Medical Examiner

Reporting A Death

A Medicolegal Death Investigator (MDI) is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to receive reports from law enforcement, medical professionals and other individuals required to report deaths to our office. To report a death, please call (314) 622-4971 and speak to an Investigator.  

Investigation and Examination Procedure 

When a death is reported, the MDI will assign a case number and take a comprehensive report to be entered into the Case Management System. Not all cases reported will remain in the jurisdiction of the City MEO. After investigation, the case may be returned to the reporting person/institution or be remanded to the appropriate incident jurisdiction. Further, not all cases accepted into the City MEO jurisdiction will receive an autopsy examination.  The MDI report will be reviewed by the forensic pathologist to determine the extent of examination required to determine the cause and manner of death.  The authority to perform the examination is by statute within jurisdictional criteria and do not require the consent of the family or legal guardian.  

Autopsy examination will be performed in cases where the cause of death cannot be established with a reasonable degree of certainty without, as well as those in which there is evidence of violence, suspicion of unnatural death or unexplainable circumstances. The extent of the examination will be at the discretion of the forensic pathologist. The City MEO does not perform private autopsies.  

Death Certificates and Records Request

The City MEO does not issue death certificates. As a courtesy to the family, funeral homes may offer to obtain the certificates from the Bureau of Vital Records. Please contact your funeral home.  Copies of death certificate can also be obtained through St. Louis City Vital Records.  

An examination report may be made available upon case completion. Please note that records will not be released until the forensic pathologist has completed and closed the case, which generally takes about 3 months following the date of death. In certain circumstances, additional steps may be required.  Please contact the Custodian of Records.  

Family requests may be submitted to the Custodian of Records by phone at (314) 622-4976 or email at merecords@stlouis-mo.gov.  

For public requests, please submit a Sunshine Law/public record request here. 

For Family and Friends

On behalf of the St Louis City Medical Examiners Office, we offer our deepest sympathy to you and your loved ones during this difficult time. 

For additional inquiries, please contact us at (314) 622-4971

• To speak to a Medicolegal Death Investigator (option 1)
• For case status and death certificate updates (option 4) 

For Funeral Homes 

Funeral Directors can contact the morgue directly at (314) 622-4977 to schedule a time for release with our staff. Release hours are Monday through Friday, 8 am to 3 pm, and 8 am to 12 pm on Saturdays (Hours may differ on Holidays).  

Identification of Next of Kin (NOK) and a copy of the signed release by NOK are required for remains to be released.  

Requests for the following may be made by calling the office at (314) 622-4971.

• Death Pronouncement Information Inquiry (option 5)
• Death Certificate and Certifier Information (option 4)
• Cremation Letters (option 3) 
• Non-Contagion Letter (option 4) 

Please allow at least a day in advance for Cremation and Non-Contagion Letters

About Us

The St Louis City Medical Examiners Office is governed by Missouri Revised Statutes and are dedicated to provide comprehensive death investigation services to our community.  Our trained Medicolegal Death Investigators conduct independent scene investigations of deaths under our jurisdiction, when deemed necessary, and are certified by the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators. Our Medical Examiners are forensic pathologists who conduct expert examinations to determine cause of death and provide expert testimony in court as necessary. We are an independent entity and stand alone from other governing agencies such as law enforcement and circuit attorney’s office.    

The St Louis City Medical Examiner is made up of Administrative, Autopsy, Investigative and Pathology Divisions, under the directive of the Chief Medical Examiner, Kanayo Tatsumi, MD and the Director of Operations, Tara Rick. The Pathology services are provided through a city contract with SSM Health/SLU Care.

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