Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock this week announced the appointment of Traci McCullah as the county’s chief deputy coroner.
McCullah will be the first to serve in the position since the 1990s.
“She is the first chief deputy to serve this office since the 90s after the position was originally eliminated. Traci joined our team in 2017 with a background in death investigations,” Warnock stated in a news release. “She joined with a strong desire to learn more about our field of work so she may better serve this office, our first responders, health care providers, our communities, but more importantly, the families we serve. She excels in every task assigned to her and has proven herself to be trustworthy and a leader amongst her peers who look up to her for direction, encouragement and support.”
In early January, the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners approved the reclassification of an existing position to chief deputy coroner. This made the appointment a possibility, with minimal financial impact to the office’s budget, according to the release.
“A new state law, RCW 36.24.210, requires accreditation starting in July 2025 for our county coroner’s offices to continue receiving full reimbursements from the state of Washington for autopsies,” said Tye Menser, chair of the Board of County Commissioners. “We support Coroner Warnock’s efforts to meet the new requirements and maintain state funding.”
The Thurston County Coroner's Office offers support to individuals and family members at the scene and upon notification of a death and provides investigative documentation to ascertain the cause and manner of death, within the jurisdiction of Thurston County.
To learn more about the Thurston County Coroner’s Office and its work, visit https://www.thurstoncountywa.gov/departments/coroner/about-tcco.
