County hires medical examiner

Photo provided by Greene County

Deiter Duff

Greene County is shifting operations in its medical examiner’s office.

The county this morning announced in a news release the hiring of Dr. Deiter Duff as medical examiner, starting Dec. 26. The duties of his position had been filled by Dr. Keith Norton and his team at Springfield-based Forensic Associates LLC, according to a news release.

Greene County spokeswoman Donna Barton did not provide additional details by deadline. OzarksFirst.com last year reported the county signed a contract with Norton and Forensic Associates after previously partnering with the University of Missouri for autopsies. Greene County in 2009 entered the deal with MU, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.

As medical examiner, Duff will oversee an office that on average performs 200 autopsies annually. The medical examiner’s office conducts autopsies in cases involving deaths related to drugs or alcohol, unusual or suspicious activity, homicides, suicides and diseases that could pose a threat to the public, according to the release.

Duff comes to Greene County from Boone and Callaway counties, where he worked as medical examiner. He previously was assistant medical examiner for the city of St. Louis.