Home - Ouachita Parish Coroner

Who We Serve

The Ouachita Parish Coroner’s Office serves the community by investigating unexpected, violent, sudden, or traumatic deaths, mental health evaluations, and sexual assault examinations throughout Ouachita Parish. This includes but is not limited to Calhoun, Monroe, Richwood, Sterlington, and West Monroe. Ouachita Parish has a population of approximately 160,000. Its area encompasses 611 square miles.

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Meet Marshall V. Sanson, MD

The Coroner is a Physician licensed by the Louisiana State board of Medical Examiners and is an elected official who serves a term of 4 years. The Ouachita Parish Coroner’s Office is an independent agency partially funded by the Ouachita Police Jury.

how Can We HELP?

OUR Services

Continued Tutorship

A continuing tutorship is a proceeding in which certain decision-making authority over an individual is granted to another. A tutor is a person who is legally responsible for the care of a minor child under the age of eighteen.

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Death Investigations

The Coroner’s Office holds investigations concerning the manner and cause of any deaths that are sudden, unexpected or resulted from violence or accident, or under suspicious and unusual circumstances, and other deaths pursuant to LA. RS 13:5713.

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Death Certificates

The coroner shall complete the cause and manner of death information on a death certificate based on his examination, investigation, or autopsy. Once the coroner has filled out all information that is required per Louisiana Revised Statute, the coroner will submit the death certificate back to the funeral home for certifying.

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Autopsy Report

Pursuant to LA RS 13:5713 B. (1) The coroner may perform or cause to be performed by a competent physician an autopsy in any case at his discretion. The coroner shall perform or cause to be performed by a competent physician an autopsy in the case of any death where there is a reasonable probability that the violation of a criminal statute has contributed to the death.

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Mental Health

In certain situations, the Coroner may order an individual to be transported to a hospital for an examination if the individual is considered to be a danger to self or danger to others. This order is called an Order of Protective Custody (sometimes also called a commitment order).

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Sexual Assault

The Office of the Coroner is responsible for all sexual assault exams under police investigation as mandated in Louisiana Revised Statute 13:5713 (F) which provides: The coroner or his designee shall examine all alleged victims of a sexually oriented criminal offense.

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