The Texas County Coroner answered 28 calls in October 2023.
In the community, there were 24 natural deaths, including cancer (7), respiratory disease (5), heart disease (3), heart arrhythmia (2), pulmonary embolism (1), stroke (1), renal disease (1), hemorrhage (1), pulmonary edema (1), diabetes (1) and complications of dementia (1).
There was one accidental death in the community, due to a fall from a height.
There were three offender deaths at South Central Correctional Center in October. Two were fentanyl-related and one was a natural death due to advanced cancer.
Texas County Coroner Marie Lasater’s presentation entitled “Xylazine, an Emerging Cause of Death in Correctional Institutions” has been accepted for presentation at the American Academy of Forensic Scientists at its annual meeting in February, 2024, Denver, Colo.