PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KOAA) — Pueblo County Commissioners went through 16 applications to select the next Coroner for the county and out of five finalists landed on Gregory Grahek, a nurse practitioner for the position.
The former coroner, Brian Cotter, resigned after state inspectors found 24 bodies improperly stored inside his privately-owned business, Davis Mortuary, which he co-owns with his brother.
Grahek will still need to pass a background check, and commissioners will need to pass a formal resolution to appoint him to the office; he will then need to be sworn in.
Tuesday started off busy for Grahek as he saw patients at the family practice he co-owns with two other doctors. He then got a phone call from the county attorney saying he had been selected as the county’s next coroner. He said it wasn’t a lot of fanfare and that’s something fitting for the position.
“The first thing that needs to be handled [is] to kind of calm the community and bring back integrity to the position,” Grahek said, “this is not a glamorous political position to start with. The position of the coroner is to serve the community.”
Grahek co-owns a family practice clinic with two other doctors. He is a nurse practitioner with a doctorate in nursing practice. He holds a masters and two bachelor’s degrees. He said prior to working in medicine, he had an appraisal firm.
The commissioner's choice for coroner is a registered Republican and said he believes the coroner’s office is not about politics.
“I want to emphasize that this is a bipartisan position, really,” Grahek said, “I mean, death doesn't select only Democrats or only Republicans, It doesn't make a difference.”
“I've ran across patients and friends and staff that had some kind of indirect connection to the calamity that occurred,” Grahek said about the controversy involving the coroner’s office. “What do you do in medicine? You help, and so that's what prompted me to do so.”
Grahek’s wife is also running for a State Senate Seat in 2026, the senate district represents the entire county.
If Grahek eventually runs for coroner in 2026, he will need to obtain one of two credentials. He can either become a forensic pathologist, which requires a medical degree, or he can become a certified death investigator through the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI).
He said he plans to get that certification as soon as possible, but says he is not sure if he will run yet in 2026.
“You know, this was not a political move on my part. This was the community was in a need. In medicine, we're obligated to help when someone needs it, and so I threw my hat in. It had no bearing on any other aspirations or family associations,” Grahek said.
Grahek provided his resume to News5 to show his professional experience.
Commissioners discussed the five finalists they interviewed during their meeting Tuesday morning.
Four of the five finalists were then ranked for the final choice through survey monkey, an online survey platform. Commissioners Zach Swearingen and Paula McPheeters voted for Gregory Grahek as their top choice for the position.
Commissioner Miles Lucero selected Zolanye McCulley-Bachicha as his top choice. Concerns came up from McPheeters for a possible conflict of interest for McCulley-Bachicha because she does marketing for her family’s funeral home.
Lucero brought up concerns Grahek would not be able to devote enough time to the office as he has a full time job as a primary care provider.
“To me, this coroner's job needs to be this person’s laser focus, professionally,” Lucero said.
Grahek pointed out that the coroner before Cotter was Jim Kramer, a physician’s assistant who held the position for nearly 40 years.
“He did that for many, many years, very well, without any hiccups,” Grahek said. He added that his kids are grown and he can give his attention to the office and to his practice.
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