Luzerne County manager responds to complaints about coroner selection

Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo issued a lengthy statement Wednesday in response to funeral director complaints raised at the previous evening’s county council meeting over her appointment of Dion E. Fernandes as the new county coroner.

“I am taking the time to write a response to the recent critique of the appointment Dion Fernandes as Luzerne County Coroner. Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion; however, I do not want silence to be misinterpreted as acquiescence,” Crocamo said.

Accompanied by five fellow funeral directors, Thomas Wiedlich told council Tuesday he does not believe proper vetting was performed before last week’s hiring of Fernandes.

Wiedlich said he emailed council a series of past news articles about Fernandes on Monday and read the headlines during public comment, saying these situations extend beyond Fernandes’ 2020 guilty plea to criminal mischief charges relating to the slashing of several tires on at least five vehicles in Pittston.

Fernandes, 48, spoke about the criminal plea in Pittston when his hiring as coroner was announced last week, saying that incident directly stemmed from a substance use disorder problem. He said he took ownership of his actions, completed in-patient treatment and is nearing his five-year sobriety anniversary.

Crocamo’s statement:

“The character of a man cannot be confined to the headlines that once defined him decades ago. Headlines are often sensationalized snapshots, capturing only fragments of a person’s life at a particular moment. They fail to encompass the full narrative of growth, resilience and transformation. True character emerges in the way a man confronts adversity and navigates the challenges life throws at him. It is in these moments of struggle that one discovers the depths of their strength and the heights of their compassion.

Consider a man who faced significant challenges and may have faced demons that we all have confronted. Rather than allowing these experiences to define him negatively, he chooses to confront them head-on. This journey is not easy; it is fraught with setbacks and emotional turmoil. However, through perseverance and a commitment to self-improvement, he learns valuable lessons. Each obstacle becomes an opportunity for growth, shaping his understanding of empathy and resilience. As he moves through his struggles, he develops a profound sensitivity to the challenges faced by others, particularly those grappling with grief and loss.

When he encounters survivors of loved ones who have passed away, his own experiences allow him to connect on a deeper level. He understands the nuances of grief — the way it can envelop a person and the different forms it can take. This understanding enables him to approach conversations with care and compassion. He listens without judgment, providing a safe space for others to express their pain. His journey through adversity instills in him a sense of responsibility; he feels a calling to support others in their darkest moments.

Ultimately, it is this journey of overcoming adversity that leaves an indelible mark on his character. The scars he bears are not merely reminders of his past struggles but symbols of his growth and resilience. He emerges not only as a survivor but as a beacon of hope for others, demonstrating that while the headlines of life may try to define a man, it is the way he responds to life’s challenges that truly reveals his character. His sensitivity and strength become a testament to the power of the human spirit, inspiring others to find their own paths through adversity.

This is what Dion Fernandes brings to the position. Shame on those who are critical of a man who has overcome such personnel challenges.”

County funeral directors also have raised concerns in the past about employing a head coroner linked to a funeral home due to the potential conflict of interest, Wiedlich had said. The county ethics code prohibits coroners, while engaged in county business, from soliciting, discussing or accepting business for a funeral home to which he or she is associated.

Following Tuesday’s meeting, Fernandes said others affiliated with funeral homes have served as county coroner in the past, and most deputy coroners are associated with funeral homes.

He insisted he would not misuse the authority of the office.

Crocamo addressed the subject in her statement Wednesday. Prior to home rule, in 2007, county voters had elected funeral director John Corcoran to serve as coroner, and Corcoran had won that year’s Democratic nomination physician Jack Consalvo, she said.

She added:

“The county has a strict personnel policy and ethics code, and Mr. Fernandes is acutely aware that any violation will be met with swift and strict enforcement, including termination,” Crocamo said.

Coroner history

The coroner was an elected post in the county before the 2012 switch to a home rule structure made it an appointed one.

George Hudock, a doctor and pathologist, was the county’s elected coroner from 1969 until his death in October 2005.

Consalvo was then appointed to fill the vacant seat, and Corcoran was elected to serve from 2008 through 2011.

William Lisman was the first coroner hired under home rule and served until his retirement in March 2019. Lisman had experience as both a funeral director and deputy coroner, but he ended his work as a third-generation overseer of his family’s funeral home in 2009.

Funeral director Daniel Hughes filled the coroner post vacated by Lisman’s retirement until his resignation in September 2019.

Retired Pennsylvania State Police captain Frank Hacken was coroner from October 2019 until his resignation in September 2022.

Most recently, attorney Jillian Matthews was coroner from October 2022 until January this year, when she started work as the new division chief of the county district attorney’s office vice/narcotics unit.

The coroner position was advertised at $62,000 to $67,513 annually. Matthews had received $65,866 annually as coroner. Fernandes will receive $67,513 annually.

Coroner duties include investigating and ruling on the manner of death when the deceased are not under medical care, the physician is unable to certify the cause, or the death is due to unnatural causes or violence. The coroner also approves all county cremations and organ donations and handles the identification and proper disposal of unclaimed bodies.