WASHINGOTON — Investigators executed search warrants on Tuesday at the Washington County Coroner’s Office as a dispute over access to autopsy reports continues to escalate.
Channel 11 was the only news outlet on scene when detectives from the District Attorney’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, Washington City Police and Canonsburg Police searched for autopsy reports connected to five cases. Officials said investigators and the DA’s office had repeatedly requested the documents and were denied.
The DA’s office said it was told three reports were available but would only be released for a fee of about $700 each. District Attorney Jason Walsh said those reports are essential to prosecuting crimes and serving victims.
“These are investigations done by law enforcement that law enforcement is entitled to,” Walsh said. “He’s a taxpayer-funded office, funded by the commissioners of Washington County with taxpayer dollars from every resident of Washington County. For him to charge, in my opinion, is ridiculous.”
Coroner Tim Warco told Channel 11 he decided to charge fees because his office isn’t receiving police reports needed to complete autopsies and related records. Warco said he’s worked in the office for decades and that the situation is unprecedented.
“It makes my job extremely difficult for the mere fact that I have no access to what happened at the scene if we are not there,” Warco said. “If police don’t cooperate with me, how do I know? We’ve had cooperation for 34 years in this office.”
Pennsylvania State Police told Channel 11 that under state law, non-government entities can be charged fees for records, but the DA’s office is exempt.
The DA, joined by county commissioners Nick Sherman and Electra Janis, pointed to the coroner’s 2025 budget — about $1.13 million — and said providing autopsy reports is part of his taxpayer-funded duties.
Warco says charging for the documents is within his rights.
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