BUTTE — The husband of a 32-year-old Butte man who passed away in his sleep last summer is joining a lawsuit as a plaintiff and intervenor against Butte-Silver Bow County.
Caleb Boelman was found unresponsive in his bed in August 2024 and was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead just before midnight.
WATCH: Coroner's Office Under Fire: Family Suing Over Mishandling of Remains
In court documents filed in January, Boelman’s parents and siblings filed a civil lawsuit against the county concerning the mishandling of his remains. The initial lawsuit claims the coroner’s office did not immediately refrigerate Caleb’s body, resulting in rapid decomposition and “grotesque disfigurement of the body”.
The lawsuit also states that the coroner’s office told Boelman’s siblings and parents that he was using a “smorgasbord of drugs” including sex drugs commonly used in the gay community.
Butte-Silver Bow Coroner Durkin later determined that the initial report to the family about multiple drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl, was not true, and Boelman “only died with THC and a level of alcohol consistent with decomposition.”
After a letter that was sent by a lawyer representing Boelman’s parents and siblings, dated Jan. 2, to Butte-Silver Bow County Commissioners, Coroner Lori Durken was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into what took place after Boelman’s death.
At the end of January, Boelman’s husband, Doug Ingraham stood before the Council during a special meeting to name a new coroner, and addressed commissioners:
“While I see the appointment of an acting coroner as a positive step for the families who have been through the loss of a loved one, it fails to remotely resolve the utter and repeated wrongs inflicted on Caleb,” said Ingraham.
He was not a plaintiff in the original lawsuit, and in an interview with MTN News on Jan. 30, he said he experienced months of unanswered questions from the coroner, Butte’s Chief Executive, and other county officials.
Ingraham said he met with county officials and requested information, including Caleb’s death certificate and information from the Montana State Crime Lab, but never received the information even after asking Butte’s Chief Executive about enter a Freedom of Information Act request for the text message exchange that occurred between Boelman’s family and the coroner.
Ingraham said he felt the county had discriminated against him as Caleb’s husband, the next of kin.
The initial lawsuit named Lori Durken in her official capacity as Butte-Silver Bow County coroner, but it was amended in April to include deputy county coroner Joseph Shagina and a Butte funeral home. The case was also moved from Missoula County district court to Butte-Silver Bow County.
A motion filed by Ingraham’s attorney alleges that Ingraham was discriminated against by Butte-Silver Bow County, first by the coroner and deputy coroner who shared information about Boelman’s remains with other family members but not with Ingraham, himself.
Court documents also state that HIPAA rights have been violated and that “the coroner and deputy coroner had an obligation to maintain the privacy of the information for a period of fifty years beyond the death of the person.”
The document states that the coroner’s office had an obligation to maintain Boelman’s privacy and “release the information to Caleb’s next of kin, to Douglas.”
Court documents also state that the Oath of Office has been betrayed by county officials who met with Ingraham in the months following Boelman’s death.
The Montana Constitution states that officials pledge an oath in which they state that they will “discharge the duties of (the office) with fidelity”.
Court documents state that “none of the officials in this matter acted with ‘fidelity’ regarding the care nor the communication to the next of kin, Douglas,” and it goes on to say that the blatant violation of the oath in the Montana Constitution “may be criminally actionable.”
Ingraham is seeking $1.5 million in special and general damages “for the harms and losses caused by the defendants,” and he is demanding a trial by jury.
Butte-Silver Bow County Attorney Matt Enrooth says he cannot comment on pending litigation.
In January Doug Ingraham sat down with MTN News to share his story. The couple were newlyweds when Boelman passed away, but had been together for over a decade.
At the time, Ingraham had also started a journey to find a new kidney – a process he is still going through. He is currently recovering from a transplant in Salt Lake City and says interactions with the county after Boelman’s death have put a strain on his health.
As he flipped through photos from their wedding that took place on New Year’s Eve of 2022, he said he wants people to remember more about Caleb.
“I just want everybody to know that Caleb, Caleb was the best, happiest person and that’s not what people are remembering,” said Ingraham before apologizing and wiping away tears.
“That’s not what people are remembering of him, so that’s what I want people to remember.”
