Clark County Coroner Michael Murphy leaving office

After 13 years, Clark County Coroner Michael Murphy is taking the skills he picked up on the job to a national level.

Murphy, 61, said Tuesday he is leaving his appointed office for a job with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. There he’ll run the unknown victim identification program, which matches biometrics from unidentified children’s bodies to missing children, using forensic evidence like fingerprints and DNA.

“This was an opportunity that I don’t think comes along very often,” Murphy told the Review-Journal. “It’s time for me to make that change. This is a tough business, and it takes a lot out of you emotionally, and it’s been an absolute honor and privilege to serve the citizens of Clark County.”

Putting a name to the unidentified and bringing families some amount of closure quickly became Murphy’s passion after he was appointed coroner in 2002.

Within a year of starting, Murphy started a cold case unit and put those cases online in hopes of increasing his office’s reach.

It worked.

Murphy has said the coroner’s office had 182 John and Jane Doe cases when he started. Since then, the cold case unit has identified at least 67 of those people.

Rob Lowery Jr., vice president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, based in Alexandria, Va., praised Murphy’s innovative approach. Murphy launched a website and database with information about unidentified bodies with the goal of positively identifying them. Murphy served on national committees that worked with the U.S. Department of Justice on the National Missing and Unidentified Persons Initiative.

“Mike has been one of the pioneers when it comes to the identification of remains,” Lowery said.

That work, in turn, has helped the center’s ability to identify dead children, he said.

Murphy’s last day is April 22, he said. He is expected to start his new job in July.

It’s unknown who Murphy’s replacement will be. A county spokesman Tuesday didn’t have any names of potential successors or when someone will be apopinted.

Any recommendations from the county management for new coroner will need approval from the County Commission.

Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak said Murphy has been a “fine public servant” who has done well in a tough job.

Before becoming coroner, Murphy spent 30 years in law enforcement, starting as an 18-year-old police cadet in Kansas City, Kan., before moving to Clark County in 1980. In 1990, he was appointed to police chief in Mesquite and served there for nine years.

Murphy described his departure as bittersweet.

“Not being able to work with the Clark County coroner staff is the downside,” Murphy said. “One of the things I’m most proud of is that our staff is always believing that there’s more to do and that they can make a difference.

But the opportunity to focus more on the unidentified and to work with the “absolute experts” excites him, Murphy said.

“To get the job is a bit overwhelming,” Murphy said. “I get to expand my horizons and I think it will take me out of my comfort zone.”

“Las Vegas is always going to be my home,” Murphy said.

Contact Colton Lochhead at clochhead@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638. Find him on Twitter: @coltonlochhead. Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-405-9781. Find him on Twitter: @BenBotkin1.