For the first time, a woman will be the chief medical examiner for Dallas County.

Deputy Chief Coroner Jessica Dwyer will take over when the current director retires this week.

Dwyer will lead the county’s Southwest Forensic Science Institute.

She will be the third Dallas County medical examiner since the office was created.

SWIFS manages many laboratories for county and area law enforcement, courts and health departments, including toxicology, DNA and trace evidence.

Dwyer has been with the law office since 2017.

He was Assistant Professor of Forensic Pathology and Medical Examiner until his promotion to Assistant Professor in 2023.

She will take over from Chief Coroner Jeffrey Barnard.

He retires on November 1 after 37 years spent in the county.

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