Mayhem in the Morgue | He’s Alive

Mayhem in the Morgue | He’s Alive

In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns examines the rare phenomenon known as the Lazarus effect, or autoresuscitation, where signs of life return after a person has been declared dead. He starts with the case that’s been making headlines: 18-month-old Vincent Lorenzo Fiordilino, pronounced dead after a drowning, then found alive hours later in a hospital morgue. Dr. Crowns explains how death is actually determined, what might cause circulation to kick back in after resuscitation has already stopped, and the safeguards hospitals use to prevent a person from being declared dead prematurely. He also shares other reported cases of people showing signs of life at funeral homes and explains how he knows the person on his autopsy table is, in fact, actually dead. Highlights (0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns (00:30) The case of 18-month-old Vincent Lorenzo Fiordilino, who was found alive in a hospital morgue (1:15) Childhood drowning risks and why crowded gatherings around swimming pools can become dangerous (2:45) What happens to the body during drowning and the five stages that can lead to death (6:15) Vincent’s resuscitation, declaration of death, and the signs of life reportedly noticed by his family and first responders (7:15) What agonal breathing looks like and why it can be mistaken for signs of recovery (8:30) A medical examiner transporter discovers Vincent alive more than five hours after he was pronounced dead (9:45) The Lazarus effect, or autoresuscitation, and where the term comes from (10:45) Other reported cases of people showing signs of life after being declared dead (12:45) How medical professionals determine death and the additional criteria used to establish brain death (15:15) What the Lazarus effect looks like when it occurs (16:00) The theories behind why circulation can sometimes return after CPR has stopped (17:15) Why patients should be monitored after CPR ends before death is declared (18:00) How Dr. Crowns knows someone is dead before beginning an autopsy (19:15) Dr. Crowns’ grandmother, a family fear of being buried alive, and a needle that may have been involved in confirming a death 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 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendall-crowns-a7bb0b37] and follow Mayhem in the Morgue on TikTok at @mayheminthemorgue [https://www.tiktok.com/@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 | Got Milk? Part Two

In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns concludes his two-part series on prescription drug misuse by examining the death of Michael Jackson, whose fatal overdose centered on the anesthetic propofol. He explains why the drug is not a sleep aid, how fast it can turn fatal without proper monitoring, and what makes it dangerous when administered outside an appropriately equipped medical setting. Using Jackson’s autopsy report, Dr. Crowns discusses what investigators found in the bedroom, what toxicology revealed, and why the medical examiner ruled his death a homicide instead of an accidental overdose. Missed Part One? Mayhem in the Morgue | Got Milk? Part One [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mayhem-in-the-morgue-got-milk-part-one/id1834709025?i=1000775945087] Highlights (0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns (0:15) Continuing the prescription drug misuse series with Michael Jackson’s case (2:45) What propofol is, why it is called “milk of amnesia,” and how it differs from common sedatives (4:15) Dr. Crowns’ first encounter with propofol during an autopsy (5:00) Why propofol requires constant monitoring and has little margin for error (7:30) Why propofol abuse is rare outside healthcare but more common among anesthesiology professionals (9:00) Michael Jackson’s repeated use of propofol and the medications administered before his death (12:30) Jackson’s bedroom scene and the medications, supplies, and other details investigators documented (16:15) The autopsy findings that pointed to fatal respiratory depression (18:30) Toxicology results, cause of death, and why propofol combined with benzodiazepines proved fatal (20:00) Why Jackson’s death was ruled a homicide instead of an accident (21:45) Dr. Murray’s conviction, sentence, and his return to medicine overseas (22:00) Physician responsibility, standards of care, and the lesson behind Michael Jackson’s death 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 | 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.