| Just a Little Information About Us |
- Coroners have standards of practice that require performance of specialized, technical skills, e.g., initial body examination at
the scene, drawing postmortem specimens for analysis. There are many specialized procedures that are fundamental and are
necessary to perform a thorough medicolegal death investigation. Some of the categories are as follows, determine the scope
of agency responsibility; identify support agencies; certify death; interact with law enforcement personnel and funeral homes;
communicate with pathologists; explain procedures to families; report findings to families; identify human remains; photograph
the scene and the body; conduct the physical examination; document the death scene; investigate multiple fatalities; ensure
chain of custody; provide testimony; demonstrate knowledge of forensic science, forensic pathology and medical knowledge
to name a few.
Working in a spirit of cooperation, coordination and communication with local law enforcement as well as other interested
parties, this team has raised the standard of death investigation to a new level of excellence here in Susquehanna County.
In addition Anthony has taken several courses in Forensic Death Investigation and specialized courses in Bite mark
Identification and Analysis; Forensic Anthropology; Crime Scene Assessment; Scene & Evidence Preservation, Practical
Bloodstain Pattern Recognition; Manner of Death Seminar; Bomb Threat Response and Search; Duties, Responsibilities and the
Work Environment of an Emergency Management Coordinator; National Incident Management System, certified; Intro to Unified
Command; attendance and participation in the Pennsylvania Regional Counter-Terrorism Task Force Symposium in Aug. 2005 &
2006. Completed Awareness Training in Clandestine Methamphetamine Lab and a General Law Enforcement Course. In May
2006 Anthony completed The National Mass Fatalities Institute Course and in October 2006 he completed a 24 hour Mass
Fatality Incident Response Course. Anthony has also attended seminars on Pandemic Planning and Response for Coroners.
Anthony has provided training and developed death scene protocols for all Emergency Medical Services providing service to
Susquehanna County in an effort to maintain death scene integrity until Law Enforcement and the
Coroner’s Office arrives on scene.
As Chairman of the (Susquehanna County Counter-Terrorism Task Force) renamed the “Susquehanna County Emergency
Preparedness Task Force” for the last 5 years Anthony has worked very closely with County Law Enforcement, Emergency
Services, Department of Health, the County 911 Center and Emergency Management Agency and Emergency Operations
Center. This same task force involves all County Schools, the Red Cross, Penn DOT, County Hospitals and Hazardous Materials
Response agencies to name a few. Currently he heads the planning and implementation for Pandemic Planning for the County
of Susquehanna.
In April 2004, Anthony was the founder and chairman of the Coroner’s Sub-committee of the Northeast PA Emergency Response
Group, AKA, Northeast PA Regional Counter-Terrorism Task Force. He is chairman of the 8 County Task Force in the first
formation in the state with the Coroner’s Sub-Committee. Since the formation of the Sub-Committee in April of 2004 over
$250,000.00 in federal funding for equipment and training has been procured for use in mass fatality incident responses. Two 8'
x 20' foot trailers filled with equipment with one located in Susquehanna County and one in Northampton County. These are
the only trailers of their kind in the state to date. A well trained Mass Fatality Response Team was organized which provides
Mass Fatality scene documentation, search and recovery of human remains and personal effects, a service not provided by
any other agency in the state. May 3-5th 2007 Anthony attended Documentation, Recovery and Identification of Mass Disaster
Victims Training taught by Dr. Dennis Dirkmaat, Director of the Applied Forensic Sciences Department of Mercyhurst College in
Erie, PA
Some of the equipment procured though the task force is used in the daily operation of all eight Coroner’s Offices in the
region. Four portable radios, Laptop computers and even a Forensic Alternate Light Source in use and available to all law
enforcement agencies in the county. State of the art equipment and training have been long been out of reach for many
counties. Now, with task force involvement in this county we have much of the equipment and supplies once only dreamed of
by many agencies in this county. The coroners office in Susquehanna County has entered the world of high tech equipment
and training.
As Coroner I will continue to strive to provide the best training and equipment necessary to perform the highest standard of
investigations in the county for the families we serve.
Within the Susquehanna County Coroner’s Office, Anthony has trained and introduced an entirely new investigative approach
along with a new computerized information system that enables the Office to more efficiently access and track statistical
information and generate all types of reports pertinent to the Office.
Anthony has hosted several death investigation continuing educational seminars for Coroner’s and Law Enforcement Agencies
throughout the state since 1998.
Anthony Conarton has also developed two brochures. One is used when notification of next-of-kin is made either by the
coroner’s office or police. In either case the brochure contains information on what to expect, along with commonly asked
questions and information on dealing with the loss of a loved one. A form with information the funeral home will need is
enclosed. Coroner’s Office contact numbers and the name of the investigating coroner for that investigation is included. The
second brochure contains most of what is in this booklet, Frequently Asked Questions and Information about the Office. This
has been very helpful in answering the most asked question “what do you do”, obviously this cannot be answered in one
sentence. Death investigation has become too complex to give a short answer in today’s society. Now this website to aid in
answering questions about the office.
Anthony is the first full time Coroner in Susquehanna County. Normally he is available during regular business hours and can
be reached by telephone even when out of the office. Remember, as mentioned before, this is a working office (24 hours a
day, every day of the year) and investigative duties often leave the office vacant. You can always leave a message on voice
mail and he will return your call as soon as possible.
Anthony has also created several policies and forms to help protect the Coroner, Coroner’s Office and the County from trivial
lawsuits. A comprehensive fee schedule was created to offset expenses of the office. He also developed comprehensive
Information and Guideline Booklets for both Hospitals to follow when a death occurs in there facility.
As of Mid 2007 Anthony has conducted in excess of 1630 death investigation and attended over 310 autopsies in his career.
Anthony has achieved an estimated 375 hours of continuing education over the years.
- Anthony investigates nearly 95% of all deaths himself. Depending on the investigation it can take 3 to 6 hours at the scene.
Plus travel time to and from the scene. Preliminary paperwork, arrangements for an autopsy, conversations with the family,
funeral home, doctors, and police before the autopsy usually takes 3 hours. The autopsy and travel time could be as long as 5
hours. Completing the Death Certificate, conversations with several agencies and the family, completion of the final report
may take an additional 3 hours or more. In the end 17 hours on one investigation. You must have the time to spend on an
investigation no matter how long it takes.
I can remember being contacts at 4:30 PM, responding to the scene and not leaving the scene until 6:30 AM the next morning,
returning to the office briefly and traveling to the autopsy at scheduled at 9:00 AM. Leaving the autopsy at 11:30 AM and
returning to the office long enough to place the decedent in the cooler, get something to eat and go the a meeting at the State
Police Barracks and not returning to the office until 3:00 PM. This was not the end of the case and investigation. Several more
hours were spent again at the scene and with various experts over the next several weeks. All in all, I spent well over 90
hours on this one case. Anthony stated this is rare, but it can and does happen.
- More to come.............
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| DEPUTIES RICHARD M. HENNESSEY, CHIEF DEPUTY Certified by the State Attorney General in 1999 & current Chief Deputy: 2000 - present Deputy: 1987 - 1999 JOSEPH J. DONOVAN, JR, DEPUTY Deputy: 1998 - present ROBERT A. BARTRON, DEPUTY Certified by the State Attorney General in 1991& current Deputy: 2000 - present Chief Deputy: 1996 - 1999 Coroner: 1992 - 1995 Chief Deputy: 1971 -1991 SCOTT LONZINSKI, DEPUTY Deputy: 1998 - present ALYSSA LONZINSKI, DEPUTY Deputy: 2004 - present LAURA L. CONARTON, SECRETARY/DEPUTY Deputy: 1990 - present Secretary: 1996 - present |
| About the Coroner |
Anthony J. Conarton
Susquehanna County Coroner
The citizens of Susquehanna County elected Anthony J. Conarton Coroner in the November
election 1995. He was sworn into office January 2, 1996. Prior to this he served as Chief Deputy
from 1992 to 1995 and as a Deputy Coroner from 1978 to 1991.
Anthony J. Conarton became certified by the State Attorney General to officially serve as the
Coroner/Chief Deputy Coroner on December 20, 1991. He has maintained his legal certification
under the Pennsylvania Coroner’s Education Board ever since.
OFFICE ADDRESS:
Susquehanna County Coroner's Office
328 Main Street
PO Box 133
Great Bend, PA 18821
Susquehanna County Coroner's Office
328 Main Street
PO Box 133
Great Bend, PA 18821