19-year-old elected to serve as coroner: ‘I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect'

SCOTT COUNTY, Ind. (WAVE/Gray News) - While most eyes at the start of November were on the presidential election, other positions across Scott County in Indiana on the school boards, city council and other seats have been filled.

That also includes the new coroner elected by Scott County residents, but his story is a little different.

Bryton Ritchey is a 2024 high school graduate and a firefighter, but the newest title he added to his resume isn’t one people are jumping for.

It’s a job that somebody has to do, and for Ritchey, there was nobody better than him.

At 19 years old, Ritchey is the county’s youngest coroner.

“I was sitting on the school bus and a local elected official asked me. They knew I’d been working at the funeral home, knew I had a few years of public safety, and asked if I’d be interested in doing the coroner position,” Ritchey explained. “When I got the opportunity that I could jump on and serve the community, I was all about it.”

Ritchey had been working in a funeral home for the last few months of his high school career; that’s where his interest was sparked. He filed paperwork with the Scott County commissioner, officially launching his bid just before graduation.

Shortly after getting his diploma, Ritchey was watching the primary election unfold.

“I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect,” he recalled. “I knew I was young, so I thought that might put me back a little bit.”

His age didn’t stop him. Ritchey won the primary to advance to November’s general election where he ran unopposed.

Now, as coroner-elect, Ritchey’s first order of business is completing the necessary training and lining up his deputy.

“I’ve had a lot of people I’ve talked to and had contact with that would love to help,” Ritchey said.

According to the Indiana State Coroners’ Training Board, to be a coroner, a person must live in the county they plan to serve and pass a 40-hour training course through the state.

“There’s some classes on forensics. You can also go more in-depth and take classes willingly,” Ritchey explained.

As coroner, Ritchey will be investigating causes of death for anything from a homicide, an accident, or natural cause. That’s not something most 19-year-olds are doing.

“Whenever I’m going to investigate or talk to someone after their loved one has died, I want to provide the best professionalism and comfort for them,” he said.

Ritchey’s term is four years. During that time, he’ll remain full-time at the fire department he works for.

After his term, Ritchey said he may decide to run for coroner again or consider running for another elected position.

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