Content Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of fatal injuries and autopsy findings related to a fireworks-related death. If you’re sensitive to detailed accounts of trauma, please proceed with caution.

What happens when alcohol, bravado, and high-powered explosives mix? In this explosive episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns breaks down a July 4th case that began with fireworks and ended in fatal blunt force trauma. What seemed like a freak accident soon turned into a full-blown forensic experiment, complete with shattered ribs, broken equipment, and one very disgruntled physicist.

Highlights

(0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns
(0:15) The fatal trifecta: alcohol, meth, or women?
(1:00) Fireworks 101 — and why they don’t belong on your chest
(2:00) A party turns tragic
(2:30) Autopsy reveal devastating internal injuries
(3:30) The physicist with a luggage scale
(4:30) Broken scales slow-mo failures and scientific dead ends
(5:00) Enter Bonnie: the PhD student with the right tools
(6:15) Blistered thumbs and the final answer — 90mph to the chest
(7:00) The final cause: intoxication, bravado, and a deadly decision

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, 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, ranging from courtroom drama to deaths that even seasoned pathologists struggle to explain.

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.

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Mayhem in the Morgue | Alcohol, Meth, or Showing Off for Women?