Mayhem in the Morgue | Courtroom Limbo

Mayhem in the Morgue | Got Milk? Part One

In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns begins a two-part series on prescription drug misuse and the ordinary ways pills can end up in the wrong hands. He shares a childhood story about missing medication from his mother’s cancer treatment, a residency assignment that blurred an ethical line, and a hospital encounter that highlights the difficult position doctors can face when patients demand controlled substances. He also discusses doctor shopping, what pill bottles can reveal at a death scene, and why fame can make access to prescription drugs even easier. Highlights (0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns (0:15) Prescription drug misuse and why legal medications are often overlooked as drugs of abuse (1:15) How certain prescription drugs become tied to medical professionals instead of street dealers (1:30) Dr. Crowns recalls his mother’s hydrocodone prescription and her missing pills (3:45) Stealing medication from friends, family members, and deceased relatives as a common route to prescription drug misuse (4:15) What pill bottles can reveal at a death scene, including labels, prescribing doctors, pill counts, and mixed contents (5:30) Doctor shopping, emergency room visits, claimed allergies, and other red flags (6:45) The risk of doctors prescribing to relatives and friends, and a case of a secretary’s husband who died unexpectedly (10:45) Why Dr. Crowns never obtained a DEA number (12:45) Patient pressure, medical school rotations, and a hospital encounter with an inmate asking for morphine or hydrocodone (17:15) Dr. Crowns introduces Michael Jackson’s death as the focus of Got Milk? Part Two About the Host: Dr. Kendall Crowns is the chief medical examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally recognized forensic pathologist. He has led death investigations in Travis County, Fort Worth, Chicago, andKansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies and testified in court hundreds of times as an expert witness. A frequent contributor to Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Dr. Crowns brings sharp medical insight and dark humor to the often-misunderstood realities of forensic pathology. About the Show Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners inside the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable world of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each episode delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom. Expect gallows humor, hard truths, and unforgettable investigations. Connect and Learn More Learn more about Dr. Kendall Crowns on LinkedIn and follow Mayhem in the Morgue on TikTok at @mayheminthemorgue. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace and be sure to follow Mayhem in the Morgue wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Mayhem in the Morgue | Courtroom Limbo

In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns discusses a part of courtroom testimony most listeners never hear about: what happens while a medical examiner waits to be called to the stand. Before smartphones existed, those delays could mean hours alone with nothing but a case file, an empty courtroom, a hard wooden pew, and on one occasion, a poorly timed nap. Dr. Crowns shares stories from his years in Chicago courtrooms, waking up groggy right before testifying and briefly blanking on his own educational background, hearing a retired officer’s account of the 1968 Democratic National Convention, and navigating the particular awkwardness of waiting-room small talk with civilian witnesses and gang members. Mentioned Episode: Mayhem in the Morgue | Outburst [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mayhem-in-the-morgue-outburst/id1832515666?i=1000749247132] Highlights: (0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns (0:15) Today’s topic: what Dr. Crowns does while waiting to testify (1:00) The George N. Leighton Criminal Court Building and a multiple gunshot wound case (3:00) Left alone in an empty courtroom with nothing but a case file, Dr. Crowns rolls up his trench coat and takes a nap (4:15) Waking up groggy, entering the courtroom, and briefly forgetting his own educational background (7:15) The reality of waiting rooms, court delays, and being trapped with nothing to do (8:30) Passing the time with Chicago police officers, courtroom stories, and conversations about the job (10:45) A retired officer’s account of policing during the 1968 Democratic National Convention (13:15) Waiting with civilian witnesses, awkward silence, and the question that usually broke the ice (14:30) Conversations with Chicago gang members, gang tattoos, nicknames, and forensic curiosity (18:00) How Dr. Crowns became “The Tooth,” also known as “El Diente” (21:00) A courthouse conversation with a young gang member and the autopsy that followed a month later About the Host: Dr. Kendall Crowns is the chief medical examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally recognized forensic pathologist. He has led death investigations in Travis County, Fort Worth, Chicago, and Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies and testified in court hundreds of times as an expert witness. A frequent contributor to Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Dr. Crowns brings sharp medical insight and dark humor to the often-misunderstood realities of forensic pathology. About the Show Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners inside the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable world of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each episode delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom. Expect gallows humor, hard truths, and unforgettable investigations. Connect and Learn More Learn more about Dr. Kendall Crowns on LinkedIn and follow Mayhem in the Morgue on TikTok at @mayheminthemorgue. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace and be sure to follow Mayhem in the Morgue wherever you get your podcasts. If you like this episode, don’t keep it to yourself; follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Mayhem in the Morgue | Overkill: Part Two

In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns continues his discussion of overkill, explaining the five categories recognized in forensic literature: expressive, instrumental, sexual, psychotic, and culturally motivated overkill. He shares two of his own cases, including a Chicago stabbing case that later sent him to the crime scene of a homicide he had already autopsied and a Texas case involving sexual overkill, necrophilia, and schizophrenia. Dr. Crowns closes by considering how the University of Idaho murders may fit within the overkill framework and what Bryan Kohberger’s reported behavior may suggest about his possible motive. Missed Part One? Mayhem in the Morgue |Overkill: Part One [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mayhem-in-the-morgue-overkill-part-one/id1832515666?i=1000773109468] Highlights (0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns (0:15) Dr. Crowns recaps Overkill: Part One and introduces the five categories of overkill (1:00) Expressive overkill: impulsive, emotionally charged attacks and their key characteristics (1:45) Instrumental overkill: calculated violence driven by financial gain, revenge, or escalation (2:30) Sexual overkill: sadistic or paraphilic arousal, ritualistic elements, and targeted wounds (3:00) Psychotic overkill: disorganized attacks, delusional ideation, and cognitive fragmentation (3:30) Culturally motivated overkill: honor murders, dominance, punishment, and purification (4:00) The link between overkill and mental illness and why no single disorder prevails (5:00) Dr. Crowns’ Chicago case: a 175-stab-wound homicide and the crime scene he visited a week later (11:45) Dr. Crown’s Texas case: sexual overkill, necrophilia, and a roommate with schizophrenia (14:45) Dr. Crowns considers Bryan Kohberger’s reported behavior and the unanswered question of motive About the Host:  Dr. Kendall Crowns is the Chief Medical Examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally recognized forensic pathologist. He has led death investigations in Travis County, Fort Worth, Chicago, and Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies and testified in court hundreds of times as an expert witness. A frequent contributor to Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Dr. Crowns brings sharp medical insight and dark humor to the often-misunderstood realities of forensic pathology. About the Show Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners inside the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable world of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each episode delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom. Expect gallows humor, hard truths, and unforgettable investigations. Connect and Learn More Learn more about Dr. Kendall Crowns on LinkedIn and follow Mayhem in the Morgue on TikTok at @mayheminthemorgue. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace and be sure to follow Mayhem in the Morgue wherever you get your podcasts. If you like this episode, don’t keep it to yourself; follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Mayhem in the Morgue | Overkill: Part One

In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns examines the concept of overkill through the autopsy reports of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, four University of Idaho students murdered in Moscow, Idaho. He reviews the timeline of the attack, the alleged weapon used, and the sharp force, blunt force, and defensive injuries documented in their autopsies. Dr. Crowns explains how forensic pathologists evaluate wound number, distribution, hemorrhage, toxicology, and injury patterns to better understand what happened in those final moments. This episode offers a forensic look at overkill, including how it differs from ritualistic homicide, mission-oriented homicide, torture, and body mutilation. Mentioned in this Episode: Chatzinikolaou, F., Vavoulidis, E., Tsiapla, T., Margioula-Siarkou, C., Dinas, K., & Petousis, S. (2025). Overkill in forensic medicine: A systematic review. Acta Psychologica, 259, 105388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105388 [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105388] Highlights (0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns (0:15) Dr. Crowns introduces Overkill: Part One and the recently released University of Idaho autopsy reports (0:45) The murders of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin in Moscow, Idaho (3:30) The alleged KA-BAR knife, its military history, and why it can cause devastating sharp force injuries (5:00) Madison Mogen’s autopsy findings, defensive wounds, toxicology, and why her death was not immediate (9:15) Kaylee Goncalves’ injuries, including sharp force trauma, blunt force trauma, and evidence of strangulation (14:30) Xana Kernodle’s extensive injuries, defensive wounds, toxicology, and evidence that she fought back (17:45) Ethan Chapin’s injuries, defensive wounds, toxicology, and the evidence that suggests he was asleep when attacked (19:15) Dr. Crowns explains why he believes one person could have caused all of these injuries (20:00) What overkill means in forensic pathology and why it can suggest more than wound count alone (21:15) How medical examiners, forensic psychiatrists, criminologists, and law enforcement may interpret overkill differently (22:15) Differentiating overkill from ritualistic homicide, mission-oriented homicide, torture, and body mutilation About the Host Dr. Kendall Crowns is the Chief Medical Examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally recognized forensic pathologist. He has led death investigations in Travis County, Fort Worth, Chicago, and Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies and testified in court hundreds of times as an expert witness. A frequent contributor to Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Dr. Crowns brings sharp medical insight and dark humor to the often misunderstood realities of forensic pathology. About the Show Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners into the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable world of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each episode delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom. Expect gallows humor, hard truths, and unforgettable investigations. Connect and Learn More You can learn more about Dr. Kendall Crowns on LinkedIn and follow Mayhem in the Morgue on TikTok at @mayheminthemorgue. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, and be sure to follow Mayhem in the Morgue wherever you get your podcasts. If you liked this episode, don’t keep it to yourself. Follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Mayhem in the Morgue | H.R. Huffing Stuff

In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns discusses inhalant abuse and the everyday household products people use to get high. He explains how substances like spray paint, canned air, Freon, and other chemicals affect the nervous system, limit oxygen, and sometimes trigger fatal heart rhythms. Through cases involving whipped cream canisters, dental nitrous oxide, hairspray, and jenkem, Dr. Crowns shows why these deaths can be difficult to diagnose, often leaving few obvious autopsy findings and relying heavily on scene investigation and toxicology. Episodes Mentioned: Mayhem in the Morgue | Foraging Misadventures [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mayhem-in-the-morgue-foraging-misadventures/id1832515666?i=1000746040416]  Mayhem in the Morgue | Minty Fresh [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mayhem-in-the-morgue-minty-fresh/id1832515666?i=1000753040437]   Highlights: (0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns (0:15) Huffing, bored teenagers, and the pre-internet search for ways to get high (4:30) What huffing means and why inhaling chemical vapors can be deadly (5:15) The household products commonly abused as inhalants and how these chemicals affect the brain (7:15) Spray paint, “chromers, ” and the autopsy clues that can point to toluene exposure (9:00) Canned air cases and the unusual scene findings investigators often encounter (10:15) Nitrous oxide abuse, a dentist found dead in his chair, whipped cream cans, and whip-its (15:30) How plastic bags increase the risk of asphyxiation and the lasting damage caused by chronic nitrous oxide abuse (17:15) Freon, frostbite injuries, and sudden sniffing death syndrome (20:30) A hairspray huffing death with misleading alcohol levels in the vitreous fluid (23:00) A 17-year-old found dead in a bathtub, a bottle found at the scene, and Dr. Crowns’ firsthand jenkem case (29:00) Hydrogen sulfide toxicity, drowning, and Dr. Crowns’ closing advice About the Host Dr. Kendall Crowns is the Chief Medical Examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally recognized forensic pathologist. He has led death investigations in Travis County, Fort Worth, Chicago, and Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies and testified in court hundreds of times as an expert witness. A frequent contributor to Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Dr. Crowns brings sharp medical insight and dark humor to the often misunderstood realities of forensic pathology. About the Show Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners into the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable world of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each episode delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom. Expect gallows humor, hard truths, and unforgettable investigations. Connect and Learn More You can learn more about Dr. Kendall Crowns on LinkedIn and follow Mayhem in the Morgue on TikTok at @mayheminthemorgue. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, and be sure to follow Mayhem in the Morgue wherever you get your podcasts. If you liked this episode, don’t keep it to yourself. Follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review.   See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.