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 led him to think beyond the usual tools of forensic pathology, including using a Styrofoam mannequin head to reconstruct one victim's crushed skull. As he describes the injuries, the autopsies, and the challenge of separating damage done before death from damage done after, the episode opens into a disturbing look at synthetic marijuana and the extreme paranoia, psychosis, and violence it can trigger.

Highlights:

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

(0:30) Dr. Crowns recounts a double homicide involving dumpster recovery, mutilation, and a second victim in the roadway

(1:15) Why bodies recovered from dumpsters create major forensic and evidentiary challenges

(3:15) How forensic pathologists distinguish antemortem trauma from postmortem damage

(4:15) Case one: a woman is found decapitated, with extensive chop wounds and mutilation

(5:15) The challenge of separating machete wounds from injuries caused by a tile scraper

(6:15) Case two: a second victim is found in the roadway after being run over multiple times

(7:15) Why the second autopsy became even harder once the victims’ head is found to be severely crushed

(8:00) The idea that led Dr. Crowns to stop at the local craft store and the impromptu line that explained the mannequin head purchase

(10:00) How the mannequin head helped reconstruct the skull and clarify the wound patterns

(11:00) What police say happened during the killings and how the suspect moved from one victim to the next

(13:45) What synthetic marijuana is, how compounds like spice entered the illicit drug market, and why K2 can be significantly more dangerous than marijuana

(19:15) The effects linked to synthetic cannabinoids: hallucinations, paranoia, violence, and psychosis

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 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 a review.