Lake County Coroner's Office

Lake County Coroner's Office Administrative and Information Calls
Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm
Phone: 219-755-3265
Fax: 219-755-3276
(1)

08/29/2026

** Official Press Release **

On Saturday, August 29, 2026 at 0010 hours, the Lake County Coroner and Medicolegal Death Investigation Team from the Lake County Coroner’s Office were notified and dispatched to the Metro station at 4th Ave. & Broadway, Gary, IN. 46402.

Decedent positively identified by family at LCCO as Kenneth Williams of Gary, IN.
Age: 67, Race: African American, Gender: Male
Time of death certified by deputy coroner as 0100 hours.

Agencies involved: Gary Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana State Police

A forensic autopsy will be completed on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at the Lake County Forensic Science Center at 2900 W. 93rd Ave. Crown Point, IN. 46307

Preliminary Cause of Death: Pending
Manner of Death: Pending

08/24/2026

** Official Press Release **

On Saturday, August 22, 2026 at 2114 hours, the Lake County Coroner and Medicolegal Death Investigation Team from the Lake County Coroner’s Office were notified and dispatched to 2996 E. 181st Ave., Hebron, IN. 46341 for the report of two decedents.

Agencies involved: Lake County Sheriff’s Department, Lake County Crime Lab
Forensic autopsies were completed on Monday, August 24, 2026 at the Lake County Forensic Science Center at 2900 W. 93rd Ave. Crown Point, IN. 46307.
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Decedent positively identified by family on scene as Robin Meyers of Demotte, IN.
Age: 56, Race: Caucasian, Gender: Female
Time of death certified by deputy coroner as 2156 hours.

Preliminary Cause of Death: Gunshot Wound
Manner of Death: Homicide
______________________________________________
Decedent positively identified via fingerprints as Jeffrey Smith of Cudahy, WI.
*Please note, this office is still working to identify next-of-kin. Any information is welcome to be called in at 219-755-3265.*
Age: 62, Race: African American, Gender: Male
Time of death certified by deputy coroner as 2157 hours.

Preliminary Cause of Death: Gunshot Wound
Manner of Death: Pending

08/24/2026

** Official Press Release **

On Friday, August 21, 2026 at 0040 hours, the Lake County Coroner and Medicolegal Death Investigation Team from the Lake County Coroner’s Office were notified and dispatched to a structure fire at 2287 Broadway, Gary, IN. 46407.

Decedent positively identified via fingerprints as Tomecka Cotton of Gary, IN.
Age: 36, Race: African American, Gender: Female
Time of death certified by deputy coroner as 0120 hours.

Agencies involved: Gary Police Department, Gary Fire Department, Indiana Department of Homeland Security (Fire Marshal), Lake County Crime Lab

A forensic autopsy was completed on Monday, August 24, 2026 at the Lake County Forensic Science Center at 2900 W. 93rd Ave. Crown Point, IN. 46307

Preliminary Cause of Death: Pending
Manner of Death: Pending

08/17/2026

** Official Press Release **

On Saturday, August 15, 2026 at 2210 hours, the Lake County Coroner and Medicolegal Death Investigation Team from the Lake County Coroner’s Office were notified and dispatched to the intersection of 33rd Ave. and Broadway, Gary, IN. 46408

Decedent positively identified by family on scene as Donelle Clay of Gary, IN.
Age: 45, Race: African American, Gender: Male
Time of death certified by deputy coroner as 2234 hours.

Agencies involved: Gary Police Department, Gary Fire Department

A forensic autopsy was completed on Monday, August 17, 2026 at the Lake County Forensic Science Center at 2900 W. 93rd Ave. Crown Point, IN. 46307

Preliminary Cause of Death: Multiple Blunt Force Injuries (due to: Motor Vehicle Accident)
Manner of Death: Accident

08/15/2026

** Official Press Release **

On Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 2205 hours, the Lake County Coroner and Medicolegal Death Investigation Team from the Lake County Coroner’s Office were notified and dispatched to 400 W. 15th Ave., Gary, IN. 46403

Decedent positively identified by family on scene as David Simms of Gary, IN.
Age: 39, Race: African American, Gender: Male
Time of death certified by deputy coroner as 2245 hours.

Agencies involved: Gary Police Department, Lake County Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force, Lake County Crime Lab

A forensic autopsy was completed on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at the Lake County Forensic Science Center at 2900 W. 93rd Ave. Crown Point, IN. 46307

Preliminary Cause of Death: Gunshot Wound of the Chest
Manner of Death: Homicide

08/15/2026

** Official Press Release **

On Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 1221 hours, the Lake County Coroner and Medicolegal Death Investigation Team from the Lake County Coroner’s Office were notified and dispatched to 5223 E. Dunes Hwy., Gary, IN. 46403

Decedent positively identified by family via photo as Paula Plebanski.
Age: 58, Race: Caucasian, Gender: Female
Time of death certified by deputy coroner as 1314 hours.

Agencies involved: Gary Police Department, Gary Fire Department

A forensic autopsy was completed on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at the Lake County Forensic Science Center at 2900 W. 93rd Ave. Crown Point, IN. 46307

Preliminary Cause of Death: Multiple Blunt Force Injuries in a Storm (struck by roofing material)
Manner of Death: Accident

08/09/2026

UPDATE: As of August 10, 2026, the decedent has been positively identified as 77-year-old African American male, Don S. McClure, of Hammond, IN.

** Official Press Release **

On Saturday, August 8, 2026 at 0702 hours, the Lake County Coroner and Medicolegal Death Investigation Team from the Lake County Coroner’s Office were notified and dispatched to a structure fire at 5430 White Oak Ave., Hammond, IN. 46320

The identification of the decedent is pending DNA confirmation.
Time of death certified by deputy coroner as 0750 hours.

Agencies involved: Hammond Fire Department, Hammond Police Department, Department of Homeland Security (Indiana State Fire Marshall)

A forensic autopsy will be completed on Monday, August 10, 2026 at the Lake County Forensic Science Center at 2900 W. 93rd Ave. Crown Point, IN. 46307.

Cause of Death: Pending
Manner of Death: Pending

08/09/2026

** Official Press Release **

On Saturday, August 8, 2026 at 1035 hours, the Lake County Coroner and Medicolegal Death Investigation Team from the Lake County Coroner’s Office were notified and dispatched to St. Catherine Hospital at 4321 Fir St., East Chicago, IN. 46312

Decedent positively identified by family on scene as Dereon Fields of East Chicago, IN.
Age: 17, Race: African American, Gender: Male
Time of death pronounced by emergency room physician as 1016 hours.

Incident occurrence location: Harbor Food, 3830 Guthrie St., East Chicago, IN. 46312

Agencies involved: East Chicago Police Department, Lake County Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force, Lake County Crime Lab

A forensic autopsy will be completed on Monday, August 10, 2026 at the Lake County Forensic Science Center at 2900 W. 93rd Ave. Crown Point, IN. 46307

Preliminary Cause of Death: Gunshot Wound
Manner of Death: Homicide

Congratulations to Joe, Nicole, Rachelle, and Mark on completing the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Team Membership Certifi...
08/07/2026

Congratulations to Joe, Nicole, Rachelle, and Mark on completing the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Team Membership Certification! Coroner David J. Pastrick and our office is so grateful to be included in such valuable training. Thank you to the team for your hard work! 🎉

07/27/2026

** Official Press Release **
On Sunday, July 26, 2026 at 1040 hours, the Lake County Coroner and Medicolegal Death Investigation Team from the Lake County Coroner’s Office were notified and dispatched to Franciscan Health at 12750 St. Francis Dr., Crown Point, IN. 46307

Decedent positively identified by family on scene as Thomas Novotny of Crown Point, IN.
Age: 78, Race: Caucasian, Gender: Male
Time of death certified by ICU physician as 0956 hours.

Incident occurrence location: Intersection of S. Main St. and Las Olas Dr., Crown Point, IN. 46307

Agencies involved: Crown Point Police Department, Crown Point Fire Department/EMS

A forensic autopsy was completed on Monday, July 27, 2026 at the Lake County Forensic Science Center at 2900 W. 93rd Ave. Crown Point, IN 46307

Preliminary Cause of Death: Blunt-Force Trauma of Head (due to: Pedestrian Struck by Motorcycle)
Manner of Death: Accident

Address

2900 W. 93rd. Avenue
Crown Point, IN
46307

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Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

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