By Lauren Zeugner
InkFreeNews

Editor’s Note: With the start of early voting for the May 7 primary set to begin on Tuesday, April 9, The Mail-Journal is running a series of previews for contested races in Kosciusko County.

WARSAW — This preview features the race for Kosciusko County Coroner. The candidates are challenger Tracy Cutler-Wilson and incumbent Tyler Huffer. Both candidates are Republicans.

Tracy Cutler-Wilson

 

Cutler Wilson is a native of Kosciusko County. She grew up in Atwood and attended Warsaw High School.

Wilson and her husband, Mike, who was county coroner and then deputy coroner, worked in the coroner’s office for a number of years until 2023. She is a certified death investigator and has been involved in over 500 cases.

She is also a 20-year nationally registered paramedic and a victim’s advocate in the county for 10 years. She also has over 10 years of training in care and compassionate.

Tyler Huffer

Huffer was born and raised in Kosciusko County. He graduated from Warsaw Community High School and attended I.U.P.U.I. in Indianapolis. Huffer is a member of the Warsaw Noon Optimist Club, board member for the North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Chamber of Commerce and former board member of the Chapman Lake Conservation Association.

He was appointed County Coroner in a caucus to replace Tony Ciriello, who now serves on the county council. He took office Jan. 1, 2023.

His professional background includes being a previous township trustee and board member, licensed paramedic, medicolegal death investigator and graduate of Mid-America Mortuary College. 

Questionnaire

Both candidates were asked identical questions. Here are their responses.

Do you feel it is right for the county coroner to suggest to members of a deceased family what funeral home to use? Why or why not?

Cutler-Wison: “Absolutely not! It is highly unethical and poor business practice. Especially when the coroner or deputy coroner is employed or owns a funeral home. When my husband and I were in the office before, we had a list of local funeral homes in our county and of surrounding counties to help the families with those decisions.

“Sometimes it was hard for the family to just try to remember the name of the funeral home that their loved ones had used in the past, especially if they were not from around the area. I always stated that each funeral home in this county was very capable of handling the family and the deceased. If the family was having a hard time, you can always ask where past loved ones have gone for funeral services. Plus, we can always hold the deceased in the coroner’s office until the family members can confer and decide.”

Huffer : “As the county coroner, it is imperative that we stay neutral in this situation and not suggest to any family members what funeral home to choose. The choice of funeral home is a very personal decision for the family to make. The coroner’s duty should be to provide necessary information and support to the family during a difficult time without influencing their decision regarding funeral arrangements.

Therefore, it is essential for the coroner to remain impartial and refrain from making recommendations regarding funeral homes. The coroner’s office will help with transporting the deceased to the family’s chosen funeral home.

“In cases where no family is immediately available to make this decision, it is lawful to take the deceased to the coroner’s office until the family can be notified. Upon contacting the family, the coroner will ensure the deceased is transported to the chosen funeral home with compassion and respect. Therefore, I reiterate if a coroner is associated with a funeral home and fulfills their duties and obligations accordingly, there should be no conflict. I employ deputy coroners who work at various funeral homes as well, who are all trained to carry out this task diligently.”

Outside of the Coroner certification, what other training do you think is important for a coroner to have and what additional training do you have?

Cutler-Wilson: Any extra training outside the certification should be a must. The certification of a Medicolegal Death Investigator is a 40-hour class led by the Indiana Coroners Training Board. This is a requirement by Indiana law for any coroner or deputy coroner in the state. Additionally, coroners and deputy coroners are required to have 20 hours of continuing education per year. There is a yearly coroners conference where you can receive extra training that is free of charge for current employees of the office. Others outside the office must pay.

I personally think any training that has to do with death and the causes of death should be taken. I have always in the past taken advantage of any extra training, sometimes at my own expense. I attended autopsies anytime I could and would ask the questions of the pathologist to gain more forensic knowledge. Death scenes investigations and how you investigate them are always evolving. We have always worked as a team with the policing agencies on investigating scenes and making death notification of next of kin. During death notifications, I would use my expertise in victim’s advocacy with empathy in helping the next of kin in contacting other family members.

This is taking care of family. The complexity of death scene investigation requires continued education in all fields to include forensics, crime scene and family advocacy. This continued education I have done with the team and will continue to do.”

Huffer: “I am a licensed paramedic and a former flight paramedic with Parkview Samaritan on the helicopter in Rochester before working at the funeral home. I also graduated with my associate degree in mortuary science from Mid-America Mortuary College which provided significant medical training in anatomy, physiology, pathology and psychology, as well as extensive training in identifying cause and manner of death.

I am also highly trained in the medical and psychological aspects surrounding a death and have attended conferences and training seminars to remain current with all aspects of the coroner’s office. I am certified by the State of Indiana as Medicolegal Death Investigator which is required by the state.

I feel I am the most qualified for this position given my formal education in death care, experience serving as the Kosciusko County Coroner and the excellent relationships forged with the local fire departments, police, EMS and local area nonprofits. In my tenure as coroner, the office has run smoothly and has been fiscally responsible without its yearly budget.

There is a great deal of time and dedication that is required to serve as coroner and I have served and will continue to serve the community with utmost compassion and professionalism, if re-elected. My main objective is to ensure the respect and privacy of both the decedent and their family is foremost in every situation.

The coroner is responsible for things such as investigating unattended deaths, issuing death certificates and issuing cremation authorizations to area funereal directors. …

What is one of the biggest challenges facing the coroner’s office today?

Cutler-Wilson: “I think one of the biggest challenges is the opioid/drug overdoses. I don’t see it slowing down and every time you turn around there is a new drug to replace the one you just spent so much time and money trying to eradicate. Another issue that is very close to my heart is mental health in our veterans. As a mom of two Marines, one of which went to war in Iraq, we must continue to work together to help them and provide education, mental assistance to them to eliminate the potential of suicidal tendencies. The conversations of suicidal tendencies is also an issue with all, but the past facts of teen suicides is an issue. We in the coroner’s office need to continue to work with mental health agencies and law enforcement agencies to not only slow this problem, but also work to eliminate the issues together as a team.”

Huffer: “Upon assuming office, my chief deputy coroner, Paul Schmitt, and I recognized areas for immediate improvement. One glaring issue was the incomplete coroner reports. To address this, we swiftly implemented new protocols and policies, mandating timely completion of charts. On day one, we introduced a new reporting system to enhance efficiency. Securing grants for our office, particularly for death investigations, has been a priority. Furthermore, we’ve diligently worked with the auditor’s office and county council to rectify longstanding budgetary issues and shortfalls.

“In addition to internal enhancements, combating the opioid epidemic has been paramount. The rampant misuse of opioids has led to a staggering increase in overdose deaths, straining our resources. Identifying the substances involved and accurately determining causes of death pose formidable challenges.

Recognizing the importance of community engagement, we’ve intensified public outreach efforts. Erecting an overdose awareness sign at our office serves as a visible reminder of the devastating impact of drugs like fentanyl, meth and xylazine on our community. Through education and awareness, we strive to empower the public to address these pressing issues.”

What role should the coroner play in facilitating tissue, skin, bone and eye donations?

Cutler- Wilson: “I think the coroner should be an advocate for the deceased and the family. Whether it is tissue donation or whole-body donation, I always encouraged the loved ones to make the decision that would make them the most comfortable and that they thought the deceased would want them to do.

I am an advocate for tissue/organ donations, but until you are personally in the position of making that decision for a loved one, it is one of the most trying of times. Personally, I give them suggestions, answer questions and always encourage and support whatever decision they make. I worked for a time with Lions Eye Bank on cornea donation, so I have the inside personal knowledge of the process to be able to answer questions for the families.”

Huffer: “Our role as coroner in facilitating tissue, skin, bone and eye donations is vital in honoring the wishes of registered donors and their families, and ultimately in potentially saving lives through transplantation, therapy, research, education or training.

“I’ve actively engaged in communication with the Indiana Donor Network to enhance our collaboration. This included fostering improved lines of communication and understanding between our office and the organization. Additionally, I’ve facilitated opportunities for the Indiana Donor Network to visit Kosciusko County, enabling discussions with our deputies to elucidate the vital role they play in saving lives both locally and across the state of Indiana.

“Specifically, coroners are required to follow the procedures outlined in IC 29-2-26.1 concerning organ and tissue procurement, as well as collaborate with organ procurement organizations to facilitate donation and honor the wishes of donors and their families.

“According to IC 29-2-16.1-21, coroners are mandated to cooperate with procurement organizations to maximize the opportunity to recover anatomical gifts. This includes conducting postmortem examinations in a manner and time frame compatible with preserving the body or parts for donation purposes whenever feasible.

“In summary, my role as coroner is to help facilitate donations involving upholding legal requirements, respecting donor wishes, collaborating with procurement organizations such as Indiana Donor Network, and ensuring ethical practices throughout the donation process. By doing so, we contribute to the noble cause of saving lives and advancing medical science and patient care.”