Alan Gurley-Coroner-Monroe County MS

08/04/2026

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/mississippi/jobs/5433834/forensic-laboratory-scientist-i

About the Position
This job opportunity is in the Medical Examiner's Office in OXFORD, MS, in LAFAYETTE COUNTY. The duties and responsibilities of the Medical Examiner Assistant shall be but not limited to maintaining the chain of custody of all evidence. This will include human remains, DNA, fingerprints, clothing, projectiles, toxicology specimens, gunshot residue (GSR), sexual assault, and nail clippings. Prepare all required paperwork needed for pathology/Anthropology/odontology documentation along with the creation of all case folders/packets for autopsy. The organization of incoming and outgoing cases and knowledge of all documentation needed after death (Autopsy permits, Death investigation forms, Death certificates, etc.). Be able to communicate information between ME office and Funeral Home and/or Transport agencies. Fingerprinting of all decedents that come to the office for autopsy. Work involves forensic photography of: human remains, clothing, and evidence. The collection of all required specimens for toxicological, chemistry or other ancillary testing, and radiology- multiple x-rays of human remains. Be able to maintain case and patient confidentiality as well as dignity of the deceased. Have extensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology of the human body along with assisting with external and internal examinations of human remains. Anatomical dissection and removal of internal organs, projectiles, foreign bodies, etc. as directed by supervising pathologist. Work involves demonstrating proficiency in the ME electronic casefile system (Currently Justice Trax), (MDIlog), (Excel). Be able to assist in scientific identifications though: DNA, dental, fingerprints, and surgical hardware.

What you'll need to be Successful
Critical Thinking; Good Laboratory Practices; Observation and Attention to Detail; Computer Proficiency

Preferred Qualifications
Typically requires a bachelor’s degree related to forensic, chemical, physical, or biological science and 0-2 years of experience. Specific degree and/or certification requirements based on assigned unit.

No description

07/31/2026

https://www.wcbi.com/medical-examiners-office-opens-in-north-mississippi/?fbclid=IwY2xjawTY17BleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEecBtrFfcGfYdZ1evjFty5lF-8iqr0r0dZp-dVQF1EZmBa2SwY-UYTS_jLaww_aem_Pc1P18aKbBHUQ9XqeDctlQ

Thursday, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held for the state's Oxford Medical Examiner's Office.

07/30/2026

This morning, Deputy Coroner Bobby Cleveland and I had the opportunity to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Oxford location of the Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office.

To be honest, I never thought I would live to see this day. This new facility is a tremendous investment in Mississippi's death investigation system and will better serve coroners, law enforcement, prosecutors, and, most importantly, the families of our state.

Pictured in the top photo are Commissioner Sean Tindell (holding the scissors), District Attorney Jason Herring, and me during the ceremony.

07/22/2026

The Monroe County Coroner's Office was notified at 9:42 p.m. on Tuesday, July 21, by staff at Monroe Regional Hospital in Aberdeen regarding the death of an individual who had been transported from the Monroe County Detention Center.
Upon our arrival at the emergency room, we were advised that the individual had arrived without signs of life and was pronounced deceased by the emergency room physician at 9:44 p.m.
The deceased has been identified as:
Spencer Eckford, 66, of Aberdeen.
In accordance with Mississippi law and standard protocol, Mr. Eckford's body has been transported to the Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office in Pearl for an autopsy, which is required in all deaths involving individuals who were in custody.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) is leading the investigation into this incident. Any additional questions regarding the investigation should be directed to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.

07/21/2026

This is something I've hoped to see throughout my entire career as Monroe County Coroner.

For more than 35 years, every case requiring the Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office assistance has meant a trip to Pearl or Biloxi. That drive from the Monroe County Coroner's Office is approximately 183 miles one way to Pearl.

With the new Medical Examiner's Office in Oxford, that distance is reduced to just 73 miles from my office.

This is a tremendous improvement for North Mississippi. It will save valuable time, reduce travel, lower transportation costs, and ultimately help us serve families more efficiently during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

This is a positive step forward for our region, and I'm grateful to finally see it become a reality.

07/17/2026

Aberdeen Man Dies Following Fall from Tree
Monroe County Coroner's Office is investigating the death of Randy Thomas Dixon, 62, of Aberdeen, following an accident Thursday afternoon.
At approximately 5:24 p.m. on Thursday, July 16, 2026, emergency responders were dispatched to a residence in the Quincy Community on Highway 278 East of Amory, where Mr. Dixon had fallen while removing a tree.
According to witnesses at the scene, Mr. Dixon was working approximately 50 feet above the ground when he fell from the tree.
He was transported by ambulance to North Mississippi Medical Center-Gilmore in Amory, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
The cause of death has been determined to be multiple traumatic injuries sustained in the fall.
The incident remains under investigation by OSHA who was notified.

07/13/2026

Senator Graham died after a rupture in his aorta, according to a preliminary medical examiner’s finding shared by his office.
The rupture was related to the hardening of Graham’s arteries. An official cause of death will be disclosed after toxicological and microscopic testing.
What does that mean: (not from article)
A ruptured aorta is one of the most rapidly fatal medical emergencies because the aorta is the largest artery in the body. It carries oxygen-rich blood directly from the heart to the rest of the body.
When it ruptures, several things happen very quickly:
1. Massive internal bleeding
The aorta is under high pressure. When it tears or ruptures, blood pours into the chest, abdomen, or surrounding tissues at an extremely rapid rate. A person can lose liters of blood in just minutes.
2. Blood pressure collapses
As blood escapes from the aorta, there isn't enough circulating blood to supply the brain, heart, and other vital organs. Blood pressure falls dramatically, leading to hemorrhagic shock.
3. Vital organs lose oxygen
Without adequate blood flow:
The brain is deprived of oxygen, causing loss of consciousness.
The heart cannot pump effectively.
Other organs begin to fail.
4. Cardiac arrest
Unless the bleeding is stopped immediately with emergency surgery, the heart eventually stops because there isn't enough blood returning to it to pump. This results in cardiac arrest and death.
Symptoms before death
People often describe:
Sudden, severe chest pain ("tearing" or "ripping")
Severe back pain between the shoulder blades
Abdominal pain (if the abdominal aorta ruptures)
Dizziness or fainting
Cold, clammy skin
Shortness of breath
Rapid pulse followed by collapse
Some people die within minutes, while others survive long enough to reach a hospital if the rupture is small or temporarily contained.

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07/03/2026

The U.S. death rate fell to a record low in 2025, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released Thursday.

According to the Vital Statistics Rapid Release report, the death rate in 2025 was 689.2 per 100,000 people, representing a 4.6 percent drop from 2024 as well as the lowest recorded death rate in the country’s history.

The top two underlying causes of death in the U.S. were heart disease and cancer, followed distantly by unintentional injuries, strokes, chronic lower respiratory disease, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes.

Compared to 2024, the first seven leading causes of death remained the same, but the last three were different. In 2024, the leading causes of death also included Nephritis, chronic liver disease and su***de. In the following year, influenza and pneumonia as well as kidney disease outranked these causes of death, though chronic liver disease remained among the top causes.

Death rates were highest among males, older adults and Black people.

“The death rate decreased from 2024 to 2025 for all demographic groups except American Indian and Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and Asian people. Although the death rate decreased for people age 85 and older during this period, rates for this group remained higher than those for all other age groups,” the report stated.

“Death rates also decreased for several race and ethnicity groups; however, rates for Black people remain higher than those for all other groups.”

The data used for this report was derived from the National Vital Statistics System and accounted for 99 percent of deaths that occurred in 2025.

The report identified four limitations to the findings: The data is provisional, the timeliness of death certificate submissions varies by jurisdiction, race categories may have been misclassified and the methodology of population estimates varied between 2024 and 2025.

“Despite these limitations, this report provides an overview of provisional mortality in the United States during 2025,” reads the report. “Provisional death estimates can give researchers and policymakers an early signal about shifts in mortality trends and provide actionable information sooner than final mortality data. These data can inform public health policies and interventions aimed at reducing mortality.”

The U.S. death rate fell to a record low in 2025, according to provisional data from the CDC.

07/02/2026

06/29/2026

What is an MDP?

MDP stands for Medicolegal Death Professional.

It isn’t a job title.

It’s an umbrella term that recognizes the professionals responsible for investigating deaths that fall under medicolegal jurisdiction.

That includes professionals such as:

• Coroners
• Deputy Coroners
• Medical Examiner Investigators
• Medicolegal Death Investigators
• Forensic Investigators
• Medical Examiners
• Forensic Pathologists
• Autopsy Technicians and Dieners
• Medicolegal Death Investigation Support Staff

While titles, laws, and office structures vary from state to state - and sometimes county to county - the mission remains the same:

To determine who died, how they died, when they died, where they died, and why they died, while serving families, supporting the justice system, and protecting public health.

Just as “EMS Professional” encompasses EMTs, Advanced EMTs, and Paramedics,

Medicolegal Death Professional provides a way to recognize an entire profession without replacing anyone’s individual title.

It creates a common identity while honoring the unique role each person plays.

Whether your office is a coroner system, a medical examiner system, or a hybrid model…

Whether you wear a badge, a lab coat, scrubs, or business attire…

If your work is dedicated to medicolegal death investigation

You are an MDP.

Because regardless of title, we all serve the same purpose.

One profession. Many titles. One mission.