Content Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of death, decomposition, and violence. If you’re sensitive to these topics, this episode may not be for you.



In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns examines the fallibility of non-scientific identification and the consequences when it fails. The case of “Crackhead Carl,” remembered by a single tree, and the story of identical twins mistaken in death both reveal how clothing, jewelry, and circumstance can mislead even the most seasoned investigators. With his characteristic precision and dry wit, Dr. Crowns illustrates why science, not assumption, defines the truth.



Highlights

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

• (0:30) Non-scientific methods of identification: clothing, jewelry, and location as early clues

• (1:15) Why dentures, facial features, and decomposition make visual ID unreliable

• (3:00) Before digital databases: when family contact and fingerprints were the only available tools

• (3:45) “Crackhead Carl” and a small-town identification built on assumption

• (5:30) The twin mistaken for dead after his brother’s heroin overdose

• (11:30) The family’s reaction and the unsettling phone call that followed

• (13:00) A second twin story: the living sister stands before Dr. Crowns with the same face he autopsied the day before

• (16:00) The birthmark that confirmed identity and closed the case



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, FortWorth, 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 contains graphic descriptions of death, decomposition,&nbsp;and violence. If you&rsquo;re sensitive to these topics, this episode may not be for you. 
In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns&nbsp;examines the fallibility of non-scientific identification and the consequences when it fails.&nbsp;The case of &ldquo;Crackhead Carl,&rdquo; remembered by a single tree, and the story of identical&nbsp;twins mistaken in death both reveal how clothing, jewelry, and circumstance can mislead&nbsp;even the most seasoned investigators. With his characteristic precision and dry wit, Dr.&nbsp;Crowns illustrates why science, not assumption, defines the truth. 
Highlights
&bull; (0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns
&bull; (0:30) Non-scientific methods of identification: clothing, jewelry, and location as&nbsp;early clues
&bull; (1:15) Why dentures, facial features, and decomposition make visual ID unreliable
&bull; (3:00) Before digital databases: when family contact and fingerprints were the only&nbsp;available tools
&bull; (3:45) &ldquo;Crackhead Carl&rdquo; and a small-town identification built on assumption
&bull; (5:30) The twin mistaken for dead after his brother&rsquo;s heroin overdose
&bull; (11:30) The family&rsquo;s reaction and the unsettling phone call that followed
&bull; (13:00) A second twin story: the living sister stands before Dr. Crowns with the same&nbsp;face he autopsied the day before
&bull; (16:00) The birthmark that confirmed identity and closed the case 
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, FortWorth, 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, and leave us 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 | Twins

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/7c4b1ea4-3e74-447c-a5c0-b3a90112870b/transcript