In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns explains what happens after a body arrives in the morgue, including the external examination, internal dissection, toxicology testing, and final report. He also discusses the care taken to preserve evidence, minimize unnecessary incisions, and prepare the body for release to the funeral home. Dr. Crowns also shares some of the more surprising things he's encountered in the morgue, including hazardous body bags, hundreds of feet of intestines, and Herman, the crawfish who became a morgue mascot.



Highlights

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

(0:30) Medical versus forensic autopsies and the specialized training required to perform them

(2:00) What can arrive inside a body bag, including weapons, debris, and unexpected personal belongings

(3:30) How X-rays can reveal bullets, fractures, and hidden dangers before the autopsy begins

(5:30) Confirming identity, preserving trace evidence, and completing the external examination

(7:45) The Y-shaped incision and the hazards created by CPR and decomposition

(10:00) Why toxicology samples are collected from different areas of the body

(11:45) The Virchow, Rokitansky, and Letulle techniques for examining the organs

(16:00) The wide range of gastric contents found at autopsy, including an unexpected crawfish named Herman

(19:00) Pill paste, intact medications, and the clues that may indicate an intentional overdose

(20:15) Running the bowels, becoming "Bowel Boy," and removing the brain

(24:15) Microscopic testing, retained organs, and what happens before the body is released to the funeral home



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.

In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns explains&nbsp;what happens after a body arrives in the morgue, including the external examination, internal&nbsp;dissection, toxicology testing, and final report. He also discusses the care taken to preserve&nbsp;evidence, minimize unnecessary incisions, and prepare the body for release to the funeral&nbsp;home. Dr. Crowns also shares some of the more surprising things he's encountered in the&nbsp;morgue, including hazardous body bags, hundreds of feet of intestines, and Herman, the&nbsp;crawfish who became a morgue mascot. 
Highlights
(0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns
(0:30) Medical versus forensic autopsies and the specialized training required to perform&nbsp;them
(2:00) What can arrive inside a body bag, including weapons, debris, and unexpected&nbsp;personal belongings
(3:30) How X-rays can reveal bullets, fractures, and hidden dangers before the autopsy&nbsp;begins
(5:30) Confirming identity, preserving trace evidence, and completing the external&nbsp;examination
(7:45) The Y-shaped incision and the hazards created by CPR and decomposition
(10:00) Why toxicology samples are collected from different areas of the body
(11:45) The Virchow, Rokitansky, and Letulle techniques for examining the organs
(16:00) The wide range of gastric contents found at autopsy, including an unexpected&nbsp;crawfish named Herman
(19:00) Pill paste, intact medications, and the clues that may indicate an intentional&nbsp;overdose
(20:15) Running the bowels, becoming "Bowel Boy," and removing the brain
(24:15) Microscopic testing, retained organs, and what happens before the body is&nbsp;released to the funeral home 
About the Host
Dr. Kendall Crowns is the chief medical examiner for Travis County, Texas, and a nationally&nbsp;recognized forensic pathologist. He has led death investigations in Travis County, Fort Worth,&nbsp;Chicago, and Kansas. Over his career, he has performed thousands of autopsies and testified in&nbsp;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&nbsp;misunderstood realities of forensic pathology. 
About the Show
Mayhem in the Morgue takes listeners into the bloody, bizarre, and often unbelievable world of&nbsp;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
You can learn more about Dr. Kendall Crowns on LinkedIn and follow Mayhem in the Morgue on&nbsp;TikTok at @mayheminthemorgue. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace,&nbsp;and be sure to follow Mayhem in the Morgue wherever you get your podcasts. 
If you liked this episode, don&rsquo;t keep it to yourself. Follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review.

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

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

Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns

Mayhem in the Morgue | Autopsies

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/325d41df-f849-4f16-9217-b49b011154ba/transcript