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Severed head and body parts found in impounded car. Drunk shopper drives scooter inside Walmart. 

Severed head and body parts found in impounded car. Drunk shopper drives scooter inside Walmart.

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

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

Crime Alert 080122

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/02e3f572-260d-4e9c-a1a4-aee40018ec02/transcript

In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns discusses coffin birth, the rare postmortem phenomenon formally known as postmortem fetal extrusion. He explains how human decomposition creates gases, bloating skin, skin slippage, purge fluid, maggot activity, and other artifacts that can change the body after death and sometimes mimic trauma, sexual assault, or other evidence. He also discusses the Shanann Watts and Laci Peterson cases to explain how coffin birth is evaluated and why it must be distinguished from live birth or other possibilities.



Highlights

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

(0:15) Coffin birth, decomposition gases, and the autopsy artifacts that can complicate a death investigation

(0:45) What happens after death: autolysis, putrefaction, and the bacteria already waiting inside the body

(2:30) Why decomposition smells so distinct, from rotten eggs and stale urine to rotting fish and foul garlic

(4:00) Dr. Crowns remembers his first decomposed body during medical school in Wichita, Kansas

(8:15) Inside the morgue with flies, maggots, maggot masses, and the daily reality of decomposition cases

(11:45) The Cook County decomposition morgue, the air-handling problem, and one doctor’s very questionable workaround

(18:00) Bloating, skin slippage, brighter tattoos, and the forensic details that can help or hinder identification

(19:30) When decomposition mimics trauma: ruptured scars, gaping wounds, and the risk of misreading the body

(21:15) Purge fluid, mistaken sexual assault concerns, and the importance of separating artifact from evidence

(24:00) Dr. Crowns explains postmortem fetal extrusion, also known as coffin birth, through the Shannan Watts case

(25:00) Laci Peterson, fetal separation, and why coffin birth must be carefully distinguished from live birth or other possibilities



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.

In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns discusses coffin birth, the rare postmortem phenomenon formally known as postmortem fetal extrusion. He explains how human decomposition creates gases, bloating skin, skin slippage, purge fluid, maggot activity, and other artifacts that can change the body after death and sometimes mimic trauma, sexual assault, or other evidence. He also discusses the Shanann Watts and Laci Peterson cases to explain how coffin birth is evaluated and why it must be distinguished from live birth or other possibilities. 
Highlights
(0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns
(0:15) Coffin birth, decomposition gases, and the autopsy artifacts that can&nbsp;complicate a death investigation
(0:45) What happens after death: autolysis, putrefaction, and the bacteria already&nbsp;waiting inside the body
(2:30) Why decomposition smells so distinct, from rotten eggs and stale urine to&nbsp;rotting fish and foul garlic
(4:00) Dr. Crowns remembers his first decomposed body during medical school in&nbsp;Wichita, Kansas
(8:15) Inside the morgue with flies, maggots, maggot masses, and the daily reality of&nbsp;decomposition cases
(11:45) The Cook County decomposition morgue, the air-handling problem, and one&nbsp;doctor&rsquo;s very questionable workaround
(18:00) Bloating, skin slippage, brighter tattoos, and the forensic details that can help&nbsp;or hinder identification
(19:30) When decomposition mimics trauma: ruptured scars, gaping wounds, and&nbsp;the risk of misreading the body
(21:15) Purge fluid, mistaken sexual assault concerns, and the importance of&nbsp;separating artifact from evidence
(24:00) Dr. Crowns explains postmortem fetal extrusion, also known as coffin birth,&nbsp;through the Shannan Watts case
(25:00) Laci Peterson, fetal separation, and why coffin birth must be carefully&nbsp;distinguished from live birth or other possibilities 
About the Host:
Dr. Kendall Crowns is the Chief Medical Examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally recognized&nbsp;forensic pathologist. He has led death investigations in Travis County, Fort Worth, Chicago, and&nbsp;Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies and testified in court&nbsp;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&nbsp;realities of forensic pathology. 
About the Show
Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners inside the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable world&nbsp;of forensic pathology. Hosted by Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns, each episode&nbsp;delivers real-life cases from the morgue, the crime scene, and the courtroom. Expect gallows&nbsp;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&nbsp;at @mayheminthemorgue. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace and be sure&nbsp;to follow Mayhem in the Morgue wherever you get your podcasts. 
If you like this episode, don&rsquo;t keep it to yourself; follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review.

Mayhem in the Morgue: Coffin Birth 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f63e5605-dc89-4d6d-aa27-b478011906ae/transcript

This time last year Stephan Sterns was given 21 life sentences for the death of 13-year-old Madeline “Maddie” Soto.

Maddie was reported missing  February 26, 2024, after she didn't made it to Hunter’s Creek Middle School in Orlando.   Mom's boyfriend, Sterns, initially claimed he had dropped Maddie off that morning, but surveillance footage showed the lie. 

Two days later, March 1, 2024, Maddie's body was found in a wooded area near St. Cloud. Her death rules a homicide by strangulation.  Investigators believe she was already dead the morning she was reported missing and that Sterns moved her body that day when he said he was taking her to school.  Video evidence showed Sterns discarding items, including her backpack and school laptop, into a dumpster at the apartment complex where she lived. 

Forensic analysis of Sterns’ phone revealed images and videos of child sexual abuse, dating back to when Madeline was as young as eight. When investigators initially looked at the phone, they found it had been factory reset. He claimed that was an accident.  

Sterns was arrested February 28, 2024 on charges of sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material, and later indicted for first‑degree murder and multiple sexual offenses. Sterns pleaded no contest to first‑degree premeditated murder and guilty to 60 other sex crime charges. He began serving his 21 concurrent life sentences with no possibility of parole at the Central Florida Reception Center.  

 

This time last year Stephan Sterns was given 21 life sentences for the death of 13-year-old&nbsp;Madeline &ldquo;Maddie&rdquo; Soto.
Maddie was reported missing&nbsp; February 26, 2024, after she didn't made it to Hunter&rsquo;s Creek Middle School in Orlando.&nbsp; &nbsp;Mom's boyfriend, Sterns, initially claimed he had dropped Maddie off that morning, but surveillance footage showed the lie.&nbsp;
Two days later,&nbsp;March 1, 2024, Maddie's body was found in a wooded area near St. Cloud. Her death rules a homicide by strangulation.&nbsp; Investigators believe she was already dead the morning she was reported missing and that Sterns moved her body that day when he said he was taking her to school.&nbsp; Video evidence showed Sterns discarding items, including her backpack and school laptop, into a dumpster at the apartment complex where she lived.&nbsp;
Forensic analysis of Sterns&rsquo; phone revealed images and videos of child sexual abuse, dating back to when Madeline was as young as eight. When investigators initially looked at the phone, they found it had been factory reset. He claimed that was an accident<a href="https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&amp;&amp;p=1c2fbf84a0368982f96fe5f0b8c9a97ed24cd6645102ddbca66c9421ef2f7e47JmltdHM9MTc4Mjg2NDAwMA&amp;ptn=3&amp;ver=2&amp;hsh=4&amp;fclid=197f3d3c-932c-60de-0c05-2c2992fa6145&amp;u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnL3dpa2kvTXVyZGVyX29mX01hZGVsaW5lX1NvdG8&amp;ntb=1" data-sups="3" data-hover-id="7"></a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Sterns was arrested February 28, 2024 on charges of sexual battery and possession of child sexual abuse material, and later&nbsp;indicted for&nbsp;first‑degree murder and multiple sexual offenses. Sterns pleaded&nbsp;no contest to first‑degree premeditated murder and guilty to 60 other sex crime charges. He began serving his 21 concurrent life sentences with no possibility of parole at the Central Florida Reception Center.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;

MADDIE SOTO DEAD:  MOM'S BF CLAIMS 'MADDIE STARTED IT' 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/395265b9-e014-44e7-b25c-b47801169ad7/transcript

Terrence Woods Jr., a talented and educated young television producer vanishes while filming near an abandoned mine. According to the crew on set, Terrence suddenly bolted down a steep hill at full speed and vanished without a trace—a narrative many doubt. As the investigation unfolds, a mountain of unsettling red flags emerges: a local sheriff's department treating the case as a simple runaway, international crew members quickly fleeing back to London, conflicting eyewitness accounts, and highly suspicious physical evidence. From missing pants and muddy shoes packaged in plastic bags to tampered camera photos and pages ripped directly out of Terrence's diary. Was it a sudden psychological break, or something more sinister?

Joining Nancy Grace today: 
Brian Fitzgibbons -(Plymouth, MA) Director of Operations for USPA Nationwide Security, Leads a team of investigators specializing in locating missing persons, former Marine and Iraq war veteran, Instagram: @uspa_nationwide_security 
Mehul Anjaria -(Los Angeles) Cohost of Podcast: "Crime Redefined" and Forensic DNA Expert
Dion Mitchell - (Los Angeles) Cohost and Executive Producer of Podcast "Crime Redefined",  X/Instagram: @crimeredefined, Tik Tok: @crime.redefined, Facebook:  crimeredefined
Dave Mack - (AL) Investigative Reporter, 'Crime Stories'

Terrence Woods Jr., a talented and educated young television producer vanishes while filming near an abandoned mine. According to the crew on set, Terrence suddenly bolted down a steep hill at full speed and vanished without a trace&mdash;a narrative many doubt. As the investigation unfolds, a mountain of unsettling red flags emerges: a local sheriff's department treating the case as a simple runaway, international crew members quickly fleeing back to London, conflicting eyewitness accounts, and highly suspicious physical evidence. From missing pants and muddy shoes packaged in plastic bags to tampered camera photos and pages ripped directly out of Terrence's diary. Was it a sudden psychological break, or something more sinister?
Joining Nancy Grace today:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.uspasecurity.com">Brian Fitzgibbons</a> -  (Plymouth, MA) Director of Operations for USPA Nationwide Security, Leads a team of investigators specializing in locating missing persons, former Marine and Iraq war veteran, Instagram: @uspa_nationwide_security&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.CRIMEREDEFINED.COM">Mehul Anjaria</a> - (Los Angeles) Cohost of Podcast: "Crime Redefined" and Forensic DNA Expert</li>
<li><a href="https://www.CRIMEREDEFINED.COM">Dion Mitchell</a> - (Los Angeles) Cohost and Executive Producer of Podcast "Crime Redefined",&nbsp; X/Instagram: @crimeredefined, Tik Tok: @crime.redefined, Facebook: &nbsp;<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.facebook.com/crimeredefined/__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!xIqtuJmDESLF_cDK7d-e4DsHJ7z6vc3j5uEbZk-9XA6Dq2DrKFAm95ZJfZdVOmg3Slg5RUDfkAU-ugOSLs3eScIuRm3aKg$" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="7" data-outlook-id="85fdb45a-bf39-40af-a88d-281d17bec925">crimeredefined</a></li>
<li>Dave Mack - (AL) Investigative Reporter, 'Crime Stories'</li>
</ul>

Terrence Woods, Jr. Disappears Into Idaho Wilderness: STILL MISSING

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/24dfda16-13dd-4248-9081-b47b0119f61a/transcript

Crime Alert 080122

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