State inspectors have uncovered nearly 20 decomposing bodies hidden inside a Colorado funeral home operated by the county's elected coroner - a discovery authorities called a "profound violation of trust and a heartbreaking betrayal."
The remains, believed to date back as far as 15 years, were discovered Wednesday in a concealed room at Davis Mortuary, according to officials during a Thursday news conference held by the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office.
The chamber's door was hidden behind a cardboard display, and inspectors noted a "strong odor" upon finding the room, local outlets reported, citing state documents.
The private facility - which has been operating as a funeral home since 2010 - underwent its first annual inspection this week under a new oversight law passed after a local 2023 scandal, in which nearly 190 bodies were improperly stored at Return to Nature Funeral Home and families were given fake ashes.
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"We have received credible information that Davis Mortuary has been improperly storing human remains for years," Armando Saldate III, director of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), said on Thursday.
"This is the profound violation of trust and a heartbreaking betrayal of the families who had trusted their loved ones to this funeral home," the CBI director added.
During the inspection, Brian Cotter, who has served as the county coroner since 2014 and co-owns the funeral home with his brother, Chris Cotter, asked inspectors not to enter the room, local reports say, citing records.
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Cotter reportedly told officials that some of the bodies in the hidden room had been awaiting cremation for over a decade and acknowledged that families may have been provided fake cremains of their relatives.
The state has since suspended Davis Mortuary's funeral-home license. Its crematory license remained valid until November 2024, though staff reported that no cremations have been performed there for roughly 10 years, officials said.
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"Our top priorities are to respectfully and humanely process the scene, identify all the deceased, and notify their families and loved ones," Saldate said.
"This is going to be a comprehensive investigation, and the financials will definitely be part of them," he added.
No formal charges have been filed yet. Authorities said they are aware of Brian Cotter's whereabouts, and he will continue to serve as the Pueblo County coroner for now. Both Cotter brothers remain under investigation, though neither is currently subject to travel restrictions.
Brian Cotter did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
