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Katie West found Several Hours Dead in One Position, Then Moved, Dual Lividity, Indicative of Homicide

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Grand Forks County Coroner Resigned in 2003

Katie West was hours dead when her feet were inked, tubes shoved in her throat, mouth and face taped over, body repositioned by the Grand Forks County Coroner. This was presented to the Grand Forks County Commission and a few months later, Tom Polovitz resigned. The same information was presented to University of North Dakota President, Charles E. Kupchella, and within months after, Tom Polovitz did not get his contract renewed at UND.

Local news organizations were informed of presentation dates following a resignation and ousting, however no media showed to see what our trusted Grand Forks County Coroner did, and it was never covered in any local news.

Katie had hours of Lividity all over her posterior surfaces and all over the right side of her face and head, meaning she was lying on her back with her head leaning to the right for a period of hours before a 911 call was made about a breathing emergency. This was not a Sudden Incident and Katie ended up with Dual Pattern Lividity
from being dead in one position for hours then moved.

Suffocation struggles show on bottoms of feet and tape was thought to hide Lividity until light bruising like small finger marks were found under the tape. It was realized Shauna McMillan, age 10, and her brother Ian, age 5, were removed from the crime scene before 911 was called.