SODA SPRINGS — The Caribou County coroner was found dead Monday morning, according to the Caribou County Sheriff’s Office.
In a news release issued Monday, Caribou County Sheriff Adam Mabey announced the county’s coroner, F. Darrin Sims, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to a residence in the Bailey Creek area south of Soda Springs around 6:37 a.m. Monday for a requested welfare check, Mabey said.
Upon arrival, deputies located Sims in the garage of the residence and confirmed he had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Mabey said.
“Darrin, you will be missed dearly,” one Facebook user posted to Sims’ page. “A great example to many. A great husband, father, brother, son and cousin. Till we meet again.”
Because Sims was the Caribou County coroner, investigators from the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office and Bannock County Coroner Torey Danner investigated the incident.
The final Bannock County Sheriff’s Office incident report has not been provided to the Caribou County Sheriff’s Office, Mabey said.
In addition to being the coroner, Sims also owned and operated Caribou County’s only funeral home.
According to a biography posted to the Sims Funeral Home website, Sims was raised and educated in Soda Springs and graduated from Soda Springs High in 1991. He then served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Dallas, Texas.
Following his mission, he attended Idaho State University where he met Billikaye Minor and they were later married in the Logan LDS Temple, the website says.
The couple moved to Gresham, Oregon, where Sims attended Mt. Hood Community College and graduated from the Mortuary Science Program, says the website, adding that following school, the couple returned to Soda Springs to work with Sims’ father at the Sims Funeral Home. Sims and his wife have five children.
“This is a tragic loss to the Caribou County community and our thoughts and prayers go out to the Sims family and friends during this difficult time,” Mabey said in the release.
Suicide resources are available by calling or texting 988 or chatting with a live person at 988lifeline.org.
In Idaho, suicide and crisis assistance can be accessed by calling the Idaho Crisis & Suicide Hotline at 208-398-4357.
People can also access a national crisis text line by texting “HELLO” to 741741. More info is available online at nimh.nih.gov/suicideprevention.