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.  


Scroll down to see a list of the coroner's office Deputies.

If you find any errors, please send us an email. Thank you.

Anthony J. Conarton
 
              OFFICE ADDRESS:

Susquehanna County Coroner's Office
328 Main Street
PO Box 133
Great Bend, PA  18821