Colorado inspectors uncover 20 decomposing bodies at Davis Mortuary

State inspectors in Colorado found roughly 20 decomposing bodies hidden behind a door inside Davis Mortuary, a Pueblo funeral home operated by county coroner Brian Cotter. Cotter told investigators that some of the bodies had waited cremation for about 15 years and that he may have provided fake cremated remains to families. The discovery prompted the suspension of the mortuary’s license and a multi-agency criminal investigation, signaling intensified scrutiny of Colorado’s funeral industry as authorities seek to determine how such conditions persisted and who may be affected.

Investigators arrived at Davis Mortuary Wednesday to conduct an annual inspection and encountered a room concealed by a cardboard display. A strong odor of decomposition was reported, and Cotter reportedly requested that inspectors not enter the hidden space. After the concealment was removed, authorities estimated about 20 bodies were present, though they cautioned that the final count could change as the investigation continues. The bodies were not immediately removed from the scene, and the scope of the investigation remains under review by investigators from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation,...