(Fremont County, WY) – Fremont County Coroner Erin Ivie provided her office’s end-of-year update at the Fremont County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 9. The totals are as of Jan. 8, 2024.
There were 298 recorded deaths in Fremont County in 2023, 39 less than in 2022. The Coroner’s Office was contacted 161 times for investigation/referral. Of the 161 contacts, 139 were Coroner cases. The total number of Coroner cases is 10 less than 2022.
Of the 139 Coroner cases, 50 were “non-natural” in manner (accident, homicide, suicide, undetermined). This is one more than in 2022.
The number of accidental deaths is 35, one less than in 2022 (36). The leading causes of accidental deaths in 2023 were motor vehicle accidents (12), second drug and/or alcohol toxicity (9), and third falls and asphyxia (4 each). Others are drowning (3) and hypothermia (3).
The number of deaths by suicide was 9, two more than in 2022 (7).
The number of deaths by homicide was 3, the same as in 2022.
The number of deaths ruled undetermined was 3 (two vehicular, one prehistoric/pre-contact skeletal remains).
There have been 14 motor vehicle deaths in 2023, three less than in 2022. (13 incidents resulting in 14 deaths).
- Nine involved alcohol and/or drugs
- Two pedestrian deaths, one ATV
- 11 fatalities involved vehicles equipped with safety restraints – six were in use
- 12 were accidental in manner; two were undetermined in manner
Drugs and Alcohol:
- Total drug and alcohol related deaths accounted for 42 of all 139 cases, slightly lower than 2022. Of the non-natural deaths, 28 of 50 were drug/alcohol related, a slight decrease from 2022.
- The contributing factor in accidental deaths in Fremont County were drugs and/or alcohol (20 of 35 deaths), a decrease from 2022.
- The primary substance of abuse in Fremont County remains alcohol at 26. Methamphetamine was at 13 (down from 16 in 2022). Cannabis was at four (down from five in 2022). Fentanyl was at four (down from five in 2022). Benzodiazepines were at one. Opiates, excluding Fentanyl (oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, etc.) were at three. Note: some cases involved more than one substance relating to drug and/or alcohol.
The Coroner’s office responded to Riverton 54 times, Lander 47 times, Fort Washakie 10 times, Ethete seven times, Duboissix times, Hudson and Shoshoni four times each, Jeffrey City and Pavillion/Kinnear three times each, and Crowheart once.
Six cases were at SageWest Hospital in Lander, five cases were at SageWest Hospital in Riverton, and two cases were at WMC-Casper.
19 cases involved Search and Rescue and/or Fire Department(s), and two involved BLM/THPO/NAGPRA.
24 autopsies were completed for Fremont County.
23 contractual autopsies were completed for surrounding counties.
Three contractual cases from December are waiting for payment – the total revenue billed for the 2023 calendar year is $45,275.
There were no unclaimed remains burials in 2023.
There were no unidentified cases in 2023.