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Apr
27

King County Medical Examiner’s Office decedent lists by day

The King County Medical Examiner's Office (KCMEO) releases decedent case information weekday afternoons (excluding holidays) once an investigation is complete. Below are links to previously released decedents lists. 

For each case released the following information is available: case number, name, age, sex, city of death, date of death, date of incident, incident location, type of location where incident occurred, cause of death, manner of death, and investigating agency.

  • Addresses where death occurred may be listed, excluding deaths that occurred at a private residence. 
  • Cases are not released until the decedent has been identified and next-of-kin has been notified, or 48 hours after identification is confirmed if next-of-kin is not located, per RCW 68.50.300.
  • Cases that have Cause and Manner of Death listed as "pending" will be added to the list again when Cause and Manner of Death are determined.

Please note that the KCMEO investigates sudden, violent, unexpected, and suspicious deaths that happen in King County; it does not investigate every death.

The decedent list is also sent out through email.

Directions to sign up to receive daily KCMEO decedent lists:

  • Go to the GovDelivery King County subscriptions webpage
  • Enter email address
  • Review privacy policy
  • CTRL + F and type "KCMEO" or scroll down and find "Public Health – Seattle & King County"
  • Check the box next to "DPH – KCMEO Decedent List"
  • Scroll to the bottom of the page and select "Submit"

Definitions

  • Cause of Death
    The cause of death means the disease, abnormality, injury, or poisoning that caused the death. Specific cause of death information is recorded on the death certificate and is entered into the Washington State Vital Statistic system.
  • Manner of Death
    Manner of Death is a statistical classification on the death certificate, the way in which death is categorized per the Washington State Department of Health. The categories are Accident, Homicide, Natural, Suicide, Undetermined.
  • Accident
    A death due to inadvertent injury where there is no evidence that the injury was inflicted intentionally by oneself or another.
  • Homicide
    A death due to the acts of another person to cause fear, harm, or death. Intent to cause death is a common element but is not required for classification as homicide.
  • Natural
    A death due solely or nearly totally due to disease and/or the aging process. If natural death is hastened by injury (such as a fall), the manner of death will not be considered natural.
  • Suicide
    A death because of an intentional, self-inflicted act committed to do self-harm or cause the death of oneself.
  • Pending
    A temporary designation for cause and/or manner when additional investigation, information and/or test results are required for certification. Pending is amended once all information and test results are received. 
  • Undetermined
    The manner of death assigned when there is insufficient evidence or information to assign to accident, homicide, suicide, or natural categories.
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