MIDLAND COUNTY, Texas — Midland County Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace David Cobos recently released new details regarding the death of former Midland City Councilman Dan Corrales.
Normally, those details would be released by a medical examiner or a coroner. A person fitting that job description is not employed by Midland County, however.
According to state law, this would mean that these responsibilities would turn to the Justice of the Peace.
“In [Chapter] 49.02, this subtractor applies to the inquest into a death occurring in a county that does not have a medical examiner or is not part of a medical examiner's district," Judge Cobos said.
Essentially, because Midland County does not have a medical examiner, it's up to officials like Judge Cobos to investigate the details behind a death.
“What it charges us to do is do inquest an inquest is an investigation and independent investigation into the manner in cause of death of an individual.”
It’s not just an inquest that the Justice of the Peace needs to do, because they have other responsibilities and things to look out for.
“We’re charged with trying to put together a manner and cause of death and if any criminal means were causing the death of an individual," Judge Cobos said.
That's not to say Judge Cobos is inexperienced at investigating the cause of death. He has been serving as a Justice of the Peace for over twenty years now, and this wasn't his first time making a report similar to this.
“I've investigated hundreds of deaths over my 27 years," Judge Cobos said. "I also was a major crimes investigator with the Midland County Sheriff's department back in the 70's and 80's.”
Judge Cobos also calls investigations like this a simultaneous and concurrent investigation with the law enforcement agency who is working the crime.
“They call us by telephone and let us know that they found a deceased person," Judge Cobos said. "We respond and start our investigation alongside whatever law enforcement agencies are investigating that death as well.”
Regarding the medical examiner/coroner position, Judge Cobos said that Midland County Judge Terry Johnson and the County Commissioners have been actively searching for a person with the skillset to fill the role.