Garfield County Coroner's Office

05/05/2026

PRESS RELEASE

Date: May 5, 2026
Subject: Glenwood Springs Death Investigation

Identity of the Deceased: Pending next of kin notification

On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at approximately 10:04 a.m., the Garfield County Coroner’s Office was dispatched to the area of West 6th Street near Hotel Glenwood Springs for a death investigation.

Upon arrival, Coroner’s Office investigators pronounced a 59-year-old male deceased at the scene. The investigation preliminarily indicates the cause of death to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and the manner of death is being investigated as su***de. The decedent was visiting the Glenwood Springs area and was a resident of Keystone, Colorado.

The Garfield County Coroner’s Office extends its condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

Respectfully,
Robert M. Glassmire
Garfield County Coroner

01/15/2026

PRESS RELEASE

Date: Thursday, January 15, 2026

Subject: Westbound Interstate 70, milepost 113, Glenwood Springs pedestrian fatality

Identity of the deceased: Jennifer Parker, 47-year-old female, resident of Glenwood Springs, CO

On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at approximately 7:19 p.m., the Garfield County Coroner’s Office was dispatched to westbound Interstate 70 at milepost 113 for a report of a female who had been struck and killed by a vehicle. Upon arrival, Coroner’s Office investigators pronounced the woman deceased and noted significant blunt force trauma. Additionally, the woman’s dog was located near her and was also deceased.

An autopsy is scheduled for Friday, January 16, 2026, with the Coroner’s Office contract forensic pathologist. The cause of death is being investigated as blunt force injuries, and the manner of death remains under investigation.

The Colorado State Patrol is the lead law enforcement agency handling the investigation. According to the Colorado State Patrol press release, the crash investigation remains open. Any witnesses are asked to call 970-249-4392 and reference case number VC260017. Please be prepared to leave your name and contact information for a return phone call.

The Garfield County Coroner’s Office extends its condolences to the family and friends of Ms. Parker.

12/09/2025

Garfield County Coroner’s Office Earns Prestigious National Accreditation

Silt, CO - December 8, 2025 - The Garfield County Coroner’s Office is proud to announce that on November 10, 2024, we achieved accreditation from the International Association of Coroners & Medical Examiners (IACME). This distinction marks a significant milestone for our office and underscores our unwavering commitment to excellence, professionalism, and compassionate service to the Garfield County community.

Only eight other coroner offices in Colorado hold accreditation from either the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) or IACME. Garfield and Summit counties are the only accredited coroner’s offices on the Western Slope, making this achievement particularly noteworthy.

The path to accreditation was rigorous and comprehensive. Our office was evaluated against 285 standards covering administrative, forensic, investigative, and facility operations. IACME requires full compliance with all mandatory standards and at least 90% compliance with all applicable standards, benchmarks we are proud to have met.

This accomplishment was the result of a voluntary, in-depth review process that included a thorough inspection of our facility and interviews with community partners. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting our diligence, effectiveness, and collaborative approach. In their report, auditors noted:
“The coroner is widely recognized as deeply engaged within the county, maintaining strong connections, professionally, and personally in the various communities he and his staff serve.” - P. Michael Murphy, F-ABMDI, Lead Auditor

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the coroner’s office investigators, our community partners, and the International Association of Coroners & Medical Examiners for their support and recognition. This accreditation reinforces my promise and our office’s commitment to provide the highest standard of service to the people of Garfield County.

Respectfully,
Robert M. Glassmire
Garfield County Coroner

New Accreditation Announcement!

The International Association of Coroners & Medical Examiners (IACME) is proud to welcome Garfield County, Colorado as our 54th accredited office! 🏅

This accomplishment highlights Garfield County’s dedication to excellence in medicolegal death investigation and their commitment to continuous improvement and professionalism within their community.

👏 Congratulations to Robert Glassmire, Coroner, and the entire Garfield County Coroner’s Office team for achieving this distinguished recognition and upholding the highest standards of practice.

📍 Garfield County Coroner’s Office
Silt, CO

🗓 Accredited November 10, 2025

06/16/2025

PRESS RELEASE
Date: June 16, 2025

Subject: Identification of bicyclist found dead alongside MM 10.5 WB Highway 82 near Carbondale, CO.

Identity of Deceased: Matthew Cox, 38-year-old male, resident of Glenwood Springs, CO.

On Sunday June 15, 2025, at approximately 10:18am, The Garfield County Coroner’s Office was dispatched to the Westbound shoulder of the 10.5-mile marker of Highway 82 near Carbondale, CO for a report of a male found deceased along the side of the road. Upon arrival, coroner’s office investigators pronounced Mr. Cox deceased. Mr. Cox appeared to have been riding his bicycle from Carbondale to Glenwood Springs on the evening of Friday June 13th.

On June 16, 2025, an autopsy was performed on Mr. Cox. Mr. Cox did not have any injuries that contributed to his death. Mr. Cox’s cause and manner of death is currently pending toxicology and other pathology studies as well as the completion of the investigation by the coroner’s office and the Colorado State Patrol. Please contact the Colorado State Patrol for further information regarding their investigation.

The Garfield County Coroner’s Office extends their condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Cox.

Respectfully,

Robert M. Glassmire
Garfield County Coroner

05/30/2025

UPDATED PRESS RELEASE

Date: May 29, 2025

Subject: Triple fatality involving two vehicles, Interstate 70, mile marker 105.9 Westbound, New Castle, CO.

Identity of Deceased:
Vehicle containing:
o Dawn Ingrid Triplat, 84-year-old female, resident of New Castle, CO. Single driver/occupant of vehicle. Cause of death, blunt force injuries. Manner of death, accident.

Vehicle containing:
o Teddy-Jo Headrick, 79-year-old female, resident of Highland, UT, passenger of vehicle. Cause of death, blunt force injuries. Manner of death, accident.
o Richard Headrick, 81-year-old male, resident of Highland, UT, driver of vehicle. Cause of death, blunt force injuries. Manner of death, accident.

The investigation into the circumstances of the two-vehicle crash resulting in three fatalities continues to be investigated by the Colorado State Patrol. Please contact the Colorado State Patrol for additional information regarding the crash investigation.

Respectfully,
Robert M. Glassmire
Garfield County Coroner

PRESS RELEASE
Date: May 27, 2025

Subject: Triple fatality involving two vehicles, Interstate 70, mile marker 105.9 Westbound, New Castle, CO.

Identity of Deceased:
Vehicle containing:
o 84-year-old female, resident of New Castle, CO. Single driver/occupant of vehicle.
Vehicle containing:
o 79-year-old female, resident of Highland, UT, passenger of vehicle.
o 81-year-old male, resident of Highland, UT, driver of vehicle.

On May 27, 2025, at approximately 10:34am, the Garfield County Coroner’s Office was dispatched to Interstate 70, Westbound, at mile marker 105.9 for a report of a motor vehicle crash involving two vehicles and three fatalities. Upon arrival, coroner’s office investigators pronounced the deaths. Investigators were able to identify the decedents and work to recover the decedents from the vehicles.

While immediate next of kin has been notified, the coroner’s office is withholding the names of the victims so that their families have time to notify next of kin out of state.

Autopsies will be scheduled for May 28, 2025. However, based on preliminary information, the cause of deaths are being investigated as blunt force injuries and the manner of deaths are being investigated as an accident.

The coroner’s office was assisted by the Colorado State Patrol, which is the lead investigating law enforcement agency. Other agencies that assisted the coroner’s office include Colorado River Fire Rescue, Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, and the Colorado Department of Transportation.

The Garfield County Coroner’s Office extends their condolences to the family and friends of the victims.

Respectfully,

Robert M. Glassmire
Garfield County Coroner