Natrona County Coroner Dr. James Thorpen submitted his formal letter of resignation to the Natrona County Commission on Tuesday.

"Dear Rob Hendry: I hereby am giving notice of my plan to retire August 31, 2009," was all it said.

The forensic pathologist's simple note marked a quiet end to a nearly three-decade career, during which his person became synonymous with the position to which he was re-elected every four years since 1982.

Thorpen played key roles in solving many murder cases, including the 2006 conviction of Rita Ann Humphrey in the shooting death of husband Jack Humphrey in 1977; his testimony in 2004 that helped convict Dale Eaton of the 1988 murder of Lisa Marie Kimmel; and in 2008 with the research of Donald Rolle's murder of Jennifer Randel in 2007.

"Thank you for the 27 years of service to the county," Natrona County Commission Chairman Rob Hendry said, followed by a round of applause from the commissioners and county staff at the work session.

Thorpen, the state's only forensic pathologist who is a coroner, had announced in February he would retire probably by May, but stayed because he was asked to do contract work, he said.

His announcement will trigger a replacement process when the commission notifies the Natrona County Republican Party's central committee, which has 15 days to meet and select three people qualified to fill the vacancy. The committee then gives those names to the county commissioners, who have five days to appoint one of the three nominees.

While the process is political, Thorpen told commissioners he'll make it personal, too.

"I don't want to see anyone step in who doesn't have a clue what a coroner does," he said.

Thorpen wants the Natrona County GOP central committee to consider chief deputy coroner Wayne Reynolds and forensic nurse Connie Jacobson, both of whom attended the work session.

"I want to tell you how lucky we are to have Connie and Wayne on our side," Thorpen said.

Reynolds had worked with Thorpen, then the Natrona County Sheriff's Office, and returned to the coroner's office about eight months ago.

Jacobson worked with Thorpen from 1998 through 2001, then with Dr. Jim Anderson at the Wyoming Medical Center in trauma care. She resigned from the hospital in July, she said.

"Wayne brings the law enforcement (experience) and Connie brings the medical," Thorpen said.

To emphasize the importance of the job, he asked the commissioners to raise the salary of the coroner.

"The commission realizes that salary has to go up," Hendry said. "We don't have that figure yet."

The request recalled a tumultuous time in 2005 and 2006, when the county commissioners began investigating concerns about former chief deputy coroner Gary Hazen.

Because Thorpen is an elected official who has hiring and firing power over employees, the commissioners could not oust Hazen.

But the commissioners had the power of the purse strings, and voted in December 2005 to cut the coroner's salary from $60,000 to $25,000, and make the coroner position a part-time job.

Seven months later, they voted to cut the funding for Hazen about the same time he agreed to leave the office.

The commission's actions outraged voters, who elected three candidates in November 2006 who said they would support Hazen and Thorpen.

Hazen retained his job.

But in early 2008, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation began interviewing people who said Hazen had confiscated drugs, cash, pornography and other items from homes where people had died.

He was placed on leave that month, and was fired in December.

In February, a special prosecutor filed 10 felony charges against Hazen, including eight for drug possession.

Last week, Hazen pleaded guilty to possessing hydrocodone and methadone as part of a plea agreement to drop eight other charges.

On Tuesday, Thorpen said his former chief deputy coroner had a great career ahead and squandered the opportunity. "He blew it all away."

Reach Tom Morton at (307) 266-0592, or at tom.morton@trib.com. Read his blog at tribtown.trib.com/TomMorton/blog.