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

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
Host: Dr. Kendall Crowns
Date: September 14, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dr. Kendall Crowns delves into the bizarre and tragic forensic investigation following the death of a 30-year-old man who, under the influence of alcohol and while showing off for women, attempted to set off a powerful fireworks mortar from his own chest at a July 4th lake party. Through storytelling and forensic explanation, Dr. Crowns breaks down the fatal mechanics behind the incident and the subsequent investigation, inviting listeners to ponder: was the death due to alcohol, meth, or showing off for women?

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Story Setup: The Fatal Stunt

• The Incident (02:08–04:06)
  • Victim: 30-year-old male, lake gathering with friends on July 4th
  • Attempted to launch a consumer fireworks mortar off his chest as a dare/show of bravado
  • Mortar described: 60-gram shell (for context, a shotgun shell contains about 28 grams of gunpowder)
  • After the launch and explosion, the man was found unresponsive, pronounced dead at the scene

2. Forensic Details: Autopsy Findings

• Autopsy Results (04:07–05:07)
  • "He is a well developed, well nourished male. [...] He had a large abrasion on his chest on the left side overlying his heart, with a surrounding bruise."
  • Major injuries: Fractured sternum, fractures of the left ribs, laceration of the heart, contusions of the lungs, bleeding in the pericardium (hemopericardium), and chest cavity (hemothorax)
  • Cause of death: Blunt force injuries; manner of death: accidental

3. Reconstructing the Event: Physics Meets Forensics

• Consulting Physics & Engineering (05:08–09:00)
  • Dr. Crowns sought to quantify the force involved by collaborating first with a physicist, then a mechanical engineer and her PhD student.
  • Notable failed experiment: Physicist attempted to use a luggage scale to measure recoil; the firework destroyed the scale (“He became very angry and said, well, that stupid firework just broke my scale. I can't believe this.” – Dr. Crowns, 07:00)
  • Success came when engineering PhD student Bonnie constructed a custom force plate with remote sensors—safely recording the data.

4. The Calculated Force

• Results of Experiment (09:01–09:41)
  • "The recoil force of the fireworks mortar was equivalent to being hit in the chest by a baseball thrown at 90 miles per hour, which is a significant amount of force." — Dr. Crowns [09:25]
  • This explained the trauma: The force was direct enough to fracture bones and lacerate the heart, causing death.

5. Was it Alcohol, Meth, or Women?

• The Big Reveal (09:42–10:15)
  • Toxicology: The victim’s blood alcohol level was 0.22%—about 11 beers in the hour before death.
  • Motive: “He was trying to impress them by showing them how hard he was by launching this firework off his chest in an attempt to show off to women. And being intoxicated, he ended up dead.” — Dr. Crowns [09:54]
  • Trick answer: Both alcohol and the presence of women contributed.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On dangerous stunts:
  “So today we're going to play a little quiz called is it alcohol, meth or women?” — Dr. Kendall Crowns [02:16]

• On fireworks mortars:
  “Just for reference, a shotgun shell has about 28 grams of gunpowder. So these aren't fireworks you want to fool around with or do something crazy.” — Dr. Crowns [03:34]

• On the autopsy findings:
  “He had a large abrasion on his chest... There was a fracture of the sternum, which is the mid portion of your chest plate, and fractures of the left ribs, a laceration of the heart, contusions of the lungs, and bleeding in the sac surrounding the heart.” — Dr. Crowns [04:22]

• On scientific inquiry gone wrong:
  “This luggage scale looked like a fancy weight scale. [...] We launched the first mortar shell... the scale was severely dented and broken. And he became very angry and said, well, that stupid firework just broke my scale.” — Dr. Crowns [06:59]

• On the force involved:
  “The recoil force... was equivalent to being hit in the chest by a baseball thrown at 90 miles per hour, which is a significant amount of force.” — Dr. Crowns [09:25]

• On the “quiz” answer:
  “Well, it's a trick answer. It's two of the above. It was alcohol and women. His alcohol level was 0.22%... He was trying to impress them by showing them how hard he was.” — Dr. Crowns [09:42]

• Final warning:
  “Remember, always use fireworks appropriately because they are very dangerous. And for you men out there listening... Most women aren't very impressed by you doing dumb things. So just don't do it.” — Dr. Crowns [10:09]

Segment Timestamps

• [02:08] – Episode Introduction and Case Setup
• [03:20] – What is a Fireworks Mortar?
• [04:07] – Scene Response & Autopsy Results
• [05:08] – Attempted Physics Experiment & Mishap
• [07:00] – Broken Luggage Scale Incident
• [08:20] – Shift to Mechanical Engineering, Data Collection
• [09:25] – Measurement of Recoil Force & Explanation
• [09:42] – Quiz Reveal: Alcohol and Women
• [10:09] – Closing Thoughts and Safety Warning

Tone & Style

Dr. Kendall Crowns’ narration is candid, slightly sardonic, and leans on dark humor (especially in discussing preventable, alcohol-fueled stunts). The story is told both as a forensic investigation and a cautionary tale, both educational and entertaining, true to the “mayhem in the morgue” theme.

Summary Takeaway

The episode provides a gripping look at the intersection of dangerous bravado, alcohol, and forensic science. The key takeaway: dangerous stunts, especially when fueled by alcohol and a desire to impress, can lead to irreversible, deadly outcomes—and the science behind understanding those tragedies can be as dramatic as the events themselves.