Updated at 6:54 p.m. on Aug. 22, 2025.
Law enforcement officials said Friday that an investigation into the Pueblo County coroner could take months, and that it could take "a considerable amount of time" before any charges are filed.
The statement from Armando Saldate, director of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, comes after the remains of around 20 bodies were found improperly stored at the Davis Mortuary in Pueblo, a private practice owned by the county coroner and his brother.
"Our primary investigative focus right now is a two-pronged approach," Saldate said at a press conference Friday. "A very thorough criminal investigation ... and the respectful identification of the deceased, our victims."
Saldate said he hopes to have a confirmed number of victims sometime this weekend, even as they've had more than 500 phone calls in one day from people seeking more information.
Governor Jared Polis — in town for the opening of the Colorado State Fair — called for the resignation of the coroner, Brian Cotter, when his office sent a notice declaring a disaster emergency in support of response efforts.
"I'm sickened for the families of the loved ones who are impacted by this unacceptable misconduct," Polis said in a statement. And, at Friday's press conference, he said he urged "that any crimes are fully investigated and of course prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
As of 1 p.m. Friday, Cotter had not resigned.
"I think it's important to understand that none of the county elected officials nor the governor have the statutory authority to remove the coroner," which is an elected position, said Pueblo County Sheriff David Lucero.
The coroners' offices from Fremont and El Paso counties have stepped in to help in Pueblo. The district attorney in Pueblo says charges — if any — would come at the close of the investigation.
"This is going to be a long and complex case," said Saldate. "We have a lot of forensic evidence to process and a great deal of information to sort through from the public in our initial findings."
He also said they'll have to go through paper records as part of the investigation.
In the statement from the governor's office, Polis credited the discovery to a new law from last year that, among other things, implemented inspections for funeral homes.
His executive order releases about $300,000 in state funds to help address the situation at the funeral home.
The CBI has created a form that people can fill out to provide possible victim information. That questionnaire can be found here.
