A Missouri coroner was temporarily removed from office after being accused of stealing money from a dead man’s wallet and mislabeling several deaths from drug overdoses or suicide as being “natural.”
Cape Girardeau County Coroner Wavis Jordan faces three felony counts for providing misinformation, as well as a misdemeanor charge for theft.
In one case, Jordan was given the wallet of a man who died in April, which police said contained money that later disappeared, according to records viewed by The Associated Press. The coroner has denied he took the dead man’s money.
Jordan, a Republican official elected in 2020, could serve 12 years if convicted. He’s set to appear in court on March 8.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey successfully petitioned the court to suspend Jordan from office pending further review of his case.
“My heart goes out to the victims in this case, whose lives have been upended,” Bailey said.
The Associated Press reportedly reached Jordan by phone in his office, where he declined to comment.
With News Wire Services
