Medical Examiner’s Office - Lincoln County Health and Human Services

Oregon uses a Medical Examiner system, and duties at both the state and county levels are guided by Oregon Revised Statute 146.090. The Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office provides technical supervision to county medical examiner programs in all 36 counties.

Medical Examiners determine the cause and manner of death and issue death certificates.  Medicolegal Death Investigators (MDIs) are specially trained to respond to death scenes, acting as the eyes and ears of both the State and County Medical Examiners. 

At the county level, medicolegal death investigators investigate all sudden, unexpected, suspicious, or unattended deaths within Lincoln County.

MDIs have the following objectives when responding to the scene of a death:

• Identify the deceased

• Establish the approximate date and time of death

• Determine the circumstances surrounding the death

• Assist in determining the cause and manner of death

During an investigation, MDIs may respond to the scene, interview witnesses, photograph the scene and decedent, conduct external body examinations, collect property, evidence and biological specimens for toxicology analyses for drugs and alcohol, and assist with notifying next of kin. 

When further examination is needed, a board‑certified forensic pathologist may perform an autopsy at the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office in Clackamas.

The Lincoln County Medical Examiner’s Office includes:

• County Medical Examiner

• Deputy County Medical Examiner

• Chief Medicolegal Death Investigator

• Medicolegal Death Investigator Supervisor

• Two Medicolegal Death Investigators

Form: Records Request Form (PDF 157.29 KB) – Records must be ordered through the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office.

Form: Ordering a Death Certificate - A death certificate can be ordered from Lincoln County Vital Records for up to six months from the date of death.

Brochure: Medical Examiners Office Information for families & loved ones
(view or download)

Medical Death Investigators are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to serve the community and assist law enforcement with death investigations and criminal cases.

Due to the on‑call nature of this work, meetings with the public are available by appointment only.

Contact Us:

• Phone: 541-265-0425

• Fax: 541-265-0500

• LCMEO@co.lincoln.or.us

Location:

HHS Building, 255 SW Coast Highway, Newport