Brazos County leaders discuss next steps to form new medical examiners office

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – Officials have long wanted to bring a medical examiner facility to Brazos County. For more than a decade, county leaders have discussed the possibility, but the time was not right.

More than 200 autopsies are outsourced to the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office in Austin each year. The Travis County MEO currently serves Brazos and 45 other counties with their death-related investigations, as these may include an autopsy to determine cause and manner of death.

County leaders say a toxicology lab and medical examiner’s office are long overdue and vital to public health and the safety of residents. Commissioners say that with 45 other counties relying on Travis County for autopsy results, it creates a backlog of cases, leaving families and law enforcement waiting. Having a local facility would give law enforcement officers the ability to remain on-site and not have to travel back and forth to Austin to witness proceedings or process evidence. More importantly, county leaders say a facility here would save time, resources and money.

County commissioners were presented with a needs assessment at Tuesday’s commissioners court meeting as they take another step toward making that goal a reality.

The 16,000-square-foot facility would have the capacity to perform more than 400 autopsies per year from not only Brazos County but surrounding counties as well. If Brazos County were to open a medical examiner’s office, surrounding counties such as Burleson, Grimes, Lee, Milam, Robertson and Washington could have a closer option for their autopsy services, generating revenue for the county.

Starting, Brazos County would hire a forensic pathologist, two investigators and three support positions, with plans to add an additional forensic pathologist, investigator and autopsy assistant by 2030.

Initial estimates show the new facility would be priced at $22.5 million, funded in part by the US Rescue Plans Act.

“Whether he [District Attorney] that you need an autopsy because there’s criminal activity and someone was murdered or if you’re someone who needs to know what happened to one of their family members, it’s about public health and I think that’s a great use of [ARPA Funds]said Brazos County Judge Duane Peters.

The new facility would have a huge impact on local funeral homes and the families they serve. The professionals at Hilliers Funeral Homes in Bryan and College Station are well versed in the medical examiner’s office and the long commutes to and from Austin. Amanda Gittleman is the managing partner and director of the funeral home. She says having a local facility would put families at ease and improve logistics.

“Our team travels to and from the Travis County Medical Examiners in Austin, where autopsies are currently being performed several times a week,” Gittleman said. “More than anything, the simple fact of feeling that their loved one was not taken is comforting for them.”

Gittleman says her top priority is meeting the family’s needs, but a closer facility would be nice.

“For us, from a logistical point of view, it would be great to have something locally, but we recognize that this is not about us. It’s about families,” Gittleman said.

A closer facility would also benefit law enforcement agencies that are closer to Brazos County than Travis County.

“Not having to send the investigator or the detectives to Austin to see an autopsy there keeps them in the community,” Peters said.

Chris Knorr, SmithGroup’s chief forensic market leader, says that after conducting the county’s needs assessment, the region is ideal for a medical examiner facility. He says Tuesday’s presentation was an opportunity for the public and the Court to understand more about the study’s results and get background on why the project is important to public health.

“The county and the rest of the valley counties are in a good spot to be able to support at least one medical examiner, chief medical examiner, and as the need increases, an additional forensic pathologist will be required,” Knorr said.

Judge Peters says commissioners could vote to move the project forward as soon as this fall. County leaders hope to have the facility complete by 2026.

The presentation slides are below.

Brazos County Commissioners Court meeting and Medical Examiners presentation below.

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