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, and explains how tools like the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) allow investigators to match decades old DNA to identify potential suspects. The episode closes with Dr. Crowns sharing lessons learned from testifying in court and the importance of using precise language.



Highlights

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

(0:15) The Lover’s Lane murders, cold case questions, and Dr. Crowns’ follow-up to a recent Crime Stories with Nancy Grace discussion

(1:15) Cheryl Henry and Andy Atkinson are reported missing before searchers discover their bodies in the woods

(2:15) What incised wounds reveal about sharp force trauma to the neck

(3:00) Why injuries to the carotid arteries and jugular veins can lead to hemorrhagic shock and rapid death

(9:00) What Henry and Atkinson likely endured before losing consciousness

(10:15) A 2026 tip, CODIS, and the DNA match that may move the Lover’s Lane case toward trial

(12:00) How DNA and trace evidence are collected during autopsy and preserved for future testing

(14:45) The Brown’s Chicken massacre and how discarded food evidence led to preserved DNA samples

(21:30) Breakthrough in the case and the identification of the suspects

(22:45) Why substitute medical examiners sometimes testify in older cases and the importance of using precise language in court

(29:30) Smith v. Arizona, the confrontation clause, and legal changes affecting substitute testimony

(31:15) Closing thoughts on how modern forensic science continues to solve cold cases



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. 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 a review.

In this episode of&nbsp;Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns examines&nbsp;how forensic pathology, DNA evidence, and meticulous evidence preservation can revive&nbsp;years-long cold cases, specifically focusing on the 1990 Lover&rsquo;s Lane murder and the 1993&nbsp;Brown&rsquo;s Chicken massacre. Dr. Crowns details the physiological realities of neck trauma and&nbsp;the four stages of hemorrhagic shock, and explains how tools like the Combined DNA Index&nbsp;System (CODIS) allow investigators to match decades old DNA to identify potential suspects.&nbsp;The episode closes with Dr. Crowns sharing lessons learned from testifying in court and the&nbsp;importance of using precise language. 
Highlights
(0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns
(0:15) The Lover&rsquo;s Lane murders, cold case questions, and Dr. Crowns&rsquo; follow-up to a&nbsp;recent Crime Stories with Nancy Grace discussion
(1:15) Cheryl Henry and Andy Atkinson are reported missing before searchers discover&nbsp;their bodies in the woods
(2:15) What incised wounds reveal about sharp force trauma to the neck
(3:00) Why injuries to the carotid arteries and jugular veins can lead to hemorrhagic&nbsp;shock and rapid death
(9:00) What Henry and Atkinson likely endured before losing consciousness
(10:15) A 2026 tip, CODIS, and the DNA match that may move the Lover&rsquo;s Lane case&nbsp;toward trial
(12:00) How DNA and trace evidence are collected during autopsy and preserved for&nbsp;future testing
(14:45) The Brown&rsquo;s Chicken massacre and how discarded food evidence led to&nbsp;preserved DNA samples
(21:30) Breakthrough in the case and the identification of the suspects
(22:45) Why substitute medical examiners sometimes testify in older cases and the&nbsp;importance of using precise language in court
(29:30) Smith v. Arizona, the confrontation clause, and legal changes affecting substitute&nbsp;testimony
(31:15) Closing thoughts on how modern forensic science continues to solve cold cases 
About the Host:&nbsp;
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, andKansas. 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. Catch him regularly on Crime Stories with&nbsp;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; 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 | Cold Cases, Lover’s Lane Murder, and the Brown’s Chicken Massacre

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/3a8e50eb-f553-4339-888f-b439011914b4/transcript