Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns
It's chaos, blood and body parts. Join Dr. Kendall Crowns each week as he discusses stories and cases from his over 35-year journey of death from the tornado alley of Kansas, the bloody Memphis shoreline of the muddy Mississippi river, the ultra-violence of Chicago, and finally the Methamphetamine fueled insanity of Texas -- encompassing his days as an autopsy tech, medical student, resident/fellow and finally as a medical examiner. Stories range from humorous to horrifying and cover a wide variety of topics from week to week. You will never know what you will hear, be it courtroom drama, decapitations, gangland shootings, feet with no body, or chihuahuas feasting on the flesh of decomposing bodies. The cases will never end. It will always be different and there is never a dull moment. So, tune in each week and climb aboard, your nightmares will never be the same
Episodes
In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns examines how forensic pathology, DNA evidence, and meticulous evidence preservation can revive years-long cold cases, specifically focusing on the 1990 Lover’s Lane murder and the 1993 Brown’s Chicken massacre. Dr. Crowns details the physiological realities of neck trauma and the four stages of hemorrhagic shock, ...
In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns examines one of the rarest and most violent natural causes of death: lightning. Using a case involving two teenagers killed in a park, along with the only lightning-related autopsy he has personally performed, Dr. Crowns explains how lightning forms, the different ways it damages the body, and the statistics that show who is most ...
In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns examines how an ordinary day outdoors can turn deadly after an encounter with bees, wasps, hornets, or fire ants. Using real forensic cases, he explains the four stages of anaphylaxis, the aggressive nature of killer bees, and how forensic pathologists determine whether an insect attack caused, contributed to, or merely complicate...
In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns departs from the show’s usual format to take a forensic look at the Jeffrey Epstein case through the lens of a medical examiner. While Epstein’s death was officially ruled a suicide by hanging, Dr. Crowns re-examines the autopsy findings and scene evidence to address the persistent debate: did Jeffrey Epstein die by su...
In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns looks at the often catastrophic and unexpected ways an ordinary drive can turn deadly when a vehicle encounters a hazard on the roadway. Through memories of his old 1979 Mustang and fatal cases involving wildlife strikes, blown tires, and flying road debris, he shows how quickly an everyday trip can turn into a forensic case.
<...
Content warning: This episode contains graphic discussion of homicide, dismemberment, and postmortem injury. If these topics are upsetting to you, this episode may not be for you.
Understanding violent cases sometimes takes creativity and, in one case, a trip to the local craft store. In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns tells the story of a horrific double homicide that ...
Some drowning cases only begin to make sense after forensic pathology reveals what was happening inside the body before death. In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns explains how forensic pathologists use vitreous fluid from the eye to detect dangerous electrolyte imbalances like hyponatremia after death, then he shares two memorable cases that show how something as or...
The gallbladder is one of those organs most people don't think about until it suddenly demands attention. In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns looks back on one of his less glamorous jobs as an autopsy technician in 1988: spending Friday afternoons in the morgue disposing of the week’s surgical specimens and, in one memorable case, clearing marble-sized gallsto...
What happens when people try to get drunk from products never meant to be consumed? In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns explains the forensic reality of non-beverage alcohol intoxication, from mouthwash and rubbing alcohol to antifreeze and even hairspray. He shares real cases and describes what these substances do to the body and how medical examiners determine cau...
Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of death of individuals. If you’re sensitive to this topic, this episode may not be for you.
Chicago commutes can be routine until they are not. In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns recounts his years navigating public transportation and the commuter rules he learned the hard way. Through a civil deposition tied...
Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of deaths, including the deaths of children. If you’re sensitive to this topic, this episode may not be for you.
Choking is fast, quiet, and more common than most people think. In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns explains what happens when the airway is fully obstructed, why panic and oxygen loss escalate in seconds, and ho...
Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of death of individuals. If you’re sensitive to this topic, this episode may not be for you.
Courtroom testimony is meant to be clinical, controlled, and objective. In reality, it often cracks open the rawest moments of grief, rage and disbelief. In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns recounts cases in which hi...
Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of death of individuals. If you’re sensitive to this topic, this episode may not be for you.
When winter weather hits, the danger is not only what happens on the roads, but also what happens when the heat goes out, help slows down, and people misjudge how quickly the body loses it margin for error. In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical&n...
Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of death of individuals. If you’re sensitive to this topic, this episode may not be for you.
In forensic pathology, a single word on a death certificate can carry the weight of an entire investigation. In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns details the difference between cause of death and manner of death and e...
Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of death of individuals. If you’re sensitive to this topic, this episode may not be for you.
The line between curiosity and catastrophe is thinner than most people expect. In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns uses a series of foraging mistakes to show how curiosity, mixed with a hint of bravado, can turn ...
Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of human remains and skeletal material. If you’re sensitive to this topic, this episode may not be for you.
After death, decomposition proceeds predictably, but the fate of what remains is not always controlled. In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns examines the journeys skeletal remains can take long after de...
Content Warning: This episode discusses the death of an individual. If you’re sensitive tothis topic, this episode may not be for you.
Proximity has a way of revealing character, especially when the walls are thin, and patience runs thinner. In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns reflects on neighbors whose actions left an enduring impression. From a disruptive medica...
If you ever suspect a chemical or toxin exposure, contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for immediate assistance.
Content Warning: This episode contains information about the deaths of individuals. If you’re sensitive to this topic, this episode may not be for you.
In this third installment of Exposure, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns explains the chemical hazards that accompany autopsy work. From forma...
Content Warning: This episode discusses the deaths of individuals. If you’re sensitive to this topic, this episode may not be for you.
In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns reflects on how celebration and death often share the same season. From Christmas music echoing through the medical examiner's office to a door-decorating contest that nearly led to suspensio...
Content Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of death, decomposition, and violence. If you’re sensitive to these topics, this episode may not be for you. i
In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns revisits a case from his years at the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office in Chicago. He recounts a death investigation that began as a routine toxicology review and le...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Post Run High features conversations with high-performing founders, athletes, artists, health and science experts, and leaders about what it really takes to succeed. Through honest, post-movement conversations, guests share how they’ve navigated challenges, built resilience, and used movement as a tool for clarity, discipline, and growth. Each episode explores the mindset behind performance — what keeps people going when things get hard — and offers tangible advice listeners can apply in their everyday lives.
Buck Sexton breaks down the latest headlines with a fresh and honest perspective! He speaks truth to power, and cuts through the liberal nonsense coming from the mainstream media. Interact with Buck by emailing him at teambuck@iheartmedia.com
Stop doomscrolling. Start decoding the tech rewiring your week - and your world. The Interface is the BBC's fiercely informed, fast and funny take on how tech is changing everything. Hosted by journalists Tom Germain, Karen Hao, and Nicky Woolf, each episode unpacks week-by-week the unfolding story of how technology is shaping all our futures. No guests. No jargon. Just three sharp voices debating the tech news stories that matter - whether they shook a government, broke the internet, or quietly tipped the balance of power. As TikTok shifts geopolitics, Trump drives digital shockwaves, Elon Musk expands his space-internet empire and AI reroutes the routines of everyday life - the trio ask: what world are the tech titans building for us? And do we want to live in it?