JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – On Thursday, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey issued the following statement after the Court granted his motion to remove Cape Girardeau Coroner Wavis Jordan from office for the duration of the quo warranto process.
“The judge has granted our preliminary order for quo warranto against Cape Girardeau Coroner Wavis Jordan. During the pendency of our case, Jordan will not be able to exercise any authority as the Coroner. We are moving forward undeterred in our quest to obtain justice for the victims in this case.”
General Bailey also filed criminal charges against Jordan, alleging that he committed one count of misdemeanor stealing and three counts of providing false information to vital records when he stole cash from a dead person and lied on multiple death certificates.
“As Attorney General, I will always work to hold accountable those who refuse to do their job as required by Missouri statute,” said Attorney General Bailey. “My heart goes out to the victims in this case, whose lives have been upended. To that end, I am moving for the immediate removal of the Cape Girardeau Coroner.”
Bailey reminds the public that the charges against Jordan are allegations and, as in all criminal cases, the defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in a court of law.
General Bailey’s petition for quo warranto against Jordan can be viewed here: https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/FINAL-Petition-in-Quo-Warranto.pdf
The quo warranto asserts that Jordan failed to do his duty when he:
- stole property and attempted to steal property he was obligated to safeguard.
- knowingly entered the wrong cause of death for decedent C.K.
- knowingly entered the wrong cause of death for decedent G.S.
- knowingly entered the wrong cause of death for decedent D.T.
- failed to properly investigate the causes and manners of death of several individuals and failed to take the necessary steps to be prepared to investigate causes and manners of death.
- failed to obtain blood from decedents M.H. and D.L. who each died in separate motor vehicle accidents.
- solicited family members regarding the funeral arrangements of A.Z., a deceased person.
The petition asks the Court to remove Jordan from office immediately.
Attorney General Bailey criminally charged Coroner Jordan with:
- stealing without consent, Class D misdemeanor;
- providing false information to vital records, Class E felony;
- providing false information to vital records, Class E felony;
- providing false information to vital records, Class E felony.
If convicted, he faces up to 12 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The petition for quo warranto can be read here: https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/FINAL-Petition-in-Quo-Warranto.pdf
The felony complaint can be read here: https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/Felony-Complaint.pdf
The probable cause statement can be read here: https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/Redacted-PC.pdf