didn’t have to think long – in fact I really didn’t have to think at all, because it’s such a simple answer, for anyone that knew Morgan.  Morgan would have wanted people to be safe from anything bad happening to them.

All the years I lived in Colorado I felt so safe, I felt like nothing bad could happen, very naïve I know, and then the most unspeakable tragedy that could ever happen, did happen…Morgan was murdered.

I believe it is not safe in some parts of Colorado, and it’s the brutal truth.  Evil and danger can exist anywhere, but in some parts of Colorado the truth remains hidden, crimes are not reported as crime stats to the FBI, things are covered up, and the public is not informed, so they can’t take the proper measures to protect their families.  Colorado does not have a mechanism for checks and balances, so if a sheriff and a coroner decide to cover-up a potential murder, then it will never show up as a homicide stat.  Our family has had to learn that the hardest way you can since Morgan’s murder was covered-up. So what I want to do right now is warn other parents, and young women, about the dangers that are lurking in the seemingly peaceful valleys of Colorado, because they are sinister, and more dangerous than anyone wants to ever admit – darkness can not remain where there is light and truth.  Colorado needs to shine a light on these crimes, in order to dispel the evil that lurks in their midst.

“The FBI clearance rate data, for their part, rely on information voluntarily reported by local law enforcement agencies around the country, and not all departments participate.”  http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/03/01/most-violent-and-property-crimes-in-the-u-s-go-unsolved/ 

Why?  Because when law enforcement conducts itself in such a way, that when these things can, and do happen, they keep people in the dark, it keeps our crime rate up, and it puts our citizens in danger. Morgan’s stalking was NEVER listed on any stat by the  Garfield County Sheriff, but she was murdered during an active investigation into her felony stalking. Her suspicious death/murder was NEVER reported on any stat – instead the sheriffs, and coroner, sought to cover it up for the first 8 months as natural causes, and then when that decision was being challenged, they changed it to suicide…neither of these manner of deaths were correct, and they knew it, but continued the farce by refusing to ever answer her parents, doctors or any of the criminal and medical experts that sent information to them showing their conclusions were false.  Their “protocol of silence” is the typical procedure for making things “go away.”  And when they do not respond to calls, letters, emails, etc., and the family persists anyway, then the threats start…most families back down at that point.  It is hard enough to live through a horrendous stalking for 4 months, and then wake up to find your daughter dead, and then watch as her murder is covered up…having to be your own investigator on your daughter’s murder is gut-wrenching, but as parents we do it anyway.  Justice is a right – and backing down is not an option.

Horrible things can and do happen, but they can be stopped before they become lethal. If and when law enforcement reports crimes like stalking, and if they have a strong protocol in which to stop the stalkers course of action, before that action becomes lethal, then the crime of stalking can be stopped before a murder occurs.

Always be aware of the dangers in this world, but do not be fearful.  Take action, educate and protect yourself, insist that law enforcement report all incidents.  Make sure others know what is happening in your community.  Empower yourself, whether it is with self defense classes, tasers, alarms, whatever you choose, but know that you are strong, and you need to be…not a victim, only a survivor!

Who’s minding the death scene?

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Branch after a rain

Morgan was found on December 2, 2011 before 6 am, in her bed, non responsive. We had fears then, but Steve and I would know soon enough that our worst fears would be true, Morgan could not be revived, our youngest daughter was dead.

So who is responsible for the death scene? This is important, hidden clues, evidence, arrest the man responsible, utmost importance, so who is it? Absolutely 100%, without doubt, the Coroner, not the ambulance crew, not the Sheriff’s, certainly not the detectives – the Coroner. Unless he is unavailable, which is, trust me, quite often here in Garfield County Colorado. Enter the Deputy Coroner, he takes over as if he were the Coroner, he pronounces the death, and conducts the investigation. Yes, let me repeat that for you, the Deputy Coroner conducts the investigation, not the Sheriffs, and certainly not the detectives – the Deputy Coroner. I know I said it twice, but not everyone gets it the first time. The Deputy Coroner calls all the shots, makes all the notifications, and performs or causes to be performed the autopsy, should one be needed.

Morgan was a healthy 20 year old woman, she had just seen one of her doctors less than 36 hours before she was discovered for her annual check up. She was being stalked by the typology of a stalker that is considered to rank very high as to the possibility of being a lethal stalker. Steve and I did not know this at that time, we thought a stalker was a stalker and eventually he would go away. Evidently the Sheriffs did not know this either. I prefer to think this than the fact they knew, and chose not to warn us. The Sheriff’s department had been to the house over 50 times by their reckoning, which is a very modest estimate, and had yet to get close enough to catch even a glimpse of him. The Detectives on the Felony Stalking case told us they were 100% certain they knew who it was. So it was without doubt that her death was under suspicious circumstances. And a careful and thorough investigation of the death scene was required, then an autopsy.

Enter Thomas Walton, not just The Garfield County Deputy Coroner, The Chief Deputy Coroner. Here is his card:

Thomas Walton Business Card

Thomas Walton Business Card

Notice he is not only the Chief Deputy Coroner, but in fact he is also the Funeral Home Manager. Is that a special qualification, or a conflict of interest? Well Colorado has a law and it goes like this:

COLORADO REVISED STATUTES

TITLE 30. GOVERNMENT – COUNTY – COUNTY OFFICERS

ARTICLE 10.COUNTY OFFICERS

PART 6. CORONER

30-10-619. Conflicts of interest of county coroners

(1) A coroner who owns, operates, is employed by, or otherwise has an interest in a funeral establishment is deemed to have a conflict of interest and shall not direct business to such establishment when performing his or her duties under this part 6.

(2) Nothing in this section shall prevent a person from taking the body of the deceased to a funeral establishment in which the coroner has an interest if such person decides to do so without the suggestion of the coroner.

(3) The provisions of this section shall not apply if an emergency situation exists and the coroner acts in good faith to prevent a health hazard.

(4) Any person who knowingly violates subsection (1) of this section commits a class 2 misdemeanor and shall be punished as provided in section 18-1.3-501, C.R.S.

(5) This section shall apply to county coroners who take office after the general election in 1982.

So in my opinion, because I never was involved in the decision of where to take Morgan’s body, there was absolutely a conflict of interest. But that is petty, a proper investigation of my daughter’s death is far more important to me than if you should try to steer our business your way. What qualifications does Thomas Walton have? That is what is important here, and that is established by the State of Colorado, isn’t it? Well no, as a matter of fact, it is not. For Coroners yes, training in death scenes, for Deputy Coroners it is a bit of a loophole. It is left up to the County to set the standards for the Deputy Coroner. Like over in our neighboring County, Mesa County, they have a 100+ page document called the Standard Operating Guidelines with 9 appendixes. An impressive package to guide the Coroners officers and treat crime scenes with the utmost respect, both for the victim and the victims surviving family.

Here in Garfield County we do have something like that right? Well no, we don’t, as a matter of fact we don’t seem to have anything. How can that possibly be? You might ask – I did, over and over. And I was always told they do not have one. But it gets far worse than that. Over in Mesa County the Standard Operating guidelines spell out the two associations that the Deputy Coroner must become a part of as minimum training:

II. COLORADO CORONER’S ASSOCIATION

The Mesa County Coroner’s Office requires each Deputy Coroner/Investigator to be a member in the Colorado Coroner’s Association (CCA). The CCA sets standards for minimum training to become a member and requires continuing education to maintain membership.

III. AMERICAN BOARD OF MEDICOLEGAL DEATH INVESTIGATORS

The American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) ® is a voluntary national, not-for-profit, independent professional certification board that has been established to promote the highest standards of practice for medicolegal death investigators.

Here in Garfield County we have. . .you guessed it – none. The man in charge of my daughter’s death scene was not required to have any training, any credentials, any education, nothing. That was the conditions under which Morgan Ingram’s death was investigated. Thomas Walton is listed as the investigator on Morgan’s paperwork. If you call the Coroners office and ask, they will tell you the our Coroner Trey Holt is on vacation, at least that is what they have done for us on over 15 occasions that we have called there to schedule an appointment with him. And they also will tell you that Morgan Ingram was not Trey Holt’s Case, it was Thomas Walton’s, and he will be put on the phone.

If you check with the Colorado Coroners Association they have lists of Coroners, and Deputy Coroners throughout the state of Colorado that have completed training courses. But for Thomas Walton there will be none – zero hours of courses and training completed.

Then more laws for Colorado:

COLORADOREVISED STATUTES

TITLE 30. GOVERNMENT – COUNTY COUNTY OFFICERS

ARTICLE 10.COUNTY OFFICERS

PART 6. CORONER

30-10-602. Deputy coroner – duties – oath – bond – insurance

(1) The coroner of each county is authorized to appoint a deputy. Any such appointment shall be in writing and shall be filed in the office of the coroner. The coroner of each county may delegate any of the coroner’s powers to one or more deputies who shall then have the same duties with respect thereto as the coroner has. Any act of a deputy shall be done in the name of the coroner and signed by the deputy performing such act. A deputy coroner shall hold office during and subject to the pleasure of the coroner. Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, each deputy coroner, before entering the duties of office, shall file with the county clerk and recorder of the county the bond and oath of office required by law to be filed by the coroner.

(2) In lieu of the bond required by subsection (1) of this section, a county may purchase crime insurance coverage on behalf of the deputy coroner to protect the people of the county from any malfeasance on the part of the deputy coroner while in office.

30-10-603. Deputy coroner – appointment

Every appointment of a deputy coroner and every revocation thereof shall be in writing, under the hand of the coroner, and shall be filed in the office of the county clerk and recorder of the county wherein such appointment or revocation is made.

Once again in Mesa County there are documents recorded with the clerk and recorder for their Deputy Coroners, but here in Garfield County there are not any I could find. Surely we thought it was a simple paperwork error and our Deputy Coroner at the crime scene was not breaking the law just by being there. So we called Trey Holt, to talk to him on the phone, or meet in his office, or just answer a letter. But he has never done this and we are forced to assume that what seems to be true Is indeed the case.

The Deputy Coroner has no training, no special qualifications, does not file documents required by the state of Colorado before he can enter into the duties of office and directs business to his Funeral Home in violation of Colorado Revised Statute. What Steve and I expected for Morgan at this most unbelievably painful time was decency, respect – a first class investigation – Morgan not only was not afforded this bare minimum, she has received quite the opposite. Outside experts that review Morgan’s case are incredulous.

  • Her pillow cases were not collected, and therefore not processed as evidence.
  • Her pillows were not collected, and therefore not processed as evidence.
  • Her sheets were not collected, and therefore not processed as evidence.

Had she been forced to drink a Date Rape Cocktail and spilled some on her bed. Or had there been DNA from someone else in her room – no worries, it would never be discovered. Is it true that if you process a crime scene with no effort to discover how the crime was committed, you won’t even discover there was a crime? Evidently!

After his investigation The Deputy Coroner Thomas Walton could not produce a report that correctly:

  • Reported the location and position of her body when it was discovered.
  • Stated which, if any, prescription medications she was talking, then, rather than come back and ask us, they just guessed, and of course got it wrong.
  • State her current doctors.
  • State any medical conditions she had – she had none – but that didn’t stop them from stating she did.
  • Stated she was tired and stressed from four months of stalking – which she most definitely was.

We are sorry Morgan. We are sorry that we did not know better. We are sorry that what we thought was CSI was a few rungs below that, maybe quite a few. You deserved so much better then that Morgan, and for that your father and I will always be sorry. But we will try to right this wrong, so it doesn’t keep happening over and over again to innocent families, and it doesn’t keep this County fertile ground for criminals.

There is the overwhelming cascade of feelings, searching…just who is responsible for a crime scene, when there is a dead body there? Why do us parents, at a time when we are in the most indescribable pain, have to figure out what is going wrong with this investigation?