Interviews with more than three dozen coroners, medical examiners, forensic pathologists, legal experts, and people who claim to have been victimized by the system reveal a process that is woefully inadequate at best and, at worst, often inept. Death investigators have enormous powers. They are ultimately responsible for certifying the cause and manner of death. In 1992, a total of 7 percent of deaths were classified as unnatural. Autopsies are performed in about half the investigated deaths. In about 5 percent, the answers are not obvious. Coroners are usually laypeople who are elected to their jobs. They are often funeral home directors. Medical examiner systems also have problems, due to the shortage of skilled personnel, the hours and demanding nature of the work, the relatively low pay, the political aspects of the job, and public image problems due to cases involving incompetent practitioners. Although the system's shortcomings are obvious, the solutions are also elusive. Nevertheless, all agree on the need for higher salaries, a uniform set of national standards, better training, and improved funding. Case examples and photographs