First Alert Investigation: The Cape County Coroner Responds
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - Our First Alert Investigation into the conduct of the Cape Girardeau County Coroner continues with Coroner Wavis Jordan’s response to new accusations raised by families who’ve come in contact with his office following the death of a loved one.
Coroner Jordan opted to answer my questions by email, rather than in a sit-down interview.
He also asked that I include his full answers online.
Here is my full list of questions, followed by his responses.
1. How did you reach the cause and manner of death in the case of Christopher Daniel Kight without an autopsy?
1. Due to confidential information, I will not discuss the matter of death. In this case, it is up to the Coroner or Deputy Corner if they want to do an Autopsy.
2. Did you send his blood for testing? If so, can you provide those test results?
2. This answer is the same as question one, it is up the coroner’s office if they want to do a Toxic Screen
3.Did you review the police report connected to Kight’s case before reaching your decision on a cause and manner of death in his case?
3. Yes, in his case, it was discussed with the Law Enforcement.
4. What steps did you take to reach members of Kight’s family to notify them of his death and/or to see if they would assume financial responsibility for the disposition of his remains?
4. According to the Missouri Revisor of Statutes 58.375 number 3, The Coroner or his deputy shall contact the appropriate family of the deceased within six hours from discovery of death regarding disposition. We tried within six hours and beyond the six hours to find the next kin for Mr. Kight and there was no respond. Then it continues to say according to MRS 58.375 and 58.460, if no family member or legal representative can be found within ten days from the time was discovered, the coroner shall order embalming or cremation. we did locate a next of kin and no responds from the next of kin within ten days.
5. Why were you unable to draw blood from the decedent in the fatal pedestrian crash detailed in (Cape Girardeau Police Report)22005715?
5. Due to condition & underline circumstance a sample may not be able to be obtain.
6. Why were you unable to draw blood from the driver in the fatal vehicle crash detailed in (Cape Girardeau Police Report) 2300023?
6.Due to condition & underline circumstance a sample may not be to be obtain.
7. Did you not have a duty under the Missouri state statute noted below to draw blood from the driver in 2300023 and report the results of that blood test along with the fatal crash to the Missouri State Highway Patrol?
(MRS 58.445. Deaths due to motor vehicle or motorized watercraft accidents — report required when — tests for alcohol and drugs--
(2.) The coroner or medical examiner shall make, or cause to be made, such tests as are necessary to determine the presence and percentage concentration of alcohol, and drugs if feasible, in the blood of the deceased. The results of these tests shall be included in the coroner’s or medical examiner’s report to the state highway patrol as required by subsection 1 of this section.
7. If I can’t get a blood sample from a deceased for the Missouri Highway Patrol for a report, I would have to fill out a form explaining why I didn’t and fax it to them.
8. Is your inability to draw blood impacting death investigations in Cape Girardeau County?
8. Due to condition & underline circumstance a sample may not be obtained.
12. Yes. I know in my heart that we thoroughly investigate deaths of a person to help bring closer to their family.
9. How did you reach the cause and manner of Susan Westrich’s death on 7-21-2021 without toxicology or an autopsy?
9. Again, due to confidential information, I will not discuss the matter of death.
10. Do you recall one of your deputies telling Ms. Westrich’s sister, Dana Mueller, that a “tox screen” would be done as the three of you stood outside Ms. Westrich’s Oak Ridge home the day of her passing?
10. My staff didn’t discuss anything with Ms. Westrich’s sister about a toxic screen. By law we couldn’t discuss anything with her due to her NOT being the next of kin.
11. Did you or someone in your office forget to draw Ms. Westrich’s blood or send it off for that screening?
11. According to our records, there were no blood drawn. Again, it is up to the coroner’s office if they want to do a Toxic screen on a deceased.
12. In the email you sent me last week regarding Cape County’s decision to explore a medical examiner’s office, you mentioned how you’ve “streamlined the budget compared to the last Administration. I feel like I have saved the county a lot of money”, you wrote.
21. According to Dr. Deidiker’s office (Mineral Area Pathology), Cape Girardeau County requested 21 autopsies in 2021, 23 autopsies in 2022, and 11 autopsies in 2023 as of 9-19-2023. Those numbers are lower than the coroner who served before you (28 autopsies in 2017, 30 autopsies in 2018, 22 autopsies in 2019).
Do you feel you are still investigating deaths thoroughly to the benefit of families and, when it applies, law enforcement?
12. Yes. I know in my heart that we thoroughly investigate deaths of a person to help bring closer to their family.
12. Yes. I know in my heart that we thoroughly investigate deaths of a person to help bring closer to their family.
12. Yes. I know in my heart that we thoroughly investigate deaths of a person to help bring closer to their family.
12. Yes. I know in my heart that we thoroughly investigate deaths of a person to help bring closer to their family.
Coroner Jordan says he plans on attending the public meeting Monday, October 30, set to lay out the pros and cons of Cape County moving to a medical examiner’s office, which would do away with the need for a coroner.
Most of the families I’ve profiled for this investigation have also told me they will be attending as well.
That meeting begins at 9 a.m. at the County Commission Chambers in Jackson.
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