24 decomposing bodies removed from Colorado funeral home, investigators say

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DENVER (AP) — Authorities said Tuesday they removed two dozen decomposing bodies and multiple containers of bones and likely human tissue after discovering remains last week behind a hidden door of a Colorado funeral home owned by the local county coroner.

The homes of Pueblo County Coroner Brian Cotter and his brother, Davis Mortuary co-owner Chris Cotter, were also searched as part of the criminal investigation into the funeral home in Pueblo, about 110 miles (175 kilometers) south of Denver, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation said.

Neither brother has been arrested or charged as an investigation that is expected to be lengthy continues. The Cotters have not been questioned because they retained lawyers, CBI said.

Brian Cotter’s lawyer, David Beller, did not immediately provide a comment.

It wasn’t immediately known who was representing Chris Cotter.

The agency previously said that at least 20 decomposing bodies were found at the mortuary on Aug. 20 by inspectors who noticed a strong odor and found the bodies hidden behind a cardboard display. Brian Cotter had asked the inspectors not to enter the room, according to officials.

Pueblo County Commissioners on Tuesday renewed their calls for Cotter, who is an elected official, to resign and avoid a costly recall election. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has also urged him to step down. Cotter remains the county's coroner, but coroners from two nearby counties are running his office, CBI said.

Brian Cotter told inspectors from the state Department of Regulatory Agencies that some of the bodies had been awaiting cremation for about 15 years, according to a document explaining why the funeral home's license was suspended. Cotter also told them he may have given fake ashes to families who wanted their loved ones cremated, the department said.

Colorado long had some of the weakest oversight of funeral homes in the nation, with no routine inspections. That's allowed numerous abuses, including a pending case involving nearly 200 decomposing bodies found in a building in Penrose, Colorado, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) from Pueblo.

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Brown reported from Billings, Montana