Finding F3
There are 1,164 open cases creating a three-year backlog with no plan to alleviate the backlog.
Jury report: Silent Guardians: The Unsung Work of the Fresno County Coroner’s Office · PDF page 15
Permanent linkOfficial response
Fresno County Administrative Office and Sheriff-Coroner
Partially disagrees with the absence of a plan. Says a March 2026 strategy used overtime, management oversight and temporary staffing, completed more than 800 files, and concerned administrative closure rather than delayed cause-of-death determinations or release of decedents.
Read official response · PDF page 2Accepts unacceptable unclosed files, identifies the disputed planning statement and explains its claimed measures and file scope. Backlog reduction figures and operational effects remain respondent assertions.
This review evaluates the response document. Implementation claims have not been independently verified.