An autopsy is a thorough physical examination of a body to determine how and why a person died. The examination can also identify disease, injury and other conditions that might not have been obvious when the person was alive. Upon request, certain family members (spouse, children, parents and siblings) may be entitled to an autopsy report.

Request an Autopsy Report

In some cases, an autopsy is required by law. If you think your loved one would object to an autopsy based on their religious beliefs, tell the medical examiner right away. We will work with you to find a solution.

Also, sometimes the medical examiner must keep larger portions of tissues or even whole organs to fully examine them. If you want those returned, write to our office within two weeks of the autopsy and make arrangements through a funeral director. Otherwise, the tissues and organs are destroyed.

The Medical Examiner’s Office screens all investigated deaths for potential tissue donation. A medicolegal investigator or hospital staff member may have already approached you about donating your loved one’s tissues or organs. If not, and you’re interested in donation, tell the medical examiner staff right away.

Tissue donation is different from organ donation in the fact that recovery can take place up to 24 hours after death. The investigator working with you will inquire about your loved one’s medical history, social history, and last known alive time to help determine if a referral for tissue donation can be made. Our investigator will contact Versiti or American Tissue Services Foundation to verify if your loved one registered to be a donor with DonateLife Wisconsin. Tissue donation will not take place without the legal next-of-kin's approval.

Being a tissue donor is a generous and worthwhile decision that can save and enhance lives. One tissue donor may enhance the lives of more than 75 recipients. It is estimated that 1 in 20 Americans will need some type of tissue transplant. Most religions endorse donation as a charitable act. Your loved one will be cared for and respected. Being a donor does not affect an open casket funeral. Donation takes place at no expense to the family. Criteria for donors is decided on a case-by-case basis. 

• Donation Pamphlet for Families - Versiti (coming soon)

To register to be a tissue and/or organ donor, visit: https://donatelifewisconsin.org/

The medical examiner will account for all the property and clothing brought into the office and store them in a secure area. In most cases, we release clothing and property to the funeral home. The police might hold items that could affect a criminal case.

Certain information about the death is available to the public, including full name; age; race; gender; home address; date, time and location of injury; date, time and location of death, and brief descriptive comments. Other information about the death is available only to next-of-kin (usually a spouse, children, parents and siblings), and personal lawyers and doctors. We release some information about the death to the public, but most is protected and only available to next of kin.

Death certifications can be obtained through the funeral home selected by next of kin or the Marathon County Register of Deeds Office. The Register of Deeds office can print death certificates from other Counties if the event date occurs from October 1, 1907 to present.

• Request a Death Certificate

Note: Death certifications are generally completed within several days of death. If a death still under investigation, the certifier may list “Pending” as the cause of death temporarily. A death certificate with “Pending” can still be used to arrange end of life affairs. The death certificate will be amended to reflect the actual cause of death when the investigation is complete.  

For your convenience, our office has compiled a list of funeral homes within Marathon County and additional funeral homes servicing Marathon County and the surrounding areas. 

 Funeral Home List (PDF)

The funeral home may receive the body only with permission from the person with the legal right to decide what happens to the body. In most cases, this is next of kin, but it could also be a health care agent or a member of the extended family. This person must inform the medical examiner’s office if someone else will be making decisions about the body.

• Release of Human Remains Form 
• Next-of-Kin Relinquishment of Rights to Make Funeral Home Arrangements

When families can’t afford burial or cremation, the county may have resources available to help with those expenses. If you have additional questions or concerns related to burial assistance, please contact our office at 715-261-1199.

• Crime Victim Compensation
• Veteran Death and Burial
• Wisconsin Funeral and Cemetery Aids Program (WFCAP) website

Coming soon!

• Paternity Specimen Release Form
• Genetic Testing Consent Form

Grief is a normal, natural, and necessary response to loss. It is a process, not an event. It takes time to work through your grief. There is no good or bad, right or wrong way to grieve, it is a unique experience that operates on an individual timeline. Grieving is an internal process that takes many forms and carries the potential for transformation. Some people will experience things that another person may not. It doesn't mean that you're not grieving the right way, it means you’re grieving your way.

• Grief Resources Brochure (English)
• Grief Resources Brochure (Hmong)
• Grief Resource Brochure (Spanish)

Special knowledge is required to safely handle bio-hazardous material such as blood, tissue, and/or bodily fluids. Biohazard clean-up services may be necessary for the scene of a violent death such as a homicide, suicide, accident, or death in which decomposition has begun to occur.

• List of Clean-Up Services