New court documents reveal A California fire captain is accused of killing his girlfriend and her young son — and attempting to kill another child — because they were witnesses to a crime.

New court documents reveal A California fire captain is accused of killing his girlfriend and her young son &mdash; and attempting to kill another child &mdash; because they were witnesses to a crime.

Nancy Grace dives deep into the day’s most shocking crimes and asks the tough questions in her new daily podcast – Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Nancy Grace had a perfect conviction record during her decade as a prosecutor and used her TV show to find missing people, fugitives on the run and unseen clues. Now, she will use the power of her huge social media following and the immediacy of the internet to deliver daily bombshells!

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Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Nancy Grace dives deep into the day’s most shocking crimes and asks the tough questions in her new daily podcast – Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Nancy Grace had a perfect conviction record during her decade as a prosecutor and used her TV show to find missing people, fugitives on the run and unseen clues. Now, she will use the power of her huge social media following and the immediacy of the internet to deliver daily bombshells!

Theme Music: Audio Network

CalFire Captain Accused of Killing Girlfriend, Her Son to Prevent Their Testimony | Crime Alert   09.05.25

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/4b7ecb8c-2da8-44b6-a030-b34c00fdd28e/transcript

Austin police respond to a home in Del Valle after receiving a 911 call about a 7-year-old girl is discovered starved and locked inside a bedroom closet. Six other children are also found in the home, but police say it appears they are physically healthy. According to reports, the child was soiled and barricaded in a closet with heavy boxes blocking the door.

An arrest affidavit reveals Virginia Marie Gonzales is accused of locking the 7-year-old girl in a closet for “weeks at a time.” The affidavit further states the girl’s grandmother told police that the child had trouble controlling her bladder and often ate things she shouldn’t. This allegedly led to her siblings being instructed to keep her locked in the closet.

The 7-year-old was hospitalized and is now recovering. During the investigation, detectives learn about another child, Ava, who has been missing for years. Virginia Marie Gonzales, Ava ‘s mother, was arrested on a charge of serious injury to a child in connection with the 7-year-old’s case. According to police, the missing now 9-year-old child was last seen when she was just 2 years old and in the custody of her mother, Virginia Marie Gonzales. 

Now Gonzales has rejected a plea offer related to her arrest. The State offered Gonzales a 40-year prison sentence in exchange for her guilty plea. She and her attorney Gabe Hernandez rejected the offer calling it  “utterly absurd.” Gonzales is still in custody. Trial is set to begin Jan. 26, 2026. 

Joining Nancy Grace today,
LeAnne Marie, friend of mom, Virginia Gonzales
Bronwyn Blake- Adjunct Professor, University of Texas School of Law; Chief Legal Officer, Texas Advocacy Project; Founder: Teen Justice Initiative, advocating for teen victims of dating violence. Website: texasadvocacyproject.org; Facebook and Instagram: @TexasAdvocacyProject
Dr. Angela Arnold - Psychiatrist, AngelaArnoldMD.com, Expert in the Treatment of Pregnant/Postpartum Women, Former Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynecology: Emory University, Former Medical Director of The Psychiatric Ob-Gyn Clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital
Daryl Parker - Fmr. Lieutenant in the Fannin County Sheriff's Office / Private Investigator at Blackfish Intelligence; Former Marine, Former Texas police officer; has worked with the Innocence Project of Texas for the last ten years; website: wwww.blackfishintel.com; instagram: @blackfishintel, FB – blackfishintelligence
Virginia Bagby - Director of the ChildHelp National Child Abuse Hotline, website: ChildHelp.org; Facebook and Instagram: @ChildHelp
Dr Kendall Crowns - Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County (Ft Worth), NEW Podcast "Mayhem in the Morgue" launching soon, Lecturer: Burnett School of Medicine at TCU (Texas Christian University)
Christina Aguayo- Investigative Reporter, website: www.ChristinaAguayoNews.Com, Facebook: @ChristinaAguayoNews, Instagram: @Christina.AguayoNews

Austin police respond to a home in Del Valle after receiving a 911 call about a 7-year-old girl is discovered starved and locked inside a bedroom closet. Six other children are also found in the home, but police say it appears they are physically healthy. According to reports, the child was soiled and barricaded in a closet with heavy boxes blocking the door.
An arrest affidavit reveals Virginia Marie Gonzales is accused of locking the 7-year-old girl in a closet for &ldquo;weeks at a time.&rdquo; The affidavit further states the girl&rsquo;s grandmother told police that the child had trouble controlling her bladder and often ate things she shouldn&rsquo;t. This allegedly led to her siblings being instructed to keep her locked in the closet.
The 7-year-old was hospitalized and is now recovering. During the investigation, detectives learn about another child, Ava, who has been missing for years. Virginia Marie Gonzales, Ava &lsquo;s mother, was arrested on a charge of serious injury to a child in connection with the 7-year-old&rsquo;s case. According to police, the missing now 9-year-old child was last seen when she was just 2 years old and in the custody of her mother, Virginia Marie Gonzales.&nbsp;
Now Gonzales has rejected a plea offer related to her arrest. The State offered Gonzales a 40-year prison sentence in exchange for her guilty plea. She and her attorney Gabe Hernandez rejected the offer calling it &nbsp;&ldquo;utterly absurd.&rdquo; Gonzales is still in custody. Trial is set to begin Jan. 26, 2026.&nbsp;
Joining Nancy Grace today,
<ul>
<li>LeAnne Marie, friend of mom, Virginia Gonzales</li>
<li>Bronwyn Blake- Adjunct Professor, University of Texas School of Law; Chief Legal Officer, Texas Advocacy Project; Founder: Teen Justice Initiative, advocating for teen victims of dating violence. Website: texasadvocacyproject.org; Facebook and Instagram: @TexasAdvocacyProject</li>
<li>Dr. Angela Arnold - Psychiatrist, AngelaArnoldMD.com, Expert in the Treatment of Pregnant/Postpartum Women, Former Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynecology: Emory University, Former Medical Director of The Psychiatric Ob-Gyn Clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital</li>
<li>Daryl Parker - Fmr. Lieutenant in the Fannin County Sheriff's Office / Private Investigator at Blackfish Intelligence; Former Marine, Former Texas police officer; has worked with the Innocence Project of Texas for the last ten years; website: wwww.blackfishintel.com; instagram: @blackfishintel, FB &ndash; blackfishintelligence</li>
<li>Virginia Bagby - Director of the ChildHelp National Child Abuse Hotline, website: ChildHelp.org; Facebook and Instagram: @ChildHelp</li>
<li>Dr Kendall Crowns - Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County (Ft Worth), NEW Podcast "Mayhem in the Morgue" launching soon, Lecturer: Burnett School of Medicine at TCU (Texas Christian University)</li>
<li>Christina Aguayo- Investigative Reporter, website: <a href="http://www.christinaaguayonews.com/" data-linkindex="1" data-auth="NotApplicable">www.ChristinaAguayoNews.Com</a>, Facebook: @ChristinaAguayoNews, Instagram: @Christina.AguayoNews</li>
</ul>

MOM OF LITTLE GIRL  FOUND LOCKED IN CLOSET STARVED, 1 CORN-DOG A DAY REJECTS PLEA DEAL

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/64ef09f8-ad1e-4086-853e-b3ba00fa80b2/transcript

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 suspension, he recalls the unusual ways morgue culture adapts to the holidays. Dr. Crowns also recounts a corporate holiday party that ended in homicide, explains the science behind neck injuries, and remembers the “death watch” he and his father kept while delivering newspapers to those who died alone during the most festive time of the year.



Highlights

• (0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns

• (0:45) Christmas music in the morgue and a memory that tested family tolerance

• (3:45) Door-decorating competitions from residency and the Rudolph controversy

• (7:30) Holiday parties, the rumored poisoning case, and the politics of the potluck table

• (11:00) The dangers of open bars at holiday office parties and a rivalry gone wrong

• (14:00) Understanding subarachnoid hemorrhages, vertebral artery tears, and blunt-force trauma

• (17:45) Decomposition and the reality of those who die unnoticed, leading to the “death watch” lessons learned on a paper route

• (22:15) Closing reflections: the importance of checking in on others during the holiday season



About the Host: Dr. Kendall Crowns

Dr. Crowns is the Chief Medical Examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally recognized forensic pathologist. He las 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 unparalleled insight into the strange, grisly, and sometimes absurd 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. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace and follow Mayhem in the Morgue where 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 us a review.

Content Warning: This episode discusses the deaths of individuals. If you&rsquo;re sensitive to&nbsp;this topic, this episode may not be for you.
In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns&nbsp;reflects on how celebration and death often share the same season. From Christmas&nbsp;music echoing through the medical examiner's office to a door-decorating contest that&nbsp;nearly led to suspension, he recalls the unusual ways morgue culture adapts to the&nbsp;holidays. Dr. Crowns also recounts a corporate holiday party that ended in homicide,&nbsp;explains the science behind neck injuries, and remembers the &ldquo;death watch&rdquo; he and his&nbsp;father kept while delivering newspapers to those who died alone during the most festive&nbsp;time of the year. 
Highlights
&bull; (0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns
&bull; (0:45) Christmas music in the morgue and a memory that tested family tolerance
&bull; (3:45) Door-decorating competitions from residency and the Rudolph controversy
&bull; (7:30) Holiday parties, the rumored poisoning case, and the politics of the potluck&nbsp;table
&bull; (11:00) The dangers of open bars at holiday office parties and a rivalry gone wrong
&bull; (14:00) Understanding subarachnoid hemorrhages, vertebral artery tears, and&nbsp;blunt-force trauma
&bull; (17:45) Decomposition and the reality of those who die unnoticed, leading to the&nbsp;&ldquo;death watch&rdquo; lessons learned on a paper route
&bull; (22:15) Closing reflections: the importance of checking in on others during the&nbsp;holiday season 
About the Host: Dr. Kendall Crowns
Dr. Crowns is the Chief Medical Examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally&nbsp;recognized forensic pathologist. He las led death investigations in Travis County, Fort&nbsp;Worth, Chicago, and Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies&nbsp;and testified in court hundreds of times as an expert witness. A frequent contributor to&nbsp;Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, Dr. Crowns brings unparalleled insight into the strange,&nbsp;grisly, and sometimes absurd realities of forensic pathology. 
About the Show
Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners inside the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable&nbsp;world of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each&nbsp;episode delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom.&nbsp;Expect gallows humor, hard truths, and unforgettable investigations. 
Connect and Learn More
Learn more about Dr. Kendall Crowns on Linkedin. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories&nbsp;with Nancy Grace and follow Mayhem in the Morgue where you get your podcasts. 
If you liked this episode, don&rsquo;t keep it to yourself&mdash;follow the show, share it with a friend,&nbsp;and leave us a review.

Mayhem in the Morgue | Holidays

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/70a36ea8-b34a-4b9d-99d6-b3ba00e507db/transcript

Breaking crime news as it happens throughout the day! Follow "Crime Alert Hourly Update" now on your favorite podcast app: https://link.chtbl.com/Crime_Alert

Here's some of our top stories this week:

Sources claim Nick Reiner was diagnosed with Schizophrenia before parents were murdered and the recent medication change "made him erratic and dangerous" 

A scathing lawsuit is calling out a hospital - accusing them of gross negligence after a granny's skull chunk it tossed out - in a bone blunder. They offered a $25 gas card to make up for the error. 

The individual suspected of last week's mass shooting at Brown University has been discovered deceased in a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, following a six-day multi-state manhunt.

The arrest of sixty-eight-year-old Joe Campbell, a once-celebrated children’s pastor now accused of first-degree rape and lewd acts involving a child under sixteen, marks what survivors say is a long-overdue reckoning more than forty years in the making. 

Stay informed, stay safe, and stay ahead with "Crime Alert Hourly Update.”

Breaking crime news as it happens throughout the day! Follow "Crime Alert Hourly Update" now on your favorite podcast app: <a href="https://link.chtbl.com/Crime_Alert" aria-label="Link https://link.chtbl.com/Crime_Alert">https://link.chtbl.com/Crime_Alert</a>
Here's some of our top stories this week:
Sources claim Nick Reiner was diagnosed with Schizophrenia before parents were murdered and the recent medication change "made him erratic and dangerous"&nbsp;
A scathing lawsuit is calling out a hospital - accusing them of gross negligence after a granny's skull chunk it tossed out - in a bone blunder. They offered a $25 gas card to make up for the error.&nbsp;
The individual suspected of last week's mass shooting at Brown University has been discovered deceased in a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, following a six-day multi-state manhunt.
The arrest of sixty-eight-year-old Joe Campbell, a once-celebrated children&rsquo;s pastor now accused of first-degree rape and lewd acts involving a child under sixteen, marks what survivors say is a long-overdue reckoning more than forty years in the making.&nbsp;
Stay informed, stay safe, and stay ahead with "Crime Alert Hourly Update.&rdquo;

Nick Reiner Schizophrenia Treatment, New Meds Before Parents Murder "Made Him Erratic" | CRIME ALERT RECAP SATURDAY 12.20.2025

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/83bd4e18-41cd-4eeb-95c2-b3b901008565/transcript

CalFire Captain Accused of Killing Girlfriend, Her Son to Prevent Their Testimony | Crime Alert 09.05.25

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