| Field | Detail | Source |
|---|
| Full Name | Warren McLeod | T1 |
| Residence | 138 Marsyla Heights Dr, Winlock, WA 98596 | T1 |
| Party | Republican | T1 |
| Education | Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice, College of Southern Nevada; Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, University of Nevada at Las Vegas; Master of Arts in Justice Administration, Norwich University; Master of Arts in Political Science, American Military University | T1 |
| Employment | EMT for 14 years in the Boston area, volunteer, private, and City of Boston EMS; Auxiliary/Reserve Police Officer in a town north of Boston for 9 years; graduated from Massachusetts Criminal Justice Training Council Reserve-Intermittent Academy in 1987; EMT in Las Vegas casinos for 3 years (1995-1998); Coroner Investigator, Clark County (Las Vegas) Coroner/Medical Examiner's Office (January 1998 - 2008); conducted over 5,000 medicolegal death investigations in 11 years; Criminal Justice/Forensics Professor (tenured), South Puget Sound Community College, Olympia, WA (2008-present); also adjunct professor at Grays Harbor College; Elected Lewis County Coroner (January 2011 - present). Position was part-time initially; upgraded to full-time in January 2015 with approval of Lewis County Commissioners. | T1 |
1 Election History
| Year | Race | Result |
|---|
| 2010 | Lewis County Coroner (General) | Won, 13,768 votes (54.55%) defeating Micheal T. Hurley (R) with 11,470 votes (45.45%). First new coroner in decades, replacing Terry Wilson who served 28 years (1982-2010). |
| 2014 | Lewis County Coroner (General) | Won unopposed, 17,618 votes (100%) |
| 2018 | Lewis County Coroner (General) | Won unopposed, 24,924 votes (100%) |
| 2022 | Lewis County Coroner (Primary) | Won unopposed, 17,301 votes (97.96%) |
| 2022 | Lewis County Coroner (General) | Won unopposed, 26,288 votes (98.15%) |
| 2026 | Lewis County Coroner | Pending, faces two challengers (Chelsie Niemcziek, Jessica Stickley) |
2 Political Positions
| Topic | Position | Source |
|---|
| Ronda Reynolds Case | Campaigned in 2010 on a promise to reinvestigate the 1998 death of Washington State Patrol Trooper Ronda Reynolds, which predecessor Terry Wilson had ruled a suicide. Immediately changed the death certificate to undetermined upon taking office in January 2011. Convened the first coroner's inquest in Lewis County in 50 years in October 2011. A five-person jury unanimously ruled the death a homicide and named husband Ron Reynolds and stepson Jonathan Reynolds as responsible. The Lewis County Prosecutor declined to file charges citing insufficient admissible evidence. | T2 |
| STEM and Career Advocacy | Actively encourages students to consider careers in forensic investigation and the coroner profession. Recommends candidates possess at least 2 years of emergency patient care experience and qualities including being cynical, inquisitive, puzzle-solving oriented, and open-minded. | T2 |
| Fentanyl and Overdose Crisis | Has been vocal about the overdose crisis in Lewis County. Reported that fentanyl is now detected in approximately 98% of returning toxicology results. Has publicly tracked overdose death statistics, reporting record highs (38 drug overdose deaths by September 2023 alone, exceeding the previous full-year record of 32). Has raised concerns about rising autopsy and toxicology costs driven by expanded testing panels for fentanyl and xylazine. | T2 |
| Office Independence | Emphasizes that the elected nature of the coroner position means voters are his bosses, preventing political pressure on case determinations. States this independence is critical for impartial death investigations. | T2 |
3 Campaign Finance (PDC T1 Data)
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Filing Entity | No WA PDC committee registration located statewide for the 2026 cycle as of 2026-06-21 (under-threshold/mini-filer or non-filer). Source: WA PDC SODA API (data.wa.gov), as_of 2026-06-21. | T1 |
4 Notable Public Statements
“The Coroner's Office is the best kept secret in the county.”
LewisTalkWA interview about STEM career advocacy (2016-08)
“Fentanyl is now in just about 98% of all returning tox results either in lethal amounts or in small amounts.”
Reporting on Lewis County overdose death statistics to The Chronicle (2023)
5 Vulnerability Assessment
4 sourced findings. All sourced at T1 (Official Record) or T2 (Multi-Source Media) per clearthemud provenance model. No T3/T4 claims included.
Finding 5.1: Reynolds family $5M lawsuit over the 2011 inquest MODERATE
- What happened
- Ron Reynolds and his son Jonathan Reynolds filed a $5 million lawsuit in Lewis County Superior Court (December 2012) alleging McLeod had no legal basis for calling the 2011 inquest into Ronda Reynolds' 1998 death, had no intention to conduct it fairly, and that the proceedings were negligent and reckless. The complaint alleged McLeod designed the inquest to reach a predetermined homicide conclusion, fulfilling a 2010 campaign promise. The case was removed to federal court. U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Settle granted summary judgment in favor of McLeod and Lewis County. Reynolds appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
- Source tier
- T2
- Political impact
- Moderate
- Defense
- The lawsuit was dismissed via summary judgment. McLeod prevailed on all claims. The 2009 civil suit had already found predecessor Terry Wilson's original suicide determination to be "inaccurate and capricious." A five-person inquest jury unanimously ruled the death a homicide. McLeod convened the first coroner's inquest in Lewis County in 50 years. The Lewis County Prosecutor, not McLeod, made the decision not to charge.
- https://lewiscountysirens.com/?p=22780
- https://lewiscountysirens.com/?p=31530
- https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/no-murder-charge-in-ronda-reynolds-case/
Finding 5.2: Record overdose deaths and rising autopsy costs under his tenure MODERATE
- What happened
- Under McLeod's tenure, Lewis County recorded 38 drug overdose deaths by September 2023 alone, exceeding the previous full-year record of 32 (set in 2020 and tied in 2021). Autopsy costs rose from $1,500 to $1,900 per case since June 2022, with toxicology testing costs also rising due to expanded fentanyl and xylazine panels. The office faces record overdose investigation volumes and rising operational costs.
- Source tier
- T2
- Political impact
- Moderate
- Defense
- The fentanyl crisis is a national epidemic affecting all jurisdictions regardless of leadership. McLeod has been proactive and transparent in reporting overdose statistics, warning the public about counterfeit pills, and collaborating with community partners. The coroner investigates deaths, preventing them requires coordination across law enforcement, public health, and treatment systems beyond the coroner's authority.
- https://chronline.com/stories/annual-overdose-deaths-in-lewis-county-reach-all-time-high-with-three-months-left-in-2023,325890
- https://www.chronline.com/stories/lewis-county-sees-major-increase-in-yearly-overdose-deaths-fentanyl-is-cause-for-concern,260852
Finding 5.3: Will have served 16 years by the end of his term LOW
- What happened
- McLeod will have served 16 years by the end of his current term (January 2011 - January 2027). He replaced Terry Wilson, who served 28 years. Three of his four elections were entirely unopposed, and the fourth (2022) drew only write-in opposition.
- Source tier
- T1
- Political impact
- Low
- Defense
- McLeod has been consistently re-elected with overwhelming margins, including winning his initial contested race with 54.55% against another Republican. His tenure has brought IACME accreditation (one of only five in Washington State), professionalized the office with ABMDI-certified staff, developed statewide training programs, and maintained strong community involvement. He also teaches as an adjunct professor, keeping skills current.
- https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20221108/lewis/
- https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20181106/lewis/
- https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20141104/lewis/
Finding 5.4: Two current or former deputies are challenging him MODERATE
- What happened
- Both challengers, Chelsie Niemcziek (current Deputy Coroner) and Jessica Stickley (former Deputy Coroner 2008-2019), come from McLeod's own office. The office has 9 total deputies. Two current and former employees are seeking the position through the electoral process.
- Source tier
- T2
- Political impact
- Moderate
- Defense
- Internal challengers are common in small elected offices where the pool of qualified candidates is limited. The deputy coroner qualifications (death investigation experience, criminal justice background) produce candidates from within the office. McLeod's leadership has produced an IACME-accredited office with professionally certified staff.
- https://www.chronline.com/stories/filing-week-wraps-up-mcentire-picks-up-challenger-from-own-party-coroner-draws-opponents,402095
6 Source Verification
- Data Sources
- WA SOS, WA PDC, local media, public records
- Collection Date
- 2026-06-24
- Highest Tier
- T1 (Official Record)
- Methodology
- OSINT deep-dive using exclusively public-record sources. All findings at T1 or T2. No T3/T4 claims included.