THE office of the chief medical examiner, which is manned by Guam’s only coroner and two aides, handles an average of 500 medico-legal death investigations a year, according to the agency’s budget papers.

Seeking a budget of $426,599 for 2013, the CME office said its main short-term goal is “to increase the agency’s staff up to three, which in turn will decrease the amount of workload per staff and meet the continuous increasing demands of the public and other government entities.”

The CME’s appropriation for the current fiscal year is $410,925. It had a spending authority of $394,174 in 2011. Dr. Aurelio Espinola, who heads the CME office, gets the lion’s share of the budget with an annual salary of $198,000.

Citing “an increase in population,” the CME office is projecting more than 500 death investigations in 2013.

“Anticipated workload is measured based only on average and historical data that are available since the inception of the CME’s office in 1977,” the CME office said in its budget narrative. 

The agency projected about 485 death investigations by the end of the current fiscal year.

Records from the agency showed the CME office has handled 69 death investigations as of Feb. 17. “Out of the 69 cases, 12 of those required autopsies to be performed and laboratory services,” the budget papers said.

In 2011, the CME office said it investigated 508 deaths – 85 of which required autopsies – and “most, if not all, required submitting specimens to the lab for further analysis and toxicology study.”

“All autopsy and non-autopsy reports for calendar years 2010, 2011 to date are readily available at our agency for law enforcement investigators, the Attorney General’s Office, insurance companies, consulate offices, and legal next-of-kin with legitimate purpose and/or any individual authorized by the next-of-kin,” the CME said.

The office is tasked to submit death investigation reports for court trial purposes and death benefit claims.

“The CME office’s primary goal and objective is to provide timely medico-legal death investigations, which would establish a true cause and manner of death for every case that falls under our jurisdiction,” the agency said.

As the chief medical examiner, Aurelio’s additional duties include court appearances to provide testimony as an expert witness for grand jury hearings, murder trials, and drunk driving cases.