By Mary O’KEEFE

The Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce is holding a screening of the documentary “Coroner to the Stars” on Oct. 29 that chronicles the journey of Dr. Thomas Noguchi, former Los Angeles County Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner. 

Noguchi conducted autopsies on many famous/infamous people including Marilyn Monroe, Robert Kennedy, Sharon Tate and Natalie Wood, to name a few. The Japanese immigrant’s career was praised and, at times, full of controversy.

Noguchi was criticized several times for sharing his opinion too quickly, including his handling of Natalie Wood’s autopsy. His original ruling was Wood’s death was an accident, which has been questioned by a former intern of Noguchi.  His life was full of battles with the County but included awards and acknowledgements. 

After the screening, Vidal Herrera, founder of 1-800-Autopsy and who provided the film, will be on hand to answer questions and to share personal experiences. Prior to the founding of 1-800-Autopsy, from the 1960s to 1984 Herrera served as a Los Angeles County field deputy coroner investigator. He trained under Noguchi, who served in the office from 1967 to 1982. 

The makers of the documentary contacted Herrera.

“They said, ‘We understand you worked there in the ’70s and ’80s,’” he said. 

Herrera told them that not only was he at the LA Coroner’s at that time but Noguchi was his mentor. 

Herrera was also active in the office during the devastating losses due to AIDS [Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome]. Thousands of people in LA County died due to AIDS in the mid 1970s to 1980s. 

Those were difficult days, not just for those who mourned the loss of those who died but due to the fear many felt because of the disease. 

“One of the parts about the AIDS epidemic was the discrimination against those [who died of AIDS-related complications],” Herrera said. 

He added that discrimination was realized in several ways including when he would try to find a funeral home that would accept those who had died due to complications surrounding AIDS. Locally, Crippen Mortuary accepted those bodies.

During his time serving with the LA Coroner’s Office Herrera was part of the investigations of numerous serial killers in Southern California, including the Hillside Strangler, the Skid Row Slasher, the Freeway Slasher, the Grim Sleeper/Strawberry Killer and the Night Stalker.

Herrera will share stories of his time with Noguchi when he was in the Coroner’s Office. 

CV Chamber of Commerce is holding the screening at St. Luke’s of the Mountains Episcopal Church/Sadler Hall, 2563 Foothill Blvd. on Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free for CV Chamber members and is $5 for non-members. Food and drink will be available for purchase. Funds raised will go toward supporting CV Chamber of Commerce outreach, including its scholarship program.

“Corner to the Stars” was directed by Ben Hethcoat and Keita Ideno; its writers are Ben Hethcoat, John Henry Hinkel and Keita Ideno and it is produced by Ben Hethcoat, Billy Ray Brewton, John Henry Hinkel and Tommy Andres.