Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

TIPLINE: 520-351-4900, 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324)
Nancy Guthrie, TV host Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother, has been missing for a full week.
Her home, according to police, is considered a crime scene.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen Saturday, January 31, around 9:30 p.m. outside her Tucson home. She was reported missing at noon the next day. Police say scenes at her home indicate "she didn't leave on her own."
Nancy Guthrie is 5 feet, 5 inches tall, and weighs about 150 pounds. She has brown hair and blue eyes.
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Listen to Mayhem in the Morgue on all podcast platforms: https://link.podtrac.com/MayhemMorgue

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of death of individuals. If you’re sensitive to this topic, this episode may not be for you.

The line between curiosity and catastrophe is thinner than most people expect. In this episode of Mayhem in the Morgue, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Kendall Crowns uses a series of foraging mistakes to show how curiosity, mixed with a hint of bravado, can turn lethal when people rely on folklore, hearsay, or incomplete information. From toxin- secreting toads and misidentified “magic mushrooms” to a drowning case complicated by zebra mussels and cyanotoxins, each case tracks the same pattern: confidence first, consequences later.

Highlights
• (0:00) Welcome to Mayhem in the Morgue with Dr. Kendall Crowns
• (0:30) A radio story from Arizona: people reportedly licking toads to get high
• (1:00) A high school “toad hunt” in Kansas goes sideways with the wrong species and 24 hours of vomiting
• (2:30) Colorado River toad, 5-MeO-DMT, and why "toad licking" is dangerously misunderstood
• (5:45) Case one: a 20-year-old “confirms” magic mushrooms with library photos and dries a batch for tea
• (7:30) Psychedelic tea results in vomiting and GI complications, followed by multiorgan failure and death
• (12:45) Case two: a drowning case is complicated by foreign shells in the airway and stomach
• (15:15) Zebra mussels and cyanotoxins enter the investigation
• (22:00) Closing warning: all mushrooms are edible, some only once

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.

Connect and Learn More
Have a question for Dr. Crowns? Submit them to [email protected]
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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Breaking crime news as it happens throughout the day! Follow "Crime Alert Hourly Update" now on your favorite podcast app: https://link.chtbl.com/Crime_Alert
Here's some of our top stories this week:
Unexplained homeless deaths spark serial killer concerns?
Two people are under arrest as a multi-county search continues in eastern Nebraska for the bodies of a missing couple believed to have been killed.
A vet tech lost her job & is facing criminal charges after rescuing an abandoned Labradoodle pup during a record-setting blizzard!
Defense for alleged Charlie Kirk assassin seeks to leaves video of shooting out of courtroom.
Stay informed, stay safe, and stay ahead with "Crime Alert Hourly Update.”
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Erin Strotman, a former 27-year-old NICU nurse initially facing 20 charges, gets a sweetheart deal after pleading no contest to nine charges of child abuse.
The abuse came to light when Henrico County Police Detective Megan Lynch responded to Henrico Doctors' Hospital regarding a 5-month-old male in the NICU, found with a fractured left femur.
Further examination revealed the child also had a fractured right tibia and multiple rib fractures. Investigators noted similarities between the injuries and those suffered by four males in the NICU during the previous summer.
Following the earlier unexplained injuries, the hospital installed surveillance cameras throughout the NICU. Detective Lynch reviewed the surveillance footage and reported her findings.
On November 10, Nurse Erin Strotman was recorded in the room with the baby identified as "Y.H." in hospital records. The footage showed Strotman grabbing Y.H. by the legs and applying pressure, placing her weight on them, and pushing the baby's legs backward until his feet reached his head. The video shows Y.H. crying and appearing to be distressed.
Seven potential abuse cases are now under investigation, and police say more may be uncovered. Henrico County investigators are reviewing hundreds of hours of surveillance footage to piece together the events.
Reports indicate that at least three affected families attended Strotman's court appearance. One father, speaking publicly, stated that another couple reported their child had suffered 12 fractures.
Strotman has been formally charged in one baby's case, with the investigation ongoing. Her public defender stated that she has not yet entered a plea.
Strotman remains in custody without bail, and her next court appearance is set for March 24.
Joining Nancy Grace today:
Dominique Hackey - Father of Infant Injured in PNCU
Greg Morse - Partner at King Morse, PLLC. Current CJA Counsel, Former West Palm Beach Public Defender's Office; Author: "The Untested" (found on Amazon)
Dr. John Delatorre - Licensed Psychologist and Mediator (specializing in forensic psychology); Psychological Consultant to Project Absentis: a nonprofit organization that searches for missing persons; X, IG, and TikTok - @drjohndelatorre
Barry Hutchison Sr. - Former Law Enforcement, Owner & Chief Investigator for Barry & Associates Investigative Services LLC
Dr. William Morrone - Chief Medical Examiner, Bay County, Michigan; Author: "American Narcan: Naloxone & Heroin-Fentanyl Associated Mortality"
Dave Mack - 'Crime Stories' Investigative Reporter
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A Utah restaurant owner says accused killer Tyler Robinson treated himself to a steak dinner just hours after allegedly assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Robinson reportedly sat alone and kept to himself.
Throughout the investigation, FBI Director Kash Patel revealed the FBI has investigated several “conspiracy theories” about Charlie Kirk’s murder that circulated online.
They include theories about possible accomplices, the authenticity of the text conversation between Robinson and his roommate, the bullet’s trajectory, and even why Kirk, who normally wears black, was clad in white that day.
Online sleuths also have hang-ups on the bullet's trajectory, since clear video of the shooting is still widely available online. Social media users of the younger generations are also questioning the authenticity of Robinson’s text messages to his “surprised” romantic partner.
Gen Z influencers say most single 22-year-olds do not speak in full sentences over text and point out several examples of odd grammar from Robinson.
They also question why Robinson writes his father was ‘MAGA’ like he’s mentioning it for the first time, and how Robinson’s roommate could have watched him engrave bullets and not ask questions.
Robinson and his roommate, Lance Twiggs, were known recluses, rarely seen leaving their home except for work and school.
However, neighbors noticed an unusual amount of traffic on their street in the weeks leading up to the shooting; many of them were marked with out-of-state plates. Robinson’s sickening porn search history surfaces.
Robinson earned an award on Steam for frequently playing ‘Furry Shades of Gay,’ a collection of ‘choose-your-own adventure’ sex scenes between humanoid animal characters.
On furaffinity.com, Robinson follows RedRusker, a controversial artist who previously published “cub porn” between a clearly adult character and an 8-year-old “possum.”
Over 200,000 people gathered in Arizona for Charlie Kirk’s memorial over the weekend. Several people memorialized Kirk in powerful speeches, including his wife and both vice presidents.
Vance and President Trump, Turning Point Faith’s Pastor Rob McCoy, and several other close friends.
Joining Nancy Grace today:
Franz Borghardt - Criminal Defense Attorney, Founder of Borghardt Law Firm, Former Prosecutor, and Adjust Professor at Louisiana State University Teaching Criminal Litigation; Instagram and Facebook: BorghardtLawFirm
Dr. Bethany Marshall - Psychoanalyst, Author: "Deal Breaker: When to work on a relationship and when to walk away,” and featured in hit show: "Paris in Love" on Peacock; Instagram & TikTok: drbethanymarshall, Twitter: @DrBethanyLive
Koa Lorimor - Former Army Sniper
Chris McDonough - Director at the Cold Case Foundation, Former Homicide Detective (worked over 300 homicides in 25-year career), Trained the First Native American Homicide Task Force; Host of YouTube Channel, "The Interview Room"
Joseph Scott Morgan - Professor of Forensics: Jacksonville State University, Author of "Blood Beneath My Feet," and Host: "Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan;" X @JoScottForensic
Victoria Churchill - U.S. Political Reporter for DailyMail.com; Instagram & Facebook: VictoriaSnitsarChurchill,
Sydney Sumner - 'Crime Stories'  Investigative Reporter
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