The Northern Marianas currently has no capability to perform autopsies as the islands and neighbouring Guam have no forensic pathologist.
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Aurelio Espinola was Guam's chief medical examiner for 23 years and travelled to CNMI for autopsies but he retired in January.
Philip Dauterman, who is a pathologist on Saipan, conducts preliminary assessments for any death investigations in both the CNMI and Guam.
However, the closest forensic pathologist to the CNMI is based in Hawaii.
A forensic pathologist is a person who specialises in medical examination of a corpse and determining its cause of death.