In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns examines one of the rarest and most violent natural causes of death: lightning. Using a case involving two teenagers killed in a park, along with the only lightning-related autopsy he has personally performed, Dr. Crowns explains how lightning forms, the different ways it damages the body, and the statistics that show who is most at risk and when lightning strikes are most likely to occur.

Highlights:

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

(0:45) Two teenagers are killed by lightning in a park, and Dr. Crowns reflects on growing up weather-aware in Kansas

(2:45) A substitute teacher replaces the fired teacher, and a lightning strike on his family’s house deepens Dr. Crowns’ fascination with lightning

(4:00) The aftermath of the fatal strike in the park and the severe injuries it caused

(5:45) How lightning forms and why lightning deaths are so rare

(8:45) Lightning strike statistics, who is most at risk, and when strikes are most likely to occur

(10:45) Activities most commonly linked to lightning fatalities

(12:00) Dr. Crowns’ only lightning-related autopsy

(14:00) The different ways lightning can injure or kill

(16:15) How lightning affects the nervous system, heart, lungs, eyes, and skin

(17:45) The autopsy findings that can help confirm a lightning death, including Lichtenberg figures

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 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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns examines how an ordinary day outdoors can turn deadly after an encounter with bees, wasps, hornets, or fire ants. Using real forensic cases, he explains the four stages of anaphylaxis, the aggressive nature of killer bees, and how forensic pathologists determine whether an insect attack caused, contributed to, or merely complicated a person’s death.

Highlights:

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

(0:15) Why stinging insects can turn an ordinary summer day into a fatal emergency

(1:30) Dr. Crowns’ childhood story involving yellow jackets, his brother, and a very bad idea

(5:30) How stinging insects are classified and the anatomy of stingers

(6:15) The Schmidt sting pain index and the varying pain of insect stings

(9:00) Sting frequency, allergic reactions, and seasonal danger patterns

(11:00) Case one: a fatal bee swarm after a lawn mower disturbs a nest

(13:30) The difference between bees, wasps, hornets, and the threat of killer bees

(19:15) The four stages of anaphylaxis and autopsy findings that help confirm a fatal reaction

(24:00) Case two: a woman found covered in fire ants, and what really caused her death

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 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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns departs from the show’s usual format to take a forensic look at the Jeffrey Epstein case through the lens of a medical examiner. While Epstein’s death was officially ruled a suicide by hanging, Dr. Crowns re-examines the autopsy findings and scene evidence to address the persistent debate: did Jeffrey Epstein die by suicide or by ligature strangulation?

Highlights:

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

(1:45) Epstein’s arrest, time in custody, reported prior incident, and removal from suicide watch

(2:30) How Epstein was reportedly found in his cell on August 10, 2019

(3:45) Why the condition of his cell and the scene raised questions for Dr. Crowns

(6:15) The ligature evidence, the photographed noose, and why its condition is difficult to reconcile with the scene

(7:30) Hanging vs. ligature strangulation: the basic forensic distinction

(11:15) Epstein’s ligature furrow, knot position, and why the neck markings are central to the debate

(16:45) Petechial hemorrhages, facial congestion, and the difficulty of interpreting signs of struggle

(19:30) Epstein’s hyoid and thyroid cartilage fractures and why Dr. Crowns find them unusual

(23:30) A forensic comparison of hanging versus ligature strangulation and Dr. Crowns’ final conclusion

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.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.