MEET THE TEAM

Charles “Charlie” Hunter, Jr. has 20 years of experience in the areas of death investigation and forensics.  Charlie has a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from McNeese State University.  He was employed with the Calcasieu Parish Coroner’s Office from 2006 until 2023 where he served at the Chief Investigator and Director of Operations.  Charlie is a Board Certified (F-ABMDI) death investigator recognized by the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators.  He has been recognized as an expert in the field of death investigation and forensic investigation. Charlie is also a certified crisis/hostage negotiator and member of the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT). He has served as the President of the national organization, Society of Medicolegal Death Investigators (SOMDI) as well as the Board of Directors for the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI).  Charlie has been an instructor and presenter at numerous regional, state, and national conferences. Charlie was born and raised in Cameron Parish, Louisiana and is proud to call “home” the Louisiana Gulf Coast.

CHARLES “CHARLIE” HUNTER, JR.

PRESIDENT/CEO

Jess began her career in emergency services as a paramedic in 2012.  In 2018, she transitioned into the forensic field as a Medicolegal Death Investigator, where she continues to serve today.  Expanding her expertise, she became an Autopsy Technician in 2020.  She currently serves as both the Lead Pathology Assistant and Evidence Management Supervisor.  Jess is certified by the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) and brings a decade of experience in prehospital medicine and forensic science to her work.  Jess is a pottery enthusiast, talented baker, and always the premiere Halloween house. 


JESS SOILEAU

LEAD PATHOLOGIST ASSISTANT, EVIDENCE MANAGEMENT SUPERVISOR, MEDICOLEGAL DEATH INVESTIGATOR

RYAN ARNOLD

CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER

Ryan is a native of Sulphur, Louisiana and is currently pursuing a degree in Communications from Franklin University. He began his career in public safety in 2015 through law enforcement, preceded by military service beginning in 2006. Over the course of his career, he transitioned into forensic operations with a focus on digital forensics for a regional law enforcement agency. In addition to his public safety background, Ryan is a Christian and an entrepreneur, owning and operating his digital marketing company, Arnold Digital. Ryan joined the GCFS team in December 2025 and currently serves as the Chief Business Officer. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family, serving his community, playing guitar, and growing in his faith.

Jerod Abshire has extensive experience managing large and complex cases involving the preservation and analysis of electronically stored information in criminal investigations. Has diverse knowledge in computer and Mobile Device technology and completed training in the leading forensic tools and techniques.


JEROD ABSHIRE

DIGITAL FORENSIC ANALYST

Alexis was raised in Cumming, Georgia where she graduated from North Forsyth High School. Upon graduation, she attended Louisiana State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Psychology and a minor in Sociology in 2025. Alexis joined the GCFS team as an intern during the summer of 2025 and joined the team full time in January 2026, where she works dual roles as Autopsy Technician and Medicolegal Death Investigator. Alexis loves the spend time with her family as well as her dog Beau.



ALEXIS CIMINO

MEDICOLEGAL DEATH INVESTIGATOR, AUTOPSY TECHNICIAN, EVIDENCE SPECIALIST

HENRY NEWMAN

TRANSPORTATION

Henry is a life-long resident of Lake Charles, Louisiana and a graduate of Barbe High School.  Upon graduation, Henry joined the family business C.J. Newman Trucking where he worked over 20 years driving dump trucks and operating equipment.  As the family business closed, Henry used his operating skills to join the R&R Construction team where he completed 22 years of service as a heavy equipment operator.  Henry joined the GCFS team in May 2025 where he serves the head of transportation division.  His duties include fleet operations, transport coordination, and morgue clerk duties.  When he is not driving around the state for GCFS, he can be found supporting our local Cajun heritage through the Cajun French Music Association where he currently serves a sergeant at arms.  Henry and his family are deep rooted in the Louisiana culture and love to serve the people of this community. 



Grace was raised in Iowa, Louisiana, where she graduated from Iowa High School. Upon graduation, she attended McNeese State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in 2025. Grace joined the GCFS team in January 2025, where she works dual roles as a Medicolegal Death Investigator and Lab Technician. Grace loves to spend time with her family and siblings, as well as her dog Leta.


GRACE SMITH

MEDICOLEGAL DEATH INVESTIGATOR, FORENSIC TECHNICIAN

Ellie was raised in Texas where she graduated from Santa Anna High School. Upon graduation, she attended the University of North Texas where she earned a Bachelor Degree of Science in Integrated Studies with a focus in Criminal Justice in 2025. Ellie joined the GCFS team in July 2025 where she works dual roles as a Medicolegal Death Investigator and Evidence Specialist. During her time off, she enjoys spending time with family and friends. Ellie is looking forward to assisting the first responders and families across Louisiana and the country.


ELLIE CANTU

MEDICOLEGAL DEATH INVESTIGATOR, EVIDENCE SPECIALIST

PATHOLOGISTS

DR. BARBARA M. HERFEL, M.D., FCAP

AP/CP BOARD-CERTIFIED PATHOLOGIST

  • BARBARA M. HERFEL, MD, FCAP

    AP/CP Board-Certified Pathologist

     

    CONTACT INFORMATION

    Address:​501 Ember Grove Crossing, Lafayette, LA 70508 

    Mobile:​443-955-8045

    Email:  ​bherfel@hotmail.com, Barbara.Herfel@indy.gov

     

    POSTGRADUATE TRAINING 

    07/2025 to 06/2026​Forensic Pathology Fellowship, Marion County Coroner’s Office, Indianapolis, IN

    07/2014 to 06/2015    ​Cytopathology Fellowship, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 

    07/2013 to 06/2014    ​Surgical Pathology Fellowship, UAB, Birmingham, AL 

    09/2008 to 06/2012 ​Combined AP/CP Residency, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, NY  

     

    PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT

     

    AUTOPSY PATHOLOGIST

    04/2024 to 06/2025​Gulf Coast Forensic Solutions, LLC, Lake Charles, LA

    01/2022 to 06/2025​Bayou Pathology Services, LLC, Lafayette, LA

    01/2022 to 06/2023    ​Louisiana Forensic Center/Parish Forensics, Broussard, LA​

    07/2019 to 06/2023​National Autopsy Experts, LLC/Private Autopsy, Inc.

     

    STAFF PATHOLOGIST, PRN

    11/2023 TO 04/2024​Forward Pathology Solutions/HCA JFK, Atlantis, FL

     

    STAFF PATHOLOGIST AND CLINICAL LABORATORY MEDICAL DIRECTOR

    07/2015 to 10/2022    ​Preferred Anatomic Pathology Services, Ochsner LGMC, Lafayette, LA

     

    EDUCATION

    01/2004 to 07/2008    ​Doctor of Medicine, St. Matthew's University School of Medicine

    ​​Grand Cayman, BWI - Honors: Magna cum laude (GPA 3.7)   

    09/1999 to 05/2001     ​Master of Health Science, Pathologists’ Assistant, Quinnipiac University

    ​            ​Hamden, CT - Honors: Magna cum laude (GPA 3.8)

    09/1995 to 05/1997     ​Bachelor of Science, Medical Technology, UMAB, Baltimore, MD

    09/1988 to 05/1992     ​Bachelor of Science, Biology, Frostburg State University, Frostburg, MD 

     

    LICENSURES AND CERTIFICATIONS

     

    Licenses/Certificates​Number​​Issued​    ​Expiration

    MD, Louisiana​             ​207168​​05/31/2014​    ​05/31/2026

    MD, Florida​ME164599​​08/24/2023​01/31/2026

    MD, Maryland​D0079027​​09/30/2015​09/30/2024

     

    DEA ​FH5424964​​09/21/2018​10/31/2027

    ABP AP/CP  ​​17-124​​08/07/2017​No expiration

    PA (ASCP) ​             ​582                      ​08/01/2005  ​No expiration

    MT (ASCP)  ​             ​205578   ​​09/01/1997​No expiration​

    BARBARA M. HERFEL, MD, PG. 2

     

    PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

     

    College of American Pathologists (CAP), Fellow

    American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), Fellow, PA, MT        

    United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP), Member

    American Society of Cytopathology (ASC), Fellow

     

    Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists (ACLPS), Member

    American Association of Pathologists’ Assistants (AAPA), Fellow

    American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC), Member

    Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), Member

     

    PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

     

    CAP Inspections:

    Team Leader:  St. Francis Medical Center, 10/01/2020

    Team Leader:  Lake Charles Memorial Hospital, 02/02/2018

     

    Inspector:  Oregon Health & Science University, 06/03/2015

     

    PRIOR PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT 

     

    Pathologists’ Assistant  

    07/2012 to 02/2013​AmeriPath, Orlando, FL

    05/2006 to 12/2006​Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore, MD

     

    05/2003 to 12/2003​Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD

    07/2001 to 04/2003​Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, VA​                               

    ​                                  

    Medical Technologist

    04/1997 to 04/1999​Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Baltimore, MD

     

    Research Technician

    03/1993 to 08/1995​The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD

     

    AWARD 

      

    07/2007 - Awarded Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) by Department of Internal Medicine, Harbor Hospital, Baltimore, MD - First 100% score on Internal Medicine In-Service Examination.  

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    BARBARA M. HERFEL, MD, PG. 3

     

    POSTER PRESENTATIONS

     

    1.  Kholodnaya N, Graham R, Chun A, Herfel B, et al.  Hepatotoxicity Secondary to Black Cohosh,  

        2010 Mid-Atlantic Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM); Regional Meeting, New York 

        American College of Physicians (NYACP) 2009 Scientific Meeting; Lenox Hill Hospital Research 

        Day, 05/22/2009.

     

    2.  Altchek A, Herfel B, Opher E.  Prepubertal lymphoid follicles of cervix and vagina, Abstract for 

        North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology (NASPAG) Annual Meeting, 

        Las Vegas, NV, 04/15/2010 - 04/17/2010.

     

    ORAL PRESENTATIONS

     

    1.  “Interesting Cases in Surgical Pathology”, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, 

         Department of Pathology - 02/2011

     

    2.  “All Lesions Lichen and Lichen-like: A Review”, Anatomic Pathology Seminar Series (APSS), 

         The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Pathology - 12/2013

     

    PUBLICATIONS

     

    1.  Rosenfeld B, Herfel B, Faraday N.  Effects of Storage Time on Quantitative and Qualitative 

         Platelet Function after Transfusion.  Anesthesiology.  1995; Dec 83; 6: 1167-1172.

     

    2.  Altchek A, Herfel B, Opher E.  Prepubertal lymphoid follicles of cervix and vagina.  J of 

        Pediatric and Adolescent Gyn.  2010 April; 23(2): E96-97.

     

    3.  Patel, S, Herfel, B, Nolan, M.  Metastatic Colon Cancer Involving the Right Atrium.  Texas 

        Heart Institute Journal.  2012; 39(1): 79-83.

     

    4.  McCarty, T, Herfel, B, Lee, R, and Pappas, P.  Cytomegalovirus appendicitis in solid organ 

        transplant patients, two cases and a review.   Journal of Clinical Virology, May 2015.

     

    5.  Herfel, B., Brandwein-Gensler, M.  MDM2 and CDK4 expression in liposarcomas of the head 

        and neck.  In preparation.

     

    6.  Herfel, B, Xu, J, Galgano, S, and Brandwein-Gensler, M.  Collision Tumor of Thyroid and 

        Larynx: A Case Report of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma, Tall Cell Variant merging with 

        Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.  In preparation.

     

    7.  Herfel, B, Moroz, K, Sholl, A.  Cytologic features of Atypia of Undetermined Significance that 

        correlate most closely with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.  Submitted to ASC.

     

    8.  Herfel, B, Sholl, A, Sullivan, L, Doucet, M, Moroz, K. Afirma Gene Expression Classifier - An   

        Institutional Review of Results and Correlation with Subsequent Resection.  Submitted to ASC.

     

Dr. Herfel is a board-certified pathologist with a dual focus in anatomic pathology and clinical pathology (also noted as cytopathology). She received her medical degree from St. Matthew's University IN 2008 did her residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at Lenox Hill Hospital / Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell (2008–2012). Dr. Herfel handles specialties such as tissue biopsy interpretation, fluid and body fluid analysis, immunology, microbiology and cytopathology. She is affiliated with several medical groups and hospital services in the Lafayette area, including emergency pathology, anatomic pathology services, and newborn/critical care pathology units. Dr. Herfel has nearly two decades in the field working for the National Autopsy Experts, LLC/Private Autopsy, Inc; Louisiana Forensic Center/Parish Forensics; Bayou Pathology Services, LLC, and joined the GCFS team in April 2024 as the full-time pathologist.

  • Pathologists GCFS uses on an as needed basis:

    Dr. Erik Handberg, M.D.

    Dr. Travis Johnson, D.O.

    Dr. Rhome Hughes, M.D.

    Dr. Varsha Podduturi, M.D.

    Dr. Paul Uribe, M.D.

    Dr. Jan Gorniak, M.D.

Our Experience.

Charlie has experience responding to numerous federally declared disasters beginning with Hurricane Katrina in 2005, where he assisted recovery efforts and morgue operations.  Charlie has extensive experience in cemetery response and recovery efforts beginning with Hurricane Rita in 2005.  Other cemetery responses include Hurricane Ike (2008), Louisiana Flooding (2016), Hurricane Harvey (2017), Hurricane Laura (2020), and Hurricane Delta (2020).  These cemetery efforts have included casket recovery, site operations, identification, family assistance, and reburial.  Additionally, along with Winter Storm Uri (2021) and the COVID-19 pandemic, these responses include involvement with death investigations, fatality recovery, and morgue operations.  

For nearly two decades, Charlie has gained vast experience in the field of death investigation, fatality response, and cemetery operations.  Charlie has been an instructor state-wide and nationally on a wide variety of subjects including death investigation, mass fatality response, opioid death investigation, infant death investigation, forensic nursing, and many more.  With his unique experience, Charlie is often called to consult on various investigations.  Charlie has over 650 hours of continuing education as well as over 15,000 death investigations during his career.