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.

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