{"id":4297,"date":"2013-07-13T19:40:27","date_gmt":"2013-07-14T01:40:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/morgansstalking.com\/?p=4297"},"modified":"2017-04-14T08:07:12","modified_gmt":"2017-04-14T14:07:12","slug":"a-lack-of-expertise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/morgansstalking.com\/?p=4297","title":{"rendered":"A Lack of Expertise or Something More Sinister?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Bug<\/a>

Morgan would sit an wait for hours, to capture the image. Investigators owed her the same respect.<\/p><\/div>\n

In some cases a simple lacking of knowledge would be better than none at all.\u00a0 But just what do I mean by that?\u00a0 I\u2019m focusing on only one thing – the training of the Garfield Sheriffs to carry out a specific task. \u00a0A task I wasn’t aware they took on in its entirety. \u00a0It is very specialized and training intensive. \u00a0Months ago, a typical scenario for another law enforcement agency was explained to Steve and I, so we could identify similarities and alas, there were none.<\/p>\n

I am talking about the proper processing of a death scene. \u00a0The single most important element to an eventual arrest and conviction of the criminal. \u00a0There is undoubtedly no one best way to do it, but then there would certainly be a minimum, a bare minimum.\u00a0 I researched once into the Deputy Coroner of the Garfield County, Where our daughter Morgan was killed, and then her death scene investigation was conducted.<\/p>\n

Before it was so upsetting to discover the fact that just a little to the west, in the next county over, in Mesa County, there is a different coroner naturally.\u00a0 But this coroner is himself a medical doctor and requires every deputy coroner to complete two different certifications (not so in the county where Morgan was murdered):<\/p>\n

1. Investigator to be a member in the Colorado Coroner\u2019s Association<\/b> (CCA). The CCA sets standards for minimum training to become a member and requires continuing education to maintain membership.<\/p>\n

2. The American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators<\/b> (ABMDI) \u00ae 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.<\/p>\n

This is the minimum in the adjoining Colorado county.\u00a0 The Garfield County Coroner is not a doctor<\/u>, which is not required, he was an owner of the funeral home and legally only needed a High School diploma, and the Deputy Coroner at Morgan\u2019s death scene was the funeral home manager<\/u> at Farnum-Holt Funeral Home and had none of the training required by Mesa County \u2013 none. The Deputy Coroner does not need to meet any requirements, not even a High School diploma, but he is responsible for certain filings, etc., which …this is who showed up at Morgan’s crime scene to determine if there was any foul play. \u00a0Thomas Walton<\/b>, the then Garfield County Deputy Coroner – after all our due diligence, collecting all the state documents, we now know he had no training, and did none of the paperwork required for this position, making him legally not a deputy coroner. \u00a0He was the one who took the crime scene photos we have, never took a body temp, and said he got all his\u00a0\u201cfacts\u201d from the sheriffs, he never interviewed us. \u00a0He later said he could not make any changes on Morgan\u2019s PER unless instructed by Detective Glassmire, because that is where he got all his information. The law clearly shows this is not what should be done.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

But I was not there when he wrote up his “Autopsy Request” in which his “facts” were all wrong, and now as \u00a0read the unattended death report for Morgan, I find that Thomas Walton \u2013 Chief Deputy Coroner of Garfield County \u2013 didn\u2019t really do anything, the sheriffs by their recounting, were the ones involved.\u00a0 But they have no certification in death scenes either! \u00a0Is this a search for the truth? \u00a0Is this how you would want a suspicious death investigated? \u00a0Colorado law clearly states this is not how you do it – but that didn’t stop them in Morgan’s case.<\/p>\n

In fact, in the neighboring county, that I refer to, they actually have standards, and the law enforcement officers are not to touch the body, maybe because they are not trained!\u00a0 There were observations made the Garfield County Sheriffs investigators that are completely wrong and contradict each other, maybe, once again, because they have no training in death scene investigating. \u00a0And before the crime scene photos were even taken (maybe before the deputy corner even arrived) someone had illegally tried to close Morgan’s eye, wiped blood off her face, covered her up with a towel, and many other things that they are NEVER supposed to do in a suspicious death investigation. \u00a0Incompetence, inadequate investigation, “bumbling” like the DA said, or something more sinister?<\/p>\n

So as I look at this more globally, it is a sad state of affairs.\u00a0 For any death in Garfield County at that time, it was likely going to be presided over by a funeral home manager from Farnum-Holt Funeral Home, with no real training in death scene investigation.\u00a0 He does not even belong there!\u00a0 And then doing the actual hands on investigating will be sheriff\u2019s officers with no certification in death scene investigation.\u00a0 Did the honorable District Attorney even know this when she said that the Garfield County Sheriff\u2019s Department completely botched the investigation?<\/p>\n

In Mesa County, Colorado, deputy coroners have two forms of certification in death scene investigation, ongoing education, and law enforcement – look but don\u2019t touch, you are not trained.\u00a0 In Garfield County, none of the above. \u00a0Does apprehending and convicting the criminals mean anything here? \u00a0Is it just an after thought?\u00a0 Not really a serious consideration?\u00a0 Or is it just women they do this to?<\/p>\n

Morgan\u2019s death scene investigation was no investigation at all as far as I can see.\u00a0 The observations made are contradicted by the contracted forensic pathologist whom none of the experts that have looked over Morgan\u2019s case agree with so I\u2019m left to conclude they are most likely both incorrect.\u00a0 Is this how my daughter\u2019s investigation should have been conducted?\u00a0 Untrained, no trained, little training, and please don\u2019t give me an excuse about on-the-job-training.\u00a0 Experience by doing it with no training a few times, learn from your mistakes.\u00a0 It is unbelievable to me!\u00a0 Morgan deserved far more than that.<\/p>\n

We can\u2019t bring Morgan back, and we can\u2019t have a do over on her investigation.\u00a0 What I really want to know is what do we tell he next family and their girl.\u00a0 I truly and very deeply worry for them now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In some cases a simple lacking of knowledge would be better than none at all.\u00a0 But just what do I mean by that?\u00a0 I\u2019m focusing on only one thing – the training of the Garfield Sheriffs to carry out a … Continue reading 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is Spending Happy Time with Special Friends","author":"Toni Ingram","date":"July 25, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Wylah is helping Morgan's friends get ready for the Carbondale Mountain Fair","rel":"","context":"In "Morgan's friends"","block_context":{"text":"Morgan's friends","link":"https:\/\/morgansstalking.com\/?cat=38"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4994,"url":"https:\/\/morgansstalking.com\/?p=4994","url_meta":{"origin":4297,"position":1},"title":"Halloween in 2011…Morgan had so much fun on her last Halloween","author":"Toni Ingram","date":"November 2, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Morgan we missed you so much on Halloween...but we felt you with us as we handed out candy to all those adorable little kids. \u00a0This picture reminded us of how much fun you had on your last Halloween in 2011 with all your friends. \u00a0 \u00a0 I carved my first\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Morgan's Investigation"","block_context":{"text":"Morgan's 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