By RODNEY L. SHERMAN
Clarion News editor
The Nov. 12 death of Clarion County Coroner Randall Stom does not appear suspicious but the investigation is ongoing and an autopsy was scheduled for yesterday (Nov. 13) to determine the cause of the 56-year-old man’s death.
Clarion Borough Police Chief William H. Peck IV confirmed Tuesday evening Stom died earlier that day after he was found unresponsive in an alley near S&T Bank in Clarion.
Stom was transported to Clarion Hospital, where he was pronounced dead by a physician. The actual estimated time of death was not released.
Clarion police responded to a report of a man lying in the alley at 5:11 a.m. Tuesday.
Peck said a cause of death hadn’t been determined as of Wednesday morning.
“There is no evidence of a crime, I can tell you that,” Peck told the CLARION NEWS Tuesday evening. “Is it possible he had a medical event? It’s possible. It was very cold (Monday) night. We just don’t know yet – but there is no evidence of a crime.”
Stom lived along Wood Street, not far from where he was found. He was employed at Goble Funeral Home, also along Wood Street.
The Clarion County commissioners were alerted to Stom’s death around mid-morning Tuesday.
Stom, who was elected coroner in 2017, never named a deputy coroner. Under the state’s sixth-class county code, in the event of the death of the county coroner, the county sheriff assumes the duties of the coroner.
Clarion County Sheriff Rex Munsee confirmed Tuesday afternoon he had assumed the coroner’s duties but referred any questions about Stom’s death to Peck.
The Clarion County District Attorney’s office and Clarion Hospital EMS also assisted at the scene.
Since his election in 2017 and taking office in 2018, Stom was active in suicide prevention and addiction treatment efforts in Clarion County.
Stom was a graduate of Clarion-Limestone High School, Clarion University of PA (B.S. in Biology and M.Ed. in Science Education), and had post-graduate doctoral (ABD) studies in education and education administration from the University of South Carolina and Slippery Rock University.
He graduated from the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science with honors and was recognized by his peers with the Memorial Award for leadership.
Stom was president of the Clarion Kiwanis Club, served on the board of Pennies from Heaven, was a member of the First United Methodist Church where he served on the church council and sang with the Chancel Choir. He worked with numerous other civic and service organizations.