Mortuary Horror: Coroner Brothers Arrested

Former Pueblo County coroner Brian Cotter and his brother, Chris Cotter, have been arrested and charged with over 150 felonies, including abuse of a corpse and theft. These charges stem from the August 20, 2025, discovery of 24 decomposed bodies and human remains in a concealed room at Davis Mortuary. The investigation, which took 10 months, was hampered by the degraded state of the remains. Colorado Bureau of Investigation Director Armando Saldate apologized for the delay and stated that 19 of the 24 bodies have been identified.

Victims' families, represented by attorney James Koncilja, expressed a "small measure of relief" with the arrests. Koncilja described the mortuary's embalming room as "something out of a horror movie" and questioned the competence and moral standards of the elected coroner. He also noted that a civil lawsuit against the Cotters has been stayed pending the criminal case resolution.

Investigators are also examining prepaid funeral agreements, as a "substantial number" of funds may not have been properly placed in a trust, leading to additional theft charges. Families affected by these prepaid contracts are being contacted by the 10th Judicial District Attorney's Office.