Landlord Died With No Next Of Kin

Location: Colorado

I'm looking for advice on behalf of my dad about what happens when a landlord dies with no known next of kin and what his options are as the tenant.

My dad started renting about 8 years ago. His landlord lived on the first floor of the house, and my dad has been living in the basement. Over time, they became friendly over some shared interests and grew especially close during COVID. This is probably why his landlord never asked for a rent increase. Around 3 years ago, the landlord's health started declining, and my dad began driving him to medical appointments, helping with errands, and assisting with other day-to-day things. My dad generally just refered to him as a roommate.

About week ago, my dad returned home from vacation and found his landlord deceased in the house. He called 911, the coroner came and removed the body, and the police briefly questioned him. Since then, the county has told him there are no known next of kin, though I believe they are still looking. As far as he knows, no one has stepped in or is expected to step in to handle his landlord's affairs.

The house still apparently has a noticeable odor from where his landlord died, and my dad isn't sure who is responsible for arranging and paying for biohazard cleanup, though he has started paying the utilities since he is still living there. He doesn't know who he's supposed to pay rent to, who is responsible for maintenance and repairs, or who he should even be communicating with now.

Ideally, my dad would like to continue living there. He's been there for 8 years, so it has been his home for a long time. His landlord mentioned that the house was completely paid off and owned free and clear, so my dad doesn't think it will be repossessed by the bank. If it eventually becomes possible, he would be interested in buying the house, but he has no idea whether that's realistic or how that process would work if there are no heirs.