Baxter County Coroner's Office Adds Cadaver Dog, Possibly the Only One in Arkansas

Kairos, a long-haired German Shepherd, will be trained by the Chief Deputy Coroner to assist with death investigations and disaster response.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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The Baxter County Coroner's Office has welcomed a new four-legged employee - Kairos, an 11-week-old cadaver dog believed to be the only one of its kind in Arkansas. Chief Deputy Coroner Sara Fischer will handle Kairos' training, which will allow the office to save thousands of dollars compared to sending the dog elsewhere for certification. Kairos will be trained to search homes, disaster areas, and waterways to assist with death investigations and recovery efforts.

Why it matters

Having a local cadaver dog resource can be invaluable for the Baxter County Coroner's Office and surrounding counties, which have previously had to call in dogs from as far as Mississippi. This will allow for faster response times and more efficient death investigations, especially in the aftermath of major incidents like the 2008 tornado that hit Gassville.

The details

Kairos is a long-haired German Shepherd who was purchased and will be trained by Chief Deputy Coroner Sara Fischer. Fischer has previous experience training cadaver dogs and plans to get Kairos certified in multiple levels, including searching homes, disaster areas, and waterways. The Baxter County Coroner's Office believes Kairos is the only cadaver dog currently in Arkansas.

  • Kairos joined the Baxter County Coroner's Office in February 2026.

The players

Baxter County Coroner's Office

The government agency responsible for investigating deaths in Baxter County, Arkansas.

Kairos

An 11-week-old long-haired German Shepherd who has joined the Baxter County Coroner's Office as a cadaver dog, believed to be the only one of its kind in Arkansas.

Sara Fischer

The Chief Deputy Coroner for Baxter County, who will be handling the training and certification of Kairos as a cadaver dog.

Sam Seamans

The Baxter County Coroner who announced the addition of Kairos to the office.

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What they’re saying

“It's amazing what they can do and how strong their sense of smell is.”

— Sara Fischer, Chief Deputy Coroner (ktlo.com)

“We know there are no other cadaver dogs locally and believe Kairos is the only cadaver dog in Arkansas.”

— Sara Fischer, Chief Deputy Coroner (ktlo.com)

“I remember when the tornado hit Gassville back 2008 and how helpful a cadaver dog would've been.”

— Sam Seamans, Baxter County Coroner (ktlo.com)

What’s next

Fischer plans to take Kairos around town and into local businesses as part of his training to get him accustomed to different environments.

The takeaway

The addition of Kairos, the first known cadaver dog in Arkansas, will provide the Baxter County Coroner's Office and surrounding areas with a valuable resource for death investigations and disaster response, potentially helping to solve cases and recover victims more efficiently.