Dating back to the Bills of Mortality for the plague in the early 1600s, death investigations have been crucial to the foundation of public health surveillance. The timely collection of mortality data by medical examiners and coroners not only helps with investigating causes of death, but also with examining the health of communities as a whole. By leveraging mortality data, epidemiologists and public health authorities can track health threats, identify emerging diseases and injuries, and implement and evaluate public health responses to ensure public safety.