Dr. Ariel Goldschmidt is no longer serving as Allegheny County's medical examiner, ending a tenure of just over two years in the role. Dr. Ashton Ennis has agreed to step in as interim medical examiner while the county launches a national search for a permanent replacement.
The change was first reported by WPXI, which cited a county spokesperson in confirming that Goldschmidt is no longer an employee of Allegheny County. According to audacy.com, no reason for the dismissal has been given. The same report states plainly that Dr. Ashton Ennis has agreed to serve as interim medical examiner as the county begins its search for someone to fill the position long-term.
A Short Tenure Atop the Medical Examiner's Office
Goldschmidt's departure caps a rise through the county's medical examiner's office that began in 2021, when he returned to Allegheny County to serve as deputy medical examiner. He later became acting medical examiner following the retirement of Dr. Karl Williams, and in 2024, County Executive Sara Innamorato named him the permanent Allegheny County Medical Examiner, according to the same account. Over the course of his career, Goldschmidt performed more than 4,000 postmortem examinations, per that report.
It is unclear whether Goldschmidt resigned, was dismissed, or left under some other arrangement — the available reporting notes only that no reason for the dismissal has been given. The county has not issued a public statement laying out what prompted the change in leadership.
National Search Underway
Allegheny County now seeks a new chief medical examiner, with officials confirming plans for a nationwide search rather than a quick internal promotion. The station's report frames the arrangement as a stopgap measure, with Ennis holding the interim title while that broader search plays out. No timeline for the search or list of criteria for candidates has been disclosed.
The medical examiner's office plays a central role in Allegheny County's death investigations, and any leadership turnover there draws scrutiny given the office's public-facing responsibilities. For now, residents are left with an interim chief medical examiner and a search process whose details remain undisclosed.
