JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Action News Jax’s Ben Becker has learned a high-ranking member of the Duval County Medical Examiner’s Office has been placed on paid administrative leave by the city following a viral social media post in which he appeared to wish for President Donald Trump’s death.
Associate Medical Examiner Dr. Bob Pfalzgraf made the post on X at 12:04 a.m. Monday. In it, he wrote, “I’m looking forward to the big beautiful obituary,” in apparent reference to Trump’s spending package.
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The post quickly gained traction online, drawing roughly 20,000 likes and 11,000 reposts after being shared by the account “Libs of TikTok.”
In a statement, the City of Jacksonville said, “Mr. Pfalzgraf has been placed on administrative leave while we investigate the situation.”
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Pfalzgraf has served at the Medical Examiner’s Office since 2020 and has the second-highest salary in the City of Jacksonville at $306,653. Only Chief Medical Examiner Dr. B. Robert Pietak makes more at $434,968.
CEOs of independent authorities such as JEA and JTA make more but are not considered city employees as they are hired by boards of directors.
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According to the Medical Examiner’s website, the office provides services to over 1,300,000 people in Northeast Florida who live in two districts:
District 3: Columbia, Hamilton Counties (served by District 4)
District 4: Clay, Duval, Nassau Counties
Reached by text message, Pfalzgraf told Becker he “will wait to see what the city has to say” before commenting.
The Florida Department of Health, which licenses Pfalzgraf, declined comment as well.
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