New county coroner hails from Texas

By Editor | December 13, 2017 |

Fayette County’s new coroner has been learning about the office by working with the outgoing coroner for the past nine months.

David Hejl, who as appointed coroner by the Fayette County Board on Tuesday, is a native of Texas who moved to the Vandalia area in July of last year.
Hejl and his wife, Dr. Marissa Feeney, a forensic pathologist, moved to this area to be closer to his wife’s family in Edwardsville.
Hejl, 48, said they chose this area because he is a skydiving instructor and Greenville airport has a drop zone for skydiving, and because of the lack of a forensic pathologist in the area.
Before they moved to this area, he said, Fayette County has had to pay transport costs for autopsies performed at other hospitals. Hejl said that he assists his wife with autopsies and that he is taking steps to have someone assist in his place when he is not available.
He has been working as a substitute teacher at Vandalia Community High School and manages rental properties owned by his father, and volunteers at the Vandalia Statehouse.