A second autopsy is now complete in the death of 44-year-old Lloyd Gilmore, who died after being taken into custody at the Sikeston Department of Public Safety on June 10, but key answers are still on hold. Scott County coroner Cody Caudle said a St. Louis forensic pathologist handled the follow-up exam and that officials are waiting on lab work before reaching any conclusions. In the meantime, Gilmore’s family and their attorneys are pressing hard for transparency as investigators try to piece together what happened inside the department.
Caudle told the Southeast Missourian that the second autopsy, performed June 18 by forensic pathologist Dr. Tatiana Bihun in the City of St. Louis, has wrapped up, following an initial postmortem by Dr. Russell Deidiker that, he said, “yielded no preliminary results.” According to the Southeast Missourian, Caudle cautioned that final determinations could still be weeks away because of additional testing and paperwork. The outlet also reports that the coroner has released Gilmore’s body to the funeral home chosen by his family.
What investigators say
The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control is leading the investigation at the request of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety and has so far described the case as preliminary. Investigators say Gilmore approached officers at the department’s South Kingshighway headquarters on the evening of June 10, allegedly assaulted officers, was handcuffed and remained combative until EMS was called, then became unresponsive and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. The Highway Patrol has told local reporters it will turn its findings over to the Scott County prosecuting attorney once the investigation is finished, according to KBSI/FOX23.
Coroner timeline and evidence request
Caudle said final autopsy results typically take about one month to six weeks because of the time needed for lab testing, and that both the cause and manner of death will stay officially undetermined until that work is done. He has asked anyone who might have video or other evidence from the June 10 encounter to come forward, and said the coroner’s office will request body-camera footage and all related reports from the agencies involved. Those updates were outlined in reporting by the Southeast Missourian.
Family and community response
Attorneys for Gilmore’s family have publicly questioned the circumstances surrounding his death and are urging authorities to release records and video quickly so relatives are not left guessing about his final moments. The case has moved well beyond private concern, with several hundred people gathering at Lincoln Park in recent days to demand answers, according to the Delta Dunklin Democrat. Gilmore had previously secured a $65,000 settlement from the Cape Girardeau Police Department over a 2020 excessive-force claim, as reported by KZIM/KSIM-AM.
What happens next
Officials say the Missouri State Highway Patrol will finish its probe and submit the case file to the Scott County prosecuting attorney for review, according to KBSI/FOX23. In the meantime, authorities are still gathering evidence and appealing for any body-camera or bystander video that might clarify the confrontation. More broadly, in-custody deaths have been under growing scrutiny in Missouri this year, with multiple corrections and jail deaths reported across the state, according to reporting by KFVS.
