The Maricopa Medical Examiner's Office is closing its toxicology lab next month and, according to The Arizona Republic, outsourcing incoming work to privately-operated NMS Laboratories in Pennsylvania.

The toxicology lab works with law enforcement to test what drugs and poisons might be in a dead body to help understand what may have caused the death. That information becomes very relevant to any criminal cases that might be attached to that death.

The Medical Examiner’s Office will continue to conduct autopsies for unattended deaths, the Republic reports.

Chief Medical Examiner Jeffrey Johnston said the move is a necessary measure that will save the county both money and time. The Show spoke with him more about it.

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