Submitted photo/Nicki Hunt

Cory Mundy was born in Atwater, CA at Castle Air Force Base and moved with his family to LaBelle, at the young age of two. He graduated from LaBelle High School in 2006, and then immediately enrolled at Edison Community College. While there he earned his A.A. Degree utilizing the Curtis Scholarship. Mundy used this time as a steppingstone to figure out what career path he eventually wanted to follow.

After obtaining his A.A. Degree, Mundy transferred to Florida Gulf Coast University. He found that he held a high interest in the forensics field. In 2012, he earned dual Bachelor’s of Arts Degrees in both Criminal Forensics Studies and Criminal Justice Studies.

While attending college, Mundy also worked as a substitute teacher for the Hendry County School District. Because his chosen field is very limited in available positions, he continued to work as a sub until he could find local employment.

Since he had completed his college internship at the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office, Mundy was willing to wait for a position to open. He also liked the idea of staying in the area where he grew up with his family and friends, as well as having an opportunity to make a difference in his community. Mundy admitted “there’s just something special about working in the same town you grew up in.”

In March 2013, an opening occurred and Mundy was hired by the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office as their Evidence Custodian. Four years later, he is still enjoying his job. As a bonus, this position also allows him to work as part of the Criminal Investigations Division (CID). He stated, “I really enjoy working closely with this unit.” Mundy has also worked as a Crime Scene Technician, and continues to be available when his assistance is needed.

Mundy is a Certified Evidence Specialist. He received this certification after passing a test given through PEAF (Property and Evidence Association of Florida). By attending their annual conference, he is able to keep his certificate current and his knowledge of the field up to date. He also attends local quarterly PEAF meetings where he is able to interact with other members, and make sure he is following the proper procedures in this ever-changing field.

A routine day for Mundy consists of storing evidence that he, road patrol officers, or CID officers have collected from investigations and crime scenes. A few times a week, he does a ‘locker run’ around the county to collect evidence from other locations within the department. This helps ensure that the evidence is secure and the chain of command is not broken. Each case is entered and documented in the inventory system. This system keeps track of the inventory by issuing each item with a unique property number. Once evidence is properly inventoried, it is sent to the proper storage location. With new technology replacing much of the former paper and pen work, Mundy spends a great deal of his day on the computer, but does complete some paperwork when necessary.

Part of the job requires Mundy to spend time traveling so that he can pick up evidence and then submit it to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). He also noted that if there is a public request for the return of certain properties, he handles the paperwork, and then gets the deputy or detective to sign off. Once this process is completed, he can then return the property to the owner.

In his spare time, Mundy enjoys spending time with his family. He is married to Ashley who is a Senior Financial Aid Officer at Florida Southwestern State College. He and Ashley like working on their farm, which includes horses, a donkey, dogs, cats, and a python named Boomer. They are also outside horseback riding, hiking and fishing as much as possible. When work, family or the farm animals aren’t calling, Mundy enjoys spending time in the gym. Eventually, he would love to compete in body building competitions.

With the ongoing news coverage of police shootings in this nation and the negative attitude toward the police nationwide, the staff of the Caloosa Belle has decided to show our support to the men and women of the Hendry County Sheriff’s Department who protect us every day. In the following weeks we will be introducing you to them and letting you know what they do to keep you safe every day.