The Office of Allegheny County Medical Examiner investigates cases of persons who die within

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Allegheny County () is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in Southwestern Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,250,578, making it the state's second-most populous county, following Philadelphia Co ...

from criminal violence by casualty or by suicide, when unattended by a physician; under correctional custody or any other suspicious or unusual manner. The office's jurisdiction includes the city of

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

and its immediate

suburbs A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...

. Prior to 2005 the Coroner was an elected position within the county, however on December 29, 2005 the position was abolished and retitled "Medical Examiner" with all future office holders being appointees of the Allegheny County Executive once approved by county council. Longtime coroner

Cyril Wecht Cyril Harrison Wecht (born March 20, 1931) is an American forensic pathologist. He has been the president of both the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the American College of Legal Medicine, and headed the board of trustees of the Amer ...

continued to serve as both the last coroner and first medical examiner. The Medical Examiner's Office also houses the Forensic Laboratory Division for the county. The disciplines within the laboratory are Drug Chemistry, Environmental Health, Firearms/Toolmarks, Forensic Biology, Latent Prints, Mobile Crime Unit, Toxicology, and Trace Evidence. The office made headlines in the 1930s in its investigations into some of the Mad Butcher Killings. In the 1950s the office (headed by William McClelland) was a leader in attempting to raise the driving age from 16 to 18. The 1970s had the office gaining national prominence as Dr. Cyril Wecht led several investigations into the

John F. Kennedy assassination John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was Assassination, assassinated on Friday, November 22, 1963, at 12:30 p.m. Central Time Zone, CST in Dallas, Dallas, Texas, while riding in a presidential motorcade through Deale ...

History

The office, then known as the Corner's office, was located at #6 Eighth Street in 1901. The office has been headed by several notable coroners/medical examiners including: *December 22, 2006 – present Karl Williams *January 20, 2006 - December 22, 2006 Abdulrezak Shakir *January 1, 1996 - January 20, 2006

*July 1, 1994 – January 1, 1996 F. James Gregis *January 4, 1982 – July 1, 1994 Joshua Perper *March 2, 1981 – January 4, 1982 Sanford Edberg *January 9, 1980 – March 2, 1981 Joshua Perper *January 2, 1970 - January 8, 1980

*1968-January 2, 1970 Ralph Stalter *1966-1968 William R. Hunt *1960-1966 Joseph B. Dobbs *1942-1960 William D. McClelland ( candidate for governor in 1954) *1921-193? William J. McGregor *1904-1909? Joseph G. Armstrong *Jan 190

1903 Jesse M. McGear

*1887-1899, Aug 189

Heber McDowell *Pre-1881 William McCallin

References

{{authority control Government of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Forensics organizations Government agencies established in 2005 2005 establishments in Pennsylvania Medical examiners

History

Further reading

References