Three more bodies found among decaying remains at a mortuary in Pueblo last year have been identified. That brings the total number of bodies identified to nine out of two dozen.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation announced Tuesday that the most recent identifications date back to people who died between 2010 and 2012. The IDs came through a specific type of DNA testing from a company that offered it to the agency free of charge, according to the agency. The remaining 15 bodies yet to be identified are undergoing a forensic genetic genealogy process, which utilizes public DNA databases to find relatives and build family trees.
CBI has not released the names of any of the remains identified, though some family members have sued the mortuary and its co-owners, brothers Brian and Chris Cotter. Brian Cotter is the former Pueblo County coroner, who resigned in the wake of the investigation.
Multiple containers of bones, cremains and probable human tissue found at the mortuary remain under investigation. According to CBI, they represent an unknown number of deceased people.
The probe is ongoing, and there are no charges at this time.
CBI continues to encourage anyone with information in the case to submit tips. There's also assistance for families who may have used the mortuary's services between 2010 and 2012.
- Families file civil lawsuit against Pueblo’s Davis Mortuary and its affiliates
- Pueblo County’s coroner faces state probe after decaying bodies found hidden at his private practice
- Two dozen bodies, bones and ‘probable human tissue’ recovered from Davis Mortuary in Pueblo in probe of county coroner
- Pueblo County coroner resigns following the discovery of decaying bodies at his private practice
