Medical Examiner

The Harris County Medical Examiner investigates certain deaths, determines the cause and manner of death, preserves evidence, identifies deceased individuals, assists families, and releases completed records. This article explains which deaths may come under medical examiner jurisdiction, what families should do after a death, how to check a case, how examinations and identification work, how to request an autopsy report, and which office handles each part of the process.

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, commonly called HCIFS, operates the medical examiner’s office for Harris County. Its responsibilities are established by state law and are separate from the duties of funeral homes, local registrars, law enforcement agencies, courts, and the Texas Department of State Health Services. Knowing those distinctions can prevent delays and help families direct questions to the correct office.

Medical Examiner Responsibilities

The Institute’s Medical Examiner Services division determines the cause and manner of death in cases that fall under its jurisdiction. It also documents and preserves evidence related to the deceased individual.

The office investigates sudden and unexpected deaths as well as deaths resulting from physical or chemical injury. Reportable cases can include accidents, homicides, suicides, suspected drug or chemical toxicity, and deaths in which the available medical history does not adequately explain why the person died.

A person does not have to die immediately after an injury for the death to become a medical examiner case. An injury may remain relevant even when the person survives for an extended period before dying from complications connected to that injury. The medical examiner evaluates the medical history, circumstances, investigative findings, and other available evidence before deciding how the death should be classified.

Cause and Manner of Death

The cause of death identifies the disease, injury, or condition responsible for the death. The manner of death classifies the circumstances into a recognized category, such as natural, accident, homicide, or suicide. These determinations are made by the medical examiner after reviewing the available medical and investigative evidence.

Some determinations can be completed at the time of examination. Other cases require toxicology, microscopic tissue examination, medical records, law enforcement information, specialized consultation, or additional investigation. When those studies are still underway, the cause and manner may be temporarily classified as pending.

Neutral Forensic Documentation

Medical examiner findings are recorded in unbiased reports that may be used by families, law enforcement agencies, attorneys, and courts. The medical examiner does not determine criminal guilt or civil liability. The office documents medical findings, injuries, evidence, and conclusions concerning the cause and manner of death.

The investigation can involve several forensic disciplines. Depending on the circumstances, the Institute may use forensic pathology, anthropology, entomology, histology, toxicology, imaging, scene investigation, and scientific identification methods.

Deaths Investigated by the Institute

The Institute reviews deaths that meet the jurisdictional requirements established by Texas law. A death may be investigated when it is sudden, unexpected, suspicious, violent, or associated with an injury, drug, poison, or chemical exposure.

Examples described by the Institute include:

Deaths caused by physical injury.
Deaths associated with chemical or drug toxicity.
Accidental deaths, including deaths connected to earlier injuries.
Suspected homicides or suicides.
Sudden deaths without sufficient medical history to explain the death.
Unexpected deaths involving infants, athletes, or people who appeared to be in stable health.
Deaths in which the circumstances or available evidence require an independent investigation.

Medical examiner jurisdiction does not automatically mean that a complete autopsy will be performed. State law requires an inquiry into reportable deaths, but the medical examiner decides which type of examination is appropriate for each case.

How Death Investigations Proceed

Death investigation often begins at the location where the person died or was found. Forensic investigators respond to scenes and may also conduct investigations by telephone when a death occurs in a healthcare setting.

Investigators gather preliminary information from law enforcement officers, relatives, medical personnel, and other available sources. At a scene, they may conduct an initial physical examination, take photographs, record measurements, collect evidence, and prepare a written account for review by a forensic pathologist.

The Forensic Investigations Division also manages the secure transportation and receipt of deceased individuals, evidence, and personal property brought to the Institute. The division operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year because death investigations require timely response.

Medical History and Scene Evidence

The medical examiner considers both the physical examination and the history surrounding the death. Scene information may identify medications, toxic substances, environmental conditions, injuries, or other facts that affect which laboratory tests are needed.

Routine testing does not detect every possible substance. Investigative details can therefore help the pathologist request a specific analysis. Police findings may also be essential in cases such as drowning, suffocation, traffic deaths, suspected overdose, or deaths involving decomposed or skeletal remains.

External Examination or Autopsy

The medical examiner may conduct an external examination or a complete autopsy. An external examination documents the condition of the body without a complete internal examination. It may include photographs, descriptions of identifying features and injuries, and the collection of samples for possible toxicology or DNA testing.

A complete autopsy includes external and internal examination. The pathologist examines the organs for disease, injury, poisoning, and other findings that may explain the death. Samples of tissue and body fluids may be retained for additional studies.

Items that may be collected when relevant include:

Blood or other fluids for toxicology testing.
Tissue samples for microscopic examination.
DNA samples.
Foreign objects or trace evidence.
Hair, fingernail material, or swabs needed for forensic testing.
Evidence associated with gunshot wounds, assault, or other injuries.

If organs or tissue are retained for necessary examination and testing, the Institute disposes of retained material after the work is completed in accordance with applicable health and safety guidelines.

Who Decides on an Autopsy?

The medical examiner assigned to the case decides whether an autopsy is needed. Autopsies are not performed in every case, and a family cannot independently require or prohibit one.

A family member may communicate a preference to the office. The medical examiner will consider that preference, but the pathologist retains final authority. An autopsy may be required when the evidence, circumstances, or public responsibilities of the office make the examination necessary.

There is no charge to the public or the family for an autopsy or external examination performed in a death under the Institute’s jurisdiction.

First Steps for Families

After the Institute accepts jurisdiction, the legal next of kin should select a funeral home and tell the funeral director that the death is being handled by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. The funeral director coordinates the release of the deceased and can assist with the death certificate and personal property.

The Institute follows the order of succession established in the Texas Health and Safety Code when determining who has authority over disposition of remains. The order described in the family information material is:

A person designated in a written instrument signed by the deceased.
The surviving spouse or common-law spouse.
Any surviving adult child.
Either surviving parent.
Any surviving adult sibling.
An adult in the next degree of kinship in the order recognized by law.

A release form must be signed by the legal next of kin. Families normally complete this process through the selected funeral home rather than attempting to arrange release directly with the morgue.

Body Viewing Arrangements

The Medical Examiner’s Office does not provide facilities for families to view deceased individuals. Viewing arrangements must be made with the funeral home or crematory responsible for final disposition.

Families also should not assume that they must visit the Institute to identify a relative. When identification is required, an Institute representative contacts the next of kin and explains the appropriate identification procedure. Identification may be based on records and scientific comparisons rather than visual viewing.

Personal Property Release

The Institute collects personal property found on the person at the time of death. Property that is not retained as evidence or needed for examination is released to the funeral home chosen by the family after the funeral home provides the required signed authorization.

The funeral director then returns the property to the family. A common mistake is arriving at the Institute expecting personal property to be released directly without funeral-home coordination.

Case Status Searches

The online Medical Examiner Case Status tool provides basic information for cases dating back 24 months. The correct search option depends on whether the user has an Institute case number.

Searching by Case Number

Select the case-number search when an HCIFS case number is available. A case number from another agency may not work. The family information brochure identifies the Institute number as an ML or OC number and recommends keeping it available when calling the office.

Enter the number as it appears on Institute paperwork. Avoid substituting a police incident number, court cause number, hospital number, funeral-home reference, or another agency’s record number.

Searching Without a Number

Select the advanced search when the HCIFS number is unavailable. The advanced search permits searching by name, date range, and gender.

Names should be entered consistently with the information supplied to the Institute. A spelling difference, alternate surname, incomplete date range, or tentative identity can affect the results. When an online search does not locate the case, family members may contact the Family Liaison Team for assistance.

Understanding Pending Results

A pending classification means the medical examiner needs further information or testing before determining the final cause and manner of death. The required work may involve toxicology, histology, medical records, investigative information, or consultation with another specialist.

The time required varies with the studies and complexity of the case. The Institute states that cases may remain pending for several weeks or many months and does not provide one standard completion estimate for every case.

Once the cause and manner are determined, the medical examiner files an amendment to the pending death certificate with the state registrar. Families may then obtain an amended certified copy through the selected funeral home or the appropriate state vital statistics office.

Release to a Funeral Home

In the majority of cases, a deceased person is examined and released within approximately 24 hours. Some circumstances may require as long as 72 hours before release. These timeframes describe common case handling and do not guarantee that every case will be completed within the same period.

The family should select a funeral home promptly, provide the funeral director with the Institute case information, and sign the required authorization. The funeral home then coordinates transportation with the Institute.

Morgue Release Requirements

Funeral-home transporters must present the required documents when picking up a deceased individual. The Institute identifies the following requirements:

A completed and signed Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences Authorization to Release Form.
A valid driver’s license for the transporter.

A photocopy of the signed release form is accepted. A photocopy of the driver’s license is not accepted.

Morgue release hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On weekends and Harris County-observed holidays, release hours are noon to 5 p.m. These hours apply to funeral-home transportation and are different from general administrative office hours.

Death Certificate Responsibilities

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences does not issue death certificates. It completes the medical portion, including the cause and manner of death when determined.

The funeral home completes the demographic portion and files the completed certificate with the Texas Department of State Health Services. A family may obtain a death certificate through its selected funeral home or from the local registrar assigned to the area where the death occurred.

A pending death certificate remains legal proof of death. Some insurers and financial institutions may accept it for benefit claims or account administration, but acceptance depends on the institution, account, and circumstances. Families should ask the organization handling the claim which version and certification it requires.

Do not request a death certificate from the Institute’s autopsy-report unit. Autopsy reports and death certificates are different records, issued through different processes.

Autopsy Report Requests

A completed report may be requested through the Institute’s autopsy report request process. Requests are handled from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Harris County holidays.

Requests may be submitted by email to Administrative Services or by postal mail addressed to the Institute’s Administrative Services, Autopsy Report Order unit. Media requests are handled through the Institute’s public information officer rather than through the standard family request process.

Information to Include

Providing complete identifying information helps the Institute locate the correct case. A request should include as much of the following as possible:

The HCIFS case number, including the ML or OC number when available.
The full name of the deceased.
The date of death.
The county where the death occurred.
The requester’s name.
The requester’s mailing address.
The requester’s telephone number.
The requester’s email address.

Leaving out both the case number and identifying details can make it harder to match the request to the correct record. Requesters also should specify whether they need a regular electronic copy or a certified printed copy.

Electronic and Certified Copies

An electronic PDF of an autopsy report may be emailed without charge when the requester does not require certification. A printed certified copy costs $0.10 per page.

The Institute instructs requesters not to submit payment until they are notified that the report is complete and ready. Accepted payment methods for a certified copy include check, money order, or qualifying credit card.

Credit Card Restrictions

Personal credit card information is not accepted by telephone, email, or fax. Discover, Mastercard, Visa, and American Express are accepted under the Institute’s stated guidelines.

Additional payment rules include:

State-issued photo identification is required for personal credit card transactions.

Debit-only cards are not accepted unless they can be processed as credit without a PIN.

Gift cards, stored-value cards, and cards showing a fixed value or non-reloadable status are not accepted.

Business cards should display the authorized user’s name or be supported by the required authorization documentation.

Credit card information is not stored or kept on file.

There is no customer fee or minimum transaction amount for credit card use.

Identification of a Decedent

The Institute’s Identification Unit works with law enforcement and other resources when a deceased individual’s identity is unknown or tentative. Staff compile a description that may include estimated age, race, sex, stature, scars, marks, tattoos, and personal belongings.

Scientific identification is required when the individual cannot be viewed by relatives or is a homicide victim. All tentatively identified decedents and homicide victims must be scientifically identified before release, subject to the Institute’s limited presumptive-identification exception.

Scientific Identification Methods

Identification may be established by positively comparing information created before death with information collected afterward. Methods described by the Institute include:

Fingerprint comparison.
Dental X-ray comparison.
Skeletal X-ray comparison.
DNA comparison with a biological relative.

When suitable fingerprints, dental records, or medical imaging are unavailable, the decedent’s DNA may be compared with a family reference sample. A strong kinship result can establish a positive identification.

A decedent will not be cremated until positively identified. Presumptive identification may be considered only when the person is viewable, the family does not intend to cremate the body, and the attending pathologist and Chief or Deputy Chief Medical Examiner are satisfied with the circumstances.

Missing Person Reports

Friends and relatives searching for a missing person may contact the Institute about possible matches among unknown decedents received by HCIFS. The Identification Unit can compare the missing person’s description with individuals currently in the Institute’s custody.

The Institute cannot initiate a regional or national missing-person search. A missing person should be reported to law enforcement because only a law enforcement agency can begin that broader search.

The Institute’s Unidentified Persons information explains how descriptions are used and how unidentified and unclaimed cases may be entered into the government-operated National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.

Searchers should not reject a possible match solely because an estimated age or another characteristic is slightly different. Age, stature, and similar descriptors may be estimates based on forensic findings.

Family Assistance Services

The Institute’s Family Assistance service supports relatives during the initial period following a death under medical examiner jurisdiction. Social workers serve as a primary contact for families and explain Institute procedures.

The Family Assistance Coordinator can also provide referrals to community resources related to grief, burial, financial concerns, legal needs, and other circumstances following a death. At some death scenes, the coordinator may assist relatives and act as a liaison between the family and the forensic investigator.

Medical questions about a specific case are directed to the Family Liaison Team. Questions about community resources and family support are directed to the Family Assistance Coordinator or Victim’s Assistance. General report requests are directed to Administrative Services.

Contacting the Correct Office

The Institute’s official contact information page separates general inquiries from specialized requests. Calling the correct unit helps avoid being transferred or sending sensitive information to an unrelated email address.

Use Administrative Services for general administrative questions, autopsy report requests, and cremation waiver or letter inquiries. Use the Family Liaison Team for medical questions specific to a loved one’s case. Use the Family Assistance Coordinator for questions about procedures and available support following a death.

For a possible match involving an unidentified person, call the Institute’s main number and select option 1. To report a missing person and begin a regional or national search, contact the appropriate law enforcement agency instead.

Telephone calls are answered during regular business hours from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Harris County holidays. The Institute’s general hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on those business days.

Common Process Mistakes

Several avoidable errors can delay requests or cause families to contact the wrong agency. The most common distinctions involve case numbers, records, funeral-home responsibilities, and identification procedures.

Do not use a police, court, hospital, or funeral-home number in place of the HCIFS ML or OC case number.

Do not request a death certificate from the Medical Examiner’s Office. The Institute completes only the medical section.

Do not expect to view a deceased relative at the Institute. Viewing must be arranged through the funeral home or crematory.

Do not arrive to collect personal property without coordinating through the selected funeral home.

Do not send payment for a certified autopsy report before receiving notice that the report is complete and ready.

Do not send personal credit card information by telephone, email, or fax.

Do not assume every medical examiner case requires a complete autopsy.

Do not assume a pending classification means no death certificate can be issued.

Do not report a missing person only to the Identification Unit. Law enforcement must initiate the wider missing-person search.

Do not arrange cremation before required scientific identification has been completed.

Relevant Departments and Offices

Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences
1861 Old Spanish Trail, Houston, Texas 77054
(832) 927-5000

Administrative Services
1861 Old Spanish Trail, Houston, Texas 77054
(832) 927-5004

Family Liaison Team
1861 Old Spanish Trail, Houston, Texas 77054
(832) 927-5006

Victim’s Assistance
1861 Old Spanish Trail, Houston, Texas 77054
(832) 927-5007

Medical Examiner FAQs

Are partial autopsies performed in Harris County?

When the medical examiner determines that an autopsy is necessary, the Institute generally performs a complete examination rather than a limited “head only” or “chest only” procedure. The examination includes the internal organs and brain, although the laboratory testing and evidence collection are tailored to the questions raised by the case. In other cases, the medical examiner may decide that an external examination and medical review provide enough information. The official medical examiner frequently asked questions explain that each decision is made case by case.

Why examine a death when the cause seems obvious?

An examination may reveal evidence that cannot be confirmed from the scene alone. In a shooting, the pathologist may recover a projectile or document wound paths. After a traffic crash, the examination may help determine whether disease, injury, alcohol, drugs, or another condition contributed to the incident. An apparently straightforward death can therefore require additional documentation to establish an accurate medical and legal record.

How do medical records help the investigation?

Medical histories, medication information, hospital records, and diagnostic images can clarify whether disease or injury explains the death. They may also direct the pathologist toward specialized testing because routine toxicology screens do not detect every chemical. Previous dental images, X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs may be especially important when the Institute needs to establish identity through scientific comparison.

Can relatives help identify an unknown decedent?

Relatives may be asked to provide information about scars, tattoos, medical treatment, dental providers, or previous imaging. When fingerprints, dental records, or comparable X-rays are unavailable, a biological relative may provide a DNA reference sample. Families reviewing the official unidentified persons guidance should not reject a possible match solely because an estimated age, height, or other descriptor differs slightly from the missing person’s known details.