About seven months in on the job, Guam’s new Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kenny Su's top priority is simply maintaining the office’s basic functions, a daunting task given the outdated equipment, staffing shortage, and aging facility.

“It should work but there’s no light bulb company now. It’s so old that we can’t use it,” said Dr. Su.

KUAM asked, “They don’t make the light bulbs for these anymore?”

“Correct. So these lights I bought myself so I can do my autopsies,” added Dr. Su. 

The building, now more than 40 years old alongside the Guam Memorial Hospital, has seen no major upgrades, even as Guam's population has doubled and continues to grow with the military buildup. 

Dr. Su, who brings extensive experience from Texas and California, says the staff is stretched thin, with just two employees, and the office is nowhere near the national standard of service.

“We cannot even reach a standard level of service now. So it’s very hard for us to maintain it. Hopefully, with the support of the public, the legislature and the Post Mortem community, we can have better improvements for this office,” said Su.

Currently, the only other employee, Johanna Bamba, is juggling administration, investigations, and assisting with autopsies. And even the morgue refrigerator is failing.

“In the morgue, our refrigerator is so old. So it doesn't work sometimes. So what happens to the bodies? It can get decomposed,” said Dr. Su. 

The office handles about 200 cases a year, including a rising number of homicides and complex infant deaths. 

The top cause of death?

“Drug use is a concern for this place. The meth use is the main trend here,” added Dr. Su. 

While the legislature has approved hiring an investigator, the office has no budget to fund the position, making thorough investigations difficult.

“We need to provide a better service for everyone who can possibly end up here. It’s for their dignity and for legal purposes too,” he said. 

Dr. Su adds the facility lacks critical space, like a consulting room for grieving families, a training area for future doctors and nurses, and even a secure evidence room.

“It’s very important for families and the justice system to know what happened. So we need to get the evidence and truth for the people. It’s the last human right for the descendants,” Dr. Su said. 

His message is clear: Without major investment and support, the CME’s office may not be able to meet the needs of the community to provide answers and uphold justice.