J. Lawrence Cogan

Joseph Lawrence Cogan (December 25, 1944 – January 15, 2026) was an American coroner who served as acting Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner for the County of Los Angeles from 1990 to 1992.

Early career Cogan graduated from Loyola University Chicago's Stritch School of Medicine. From 1971 to 1973 he served in the United States Army as a general medical officer and briefly served in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. He completed his pathology residency at Loyola University Medical Center.

Los Angeles County In 1977 he joined the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's and Coroner's Office.

Autopsies performed by Cogan include those on Dennis Wilson and Charlotte Lamb (victim of Rodney Alcala).

Acting Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner In 1990 Cogan was appointed acting Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner following the resignation of Ronald Kornblum. In 1991, the office conducted 6,256 autopsies and investigated 18,068 suspicious or violent deaths (including 2,401 possible homicides). Los Angeles County Supervisor Deane Dana described the office as "operating smooth as glass" under Cogan. However, the department's chief of forensic medicine, Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran, was selected instead after the Board of Supervisors received a letter signed by several deputy medical examiners recommending the consideration of in house candidates rather than appointing an outsider.

Cook County Cogan later left Los Angeles to serve as an assistant medical examiner in Cook County, Illinois. He was also contracted to perform autopsies for Kane County, Illinois.

Death Cogan died on January 15, 2026, at the age of 81.