Dallas County announced Monday that Dr. Jessica Dwyer will take over as director of the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences and chief medical examiner in November, marking the first time a woman has served in this role since the institute’s establishment.
Before coming to Dallas, the fifth-generation Texan earned a degree in animal science from Texas A&M University and a medical degree from the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. After a residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where she served as chief resident, she completed a forensic pathology fellowship at the Allegheny County medical examiner’s office in Pennsylvania.
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Dwyer first joined the Dallas County’s medical examiner office in 2017, serving as both a staff medical examiner and assistant professor in forensic pathology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She was promoted to deputy chief medical examiner last year.
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During her time at the office, she’s been directly involved in complex investigations, including the 2019 Addison airport crash and COVID-19-related deaths, according to a news release. She has been published extensively in medical journals and presented at national forensic science conferences.
Dwyer succeeds Dr. Jeffrey “Jody” Barnard, who retires Friday, after nearly 40 years of service.
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Medical examiner Dr. Jessica Dwyer holds up the strap used to strangle Chynal Lindsey in Ruben Alvarado’s trial for the murder of Lindsey at the Frank Crowley Criminal Courts in Dallas, TX on November 8, 2021. Lindsey, a transgender woman, was found dead in White Rock Lake on June 1, 2019. (Shelby Tauber/Special Contributor) (Shelby Tauber / Special Contributor)
“It has been a privilege to work alongside Dr. Barnard and to learn from him,” Dwyer said in the release. “I am honored to carry forward the legacy of excellence he established here at SWIFS.”
SWIFS provides medical examiner and crime laboratory services for Dallas County and surrounding jurisdictions, supporting law enforcement, criminal justice and public health initiatives.
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“Throughout her career at SWIFS, Dr. Dwyer has shown a commitment to excellence in forensic science and public service,” Dallas County Judge Clay Lewis Jenkins said in the release. “Her expertise in managing public health crises, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been invaluable to our county’s emergency response capabilities.”
Dallas County commissioners Theresa Daniel, Andy Sommerman, John Wiley Price and Elba Garcia also sang Dwyer’s praises in the release, saying her appointment was an ideal choice and represents the county’s commitment to maintaining world-class services.
Dallas County’s new chief medical examiner will make history as 1st woman to hold the role
