Lubbock County will be opening its new medical examiner’s office this week. The new 32,000-square-foot facility includes a morgue, autopsy rooms, and administrative space.
Funding for the new facility came through a 2023 voter-approved bond election.
Located near the county detention center, it will end years of outsourcing forensic and autopsy services to Tarrant County. Forensic pathology and autopsy services will be contracted with UMC in Lubbock.
The Lubbock County Medical Examiner's Office investigates sudden, unexpected, violent, or unattended deaths to determine the cause and manner of death (e.g., homicide, suicide, accident, natural). Serving Lubbock and surrounding counties, they perform autopsies, identify remains, and support the criminal justice system.
In collaboration with law enforcement, the office examines death scenes, interviews witnesses and family, and collects evidence in accordance with the Texas criminal code.