AURORA | The Arapahoe County commission on Tuesday appointed forensic pathologist Dr. Casey Bitting as the county’s next coroner following the retirement of longtime Coroner Dr. Kelly Lear.

The appointment takes effect July 2. Bitting will serve the remainder of Lear’s term through January 2027. A Democrat, she is also the sole candidate for the office in the November 2026 election.

Bitting has been a forensic pathologist with the Arapahoe office since 2018. Lear retired Tuesday after more than two decades of service to the county, including 12 years as its elected coroner.

Commission Chairperson Leslie Summey said Bitting’s medical credentials and years of experience with the office prepared her to assume the leadership role.

She said Bitting would continue the office’s mission of serving families, supporting the justice system and conducting death investigations.

Bitting completed a forensic pathology fellowship at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland after obtaining her medical degree in Osteopathic Medicine from Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She also completed a residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.

In addition to conducting forensic examinations, Bitting has been active in research, medical education and professional organizations. She serves as an attending physician for medical students, pathology residents and forensic pathology fellows and has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications. She is a member of the National Association of Medical Examiners, the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the College of American Pathologists.

“The Coroner’s Office has an exceptional team dedicated to serving families with professionalism, compassion, and integrity,” Bitting said in a statement. “I look forward to building on Dr. Lear’s legacy while continuing to provide the highest standard of medicolegal death investigation for our amazing community.”

Lear joined the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office as a forensic pathologist in 2004 and was elected coroner in 2014. Summey credited her with strengthening the office, advancing the practice of forensic pathology and helping provide answers to families during difficult circumstances.

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