After the resignation of State Medical Examiner Gary Dale, the State Crime Lab has been using a number of part-time and off duty autopsy specialists, or sending bodies to Seattle or Rapid City, South Dakota when they arrived for examination.

That will change in late August, as a new State Medical Examiner has accepted the position, according to Philip Kinsey, Forensic Science Administrator.

"Dr. Jamie Oeberst from Witchita, Kansas, will be joining us in the latter part of August," KInsey said. "She's in charge of the Sedgwick County Medical Examiner's Office. She's the Chief Medical Examiner there, now. She has 15 years of experience in that laboratory. Seven as a deputy, and then eight as a chief medical examiner. She really has a wealth of experience and background behind her, and even better, the experience of actuially running the office."

Kinsey said the office is also rapidly filling the positions of deputy medical examiners, but is not ready to announce any names at this time.

"In fact, we've also posted positions for autopsy assistants, so there will be full time administrative and technical support for the medical examiners," said Kinsey. Our hope is that by mid-fall we'll be back in business like we were before."

The medical examiner is in charge of providing autopsy services for the entire state. The Missoula office typically provides those services for the western part of the state and there are other medical examiner services for the eastern part of the state.

The Montana Department of Justice Forensic Crime Division is located on Palmer Street in Missoula.

 

More From KMMS-KPRK 1450 AM