ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis County councilman is calling for a Missouri State Highway Patrol to investigate the death of Cora Faith Walker, a former state representative and top aide to St. Louis County Executive Sam Page.
Councilman Tim Fitch said he will request the highway patrol conduct an official investigation into Walker's death. In a memorandum, he requested the associate county counselor prepare a resolution for county council meeting on Tuesday.
Fitch said he wants the highway patrol to investigate the incident to determine "the circumstances surrounding (Walker's) tragic and untimely death and if any official misconduct or criminal acts occurred before or after her death."
Fitch said a local investigation could present a conflict. He said St. Louis Mayor Tisahura Jones' friendship with Walker, that Jones and Walker were together at some point on the evening Walker died and Jones' direct authority over the St. Louis police and fire departments "create a direct conflict."
A spokesman for Mayor Tishaura Jones' office said more information about Walker's death would be provided Monday by Interim Public Safety Director Dan Isom at the Downtown Engagement and Public Safety Initiative weekly update.
Fire and EMS crews were called to the Live! By Loews hotel in the 700 block of Clark Avenue in St. Louis at 8:58 a.m. on March 11.
Someone at the hotel called 911 to report Walker may have suffered a cardiac arrest, 5 On Your Side confirmed.
Walker, 37, was pronounced dead at 9:58 a.m. at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital.
St. Louis Medical Examiner Dr. Michael Graham conducted an autopsy Monday.
“There were no physical injuries or signs of trauma to the body,” he said.
Graham said he would not be able to determine the cause of Walker's death until toxicology results come back in about a month.
Jones' office wrote in a statement last week that Walker "was a fixture in the St. Louis region, a powerful advocate for her community and a fiercely loyal friend to all who knew and loved her, especially to Mayor Jones."
Walker posted on Twitter Thursday morning wishing Jones a happy birthday, including a video compilation of Walker and Jones in photos and videos together.
Later that night, Walker had dinner with Jones at NEO on Locust and they went to the hotel restaurant the evening of March 10, city spokesman Nick Dunne said.
Walker was elected to the Missouri House in 2016 to represent the 74th District. In 2019, she resigned to take the job with Page's administration. Her county biography said she had overseen government relations, regulatory affairs and public policy operations, the St. Louis Business Journal reported.
Among other things, Walker served on a task force studying women's participation and advancement in the workforce. On behalf of Page, she had also commented on efforts to bring Afghan refugees to St. Louis. She also had worked on Medicaid expansion and health reform, the county biography said.
In a statement, Page wrote that she was a passionate public servant.
"She will be greatly missed by her St. Louis County government colleagues and me. We offer our condolences to her husband, Tim and her parents."