Skip to main content
Sedgwick County seal

RFSC Advisory Board Meeting Minutes - 05/19/2026

ADVISORY BOARD MEETING

Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center

1109 North Minneapolis Street, Wichita, Kansas 67214

May 19, 2026

Board Members or Designated Attendees Present

  • Shelly Steadman, Director, Regional Forensic Science Center
  • Aaron Breitenbach, District Attorney’s Office
  • Brad Crisp, Deputy Fire Chief, Sedgwick County Fire District #1
  • Chris Dugan, Fire Marshal, Wichita Fire Department
  • Jan Jarman, Deputy City Attorney, City of Wichita
  • Russell Leeds, Assistant County Manager
  • Ron Varner, Coroner, 13th Judicial District

Board Members/Agencies Absent

  • Darrell Atteberry, Chief of Police, Bel Aire
  • Jeffrey Easter, Sedgwick County Sheriff
  • Timothy Gorrill, Sedgwick County Coroner
  • Kevin Lanterman, Chief, Sedgwick County EMS
  • Garold Minns, Dean, KU School of Medicine-Wichita
  • Stephanie Newbold, Director, WSU Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs
  • Joe Sullivan, Chief, Wichita Police Department

Attendees Present

  • Katie Asbury, Senior Administrative Officer, Regional Forensic Science Center

Agenda

Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 9:01 AM.

Introductions and Roll Call

File Minutes from Meeting November 20, 2025

RFSC Performance Metrics and Center Updates - OD2A

Dr. Shelly Steadman

Performance Metrics and Trends

  • Medical Investigations
    • 4,207 reported deaths for 2025
    • 1,442 reported deaths to date for 2026
    • 470 death scenes for 2025
    • 152 death scenes to date for 2026
  • Pathology
    • 1,041 autopsy cases for 2025
    • 292 to date for 2026
    • For 2025,12% of work was out-of-county – 14% so far in 2026
    • Suicides cases have stabilized
    • Overdose cases have been on the decline
    • 56% of overdose cases involve detection of fentanyl, fewer fentanyl related deaths – consistent with national trend
  • Toxicology
    • Postmortem Cases
      • Turnaround time has drastically improved – enables pathology to meet NAME accreditation standard
      • Toxicology backlog (3 cases > 60 days) is now more manageable (vs. 197 in April 2022)
    • HPT/DUI backlog cases have decreased from 2024 (0 cases > 60 days), and the number of submissions remain stable from 2024
  • Drug Identification
    • Backlog (433) is directly related to staffing challenges and training

Grant-funded position (drug chemist) left for a more stable position - new hire started in December and has completed her training.

  • Number of cases submitted has increased slightly
    • Recent undercover buys and raids have created an extra burden
  • Fire Debris
    • Two fully trained analysts are doing well to keep up – no backlog
    • 7 cases received to date in 2026; consistent with approximately 2 cases per month
  • Firearms
    • Have 1 fully-trained Firearms Examiner in-house – no significant backlog
    • 50 firearms cases submitted to date in 2026 (approximately 12 cases a month)
    • Have filled an early 2026 vacancy – 2nd Firearms Examiner started on May 18, 2026 and training is underway
    • Travel to Johnson County or KBI for verifications currently
  • Biology/DNA
    • Biology/DNA backlog (7) remains low
  • Biology/DNA case submissions increased significantly between 2024-2025, and that trend is continuing in 2026

Quarterly Summary

  • Number of deaths reported and coroner cases remain stable
  • Tox instrument validations continuing; actively using OD2A State funding through KDHE for outsourcing certain cases
  • QToF installation is underway
  • RFSC lost a Medical Investigator on Easter Sunday
  • Pathology Assistant Supervisor (Rose) promoted to MI
  • Pathology Assistant (Kinsey) promoted to Supervisor
  • 2 vacancies in the Pathology Assistant section
  • Laboratory Technician position vacant
  • Drug ID fully staffed, backlog due to rush buys and dispensary seizures
  • Nearly all sections meeting KPI (90% complete w/in 90 days)

OD2A Grant

  • OD2A-funded position tests drugs and paraphernalia from scenes as well as other illicit drug casework
  • Medical Investigations have collected drugs and/or paraphernalia at 232 scenes since starting project December 1, 2023
  • Drug paraphernalia testing is caught up (1,257 items)
  • All participants are sharing data with CDC now
  • Starting to track results by matrix and co-occurrence, polysubstance dashboard has launched and includes all Drug ID testing (OD2A and law enforcement seized drugs)
  • The only significant setback was the departure of the grant funded OD2A scientist; new scientist is fully trained and working cases

2025 Grants

  • Coverdell Formula ($53,999) à award pending
  • CEBR 2025 ($184,627) à award released, all conditions met (down $100,000 from 2025)
  • JAG à waiting for award notification, $48,030 expected
  • OD2A Local ($250,000) à Year 3 program underway
  • KDHE OD2A ($66,000) à award underway
  • GHSA ($39,952) à received award, working on MOU

Grants

  • Coverdell Formula was $78,619
  • CEBR was $294,461

Projects

  • RFP for Architect & Engineering work published for CIP
  • Staff preparing for on-site audit this fall
  • Receiving an overwhelming number of subpoenas, business records, and case file requests, some for significantly older, archived cases

2027 Budget

  • BOCC Budget Hearings are completed
  • Decreased federal funding (~$145,000 annually)
  • Increased instrument maintenance costs
  • Firearms Examiner training anticipated cost is $40,000
  • Drug ID position funded through August 2028, will need to add FTE
  • Unclaimed cremains storage statute change became law
  • Morgue overflow cooler replacement quotes are pending
  • Revenue may increase with out-of-county fee schedule adjustment

ADA Compliance Changes to Website

  • Advisory Board presentations no longer will be posted on the site
  • Metrics are real time and have changed in appearance
  • Will be reviewing the resolution to determine how to distribute the other quarterly updates outside of the website

Questions and Discussion

Mr. Breitenbach noted that he was very pleased with the quick turnaround of DNA evidence for a recent case.

Agency Reports

There were no other agency reports presented.

Other Business

There was no other business discussed.

Adjourn

The meeting was adjourned at 9:24 AM.

Next Meeting: November 19, 2026 at 9:00 AM

1109 N. Minneapolis Street, Wichita Kansas, 67214 or via TEAMS (TBD)