State attorney general to decide on theft charge against Cape County coroner

The state attorney general's office will determine whether to file a misdemeanor stealing charge against Cape Girardeau County Coroner Wavis Jordan for alleged acts that occurred in April.

A Wednesday, June 7, release from Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Welker indicates he asked state officials to serve as special prosecutor in the case, which stems from an alleged theft that occurred at the scene of an unattended death April 18 on South Lorimier Street in Cape Girardeau.

According to a motion Welker filed in Cape Girardeau County Circuit Court, local prosecutors should not be involved with any potential prosecution of the case: "There would be an appearance of impropriety for anyone with the Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney's Office to make a charging decision in this matter due to a work relationship between the potential defendant and office of the Cape Girardeau County prosecuting Attorney."

The state attorney general's office had not commented on the matter as of Wednesday evening.

No details of the allegations were released from local officials.

Cape Girardeau police officers at the scene were later cleared of any potential wrongdoing, based on body-camera footage and on-scene witness statements.

Jordan was elected to office in November 2020, becoming the first Black person elected to countywide office as a Republican, according to local officials. He emerged from a bitter three-way Republican primary in August 2020, winning 39.5% of the vote.

He has held leadership roles in the SEMO Pachyderm club and as a pastor at Hobbs Chapel church.

Cape Girardeau County commissioners in recent months have explored the possibility of replacing the coroner's office with a medical examiner.

"Having a medical examiner would definitely be beneficial from a law enforcement perspective," Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy said at a February meeting, contending a medical examiner with extensive training and expertise would be able to produce "robust and solid" presentations of facts regarding deaths.