The forensic doctor examined 50% more Maricopa deaths last year

The medical examiner's office in Pinal County examined 50% more Maricopa deaths compared to the previous year in 2024.

PCMEO examined 51 of the 78 Maricopa deaths in 2024, compared to 34 out of 56 deaths in the previous year, as can be seen from the office published this month.

The increase could be attributed to the increasing population of the city, which is now exceeded in most estimates over 75,000. However, the population grew less than 5%from 2023 to 2024. The medical examiner did not speculate about the climb.

The office does not take into account the reported death or in the county. Deaths must meet certain criteria for an examination, said Andre Davis, manager of the Operations Division.

“I think the general public has a conceptualization of what our office is doing … that [bodies] Come to the medical examiner's office automatically, and we make an autopsy for everyone and everyone who dies. That is not the case, ”said Davis, said Davis Inmaricopa.

Arizona's law requires the medical examiner to get involved when death suddenly, violent, suspicious, unclear or accidental. This begins with the law enforcement authorities, a medical center or a hospice that reports PCMeo about death.

“Our investigators are those who make this determination,” said Davis. “If so, you will carry out a scene examination that includes the survey of the witnesses and photography of the scene.

Although Maricopa was the most populous city in the county (at least for the time being), he saw the third highest number of deaths examined by PCMEO. Casa Grande (64,000 inhabitants) had the highest number with 95 death examinations, followed by Apache Junction (population 41,000) with 86 examinations.

Of the 624 deaths of PCMEO last year, fewer than half (43% or 271 deaths) were found as random.

The upper unnatural causes of death were:

• 105 medication -related (60% meth, 40% fentanyl. These deaths are on the rise after a downturn in the pandemic years.)

• 84 Motor vehicle collision (65% of the deceased did not wear a seat belt, compared to 50% in the previous year)