The Riverside County Sheriff Could Lose Control Of Coroner's Office Under State Proposal

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A state bill aiming to eliminate conflicts of interest in jail death investigations, improve transparency, and establish an independent medical examiner model in Riverside County continues to move forward.

Senate Bill 1379, authored by state Sen. Sabrina Cervantes, D-Riverside, passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Thursday. If approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor, it would separate the Riverside County sheriff's and coroner's offices.

The legislation was drafted amid concerns over a lack of transparency in investigating the high number of deaths in Riverside County jails. In 2022, in-custody deaths in the county totaled 18 — the highest single-year count in two decades.

In late 2023, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors directed staff to analyze the pros and cons of separating the sheriff's and coroner's duties.

"Separating the offices of the coroner and sheriff will enhance transparency and mitigate the appearance of a conflict of interest," Lisa Matus told the board at the time. Her son, Richard, died while in sheriff's department custody.

"The loss of my son was a painful chapter in my life. Not being able to see his body after his death was tragic. The body was not released from the sheriff's custody. They're really still in custody even after death," Matus said.

To date, the coroner's office remains under the oversight of the sheriff's department.

The offices have been combined since Jan. 1, 1999, when an ordinance adopted by the board roughly three years earlier took effect, placing coroner and public administrator functions — and their budgets — under sheriff control. Before that time, the offices operated independently.

California is one of only three states nationwide that does not require county coroner's offices to be separate from sheriff's departments. A large majority of California counties, including Riverside, have traditionally combined the roles under a single sheriff-coroner.

Most U.S. states require an independent separation between local law enforcement and death investigators to prevent potential conflicts of interest.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco opposes SB 1379, calling the legislation politically motivated.

The California State Sheriffs' Association also opposes the bill, arguing that the proposal undercuts local control and disrupts the operational efficiencies of the combined model.

If SB 1379 becomes law, it would require the Riverside County Board of Supervisors to separate the offices by July 2027.

The bill now heads to the Assembly floor. To reach the governor's desk, it must pass both houses of the California Legislature by Aug. 31.