Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

A family vacation to Bali turns deadly. Sheila von Wiese-Mack found bludgeoned to death inside a suitcase. The socialite's 25-year-old daughter Heather Mack and her 21-year-old then-boyfriend, Tommy Schaefer charged and convicted by an Indonesian court. Police say Schaefer bludgeoned von Wiese-Mack with a bowl and then he and Mack stuffed her body into a suitcase and attempted to flee the scene. Heather Mack was pregnant at the time and gave birth to a daughter in prison. After serving seven years in Indonesia for her role in the 2014 murder, Mack was released from the Indonesian prison and returned to the United States, where she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to kill a U.S. national and was sentenced to 26 years in prison in June 2023. Schaefer was sentenced in Indonesia to 18 years in prison, but after receiving time off for good behaviour, he has been released from a Bali jail.
The 33-year-old still faces US federal charges. He has pled not guilty to conspiracy to kill someone in a foreign country, conspiracy to commit murder and obstruction of justice. He says, despite a judge's warning, he intends to represent himself. A trial date has been set for January 2027. If convicted, Schaefer faces a possible life sentence.
Joining Nancy Grace Today:
Wendy Patrick - California prosecutor, author “Red Flags” www.wendypatrickphd.com 'Today with Dr. Wendy' on KCBQ in San Diego
Dr. Jorey Krawczyn - Police Psychologist, Adjunct Faculty with Saint Leo University; Research Consultant with Blue Wall Institute, Author: Operation S.O.S. - Practical Recommendations to Help “Stop Officer Suicide” (October 2021) bw-institute.com
Sheryl McCollum - Forensic Expert & Cold Case Investigative Research Institute Founder, ColdCaseCrimes.org
Joe Scott Morgan - Professor of Forensics Jacksonville State University, Author, "Blood Beneath My Feet", Featured on "The Piketon Massacre: Return to Pike County" on iHeartRadio
Kristy Mazurek - Emmy Award-winning Investigative Reporter, President of Successful Strategies PR and Crisis Communications Firm


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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.


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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
Listen to some of our top stories this week from Crime Stories investigative reporter Sydney Silvani
Stay informed, stay safe, and stay ahead with "Crime Alert Hourly Update.”
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The father of the teen boy responsible for a mass shooting at a Winder, Georgia high school is being held accountable for his son Colt Gray's actions.
Colin Gray convicted of second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, cruelty to children, and reckless conduct after less than two hours of deliberation.
The FBI first investigated Colt Gray in May 2023 after receiving a tip about a school shooting threat via Discord, a gaming chat platform.
Colin Gray told investigators he had been teaching his son about "firearms and safety" and how to hunt. He stated that if his son had made any threats, he "would be mad as hell and then all the guns would be taken away."
Colt denied making threats. After the investigation, Colin Gray purchased his son an AR-15-style rifle as a gift. Colin Gray will be sentenced in July facing up to 180 years in prison.
Joining Nancy Grace today:
Sonya Turner - Mom of two Apalachee High School students
Chris Hubbard - Father of school age children.
Brian Claypool - Trial Attorney, Instagram: brian.claypool.
Dr. Jillian Peterson – Forensic Psychologist & Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Hamline University (St. Paul, MN); Expert on Mass Shootings and Violence Prevention; Author: “The Violence Project: How to Stop a Mass Shooting Epidemic”
Chris Grollneck (Dallas, TX) Active Shooter Expert, Managing Principal for Active Shooter Prevention Project (ASPP) LLC., Author: "Qucik Series- Law Enforcement Guide to Responding to Active Shooters;" IG & TikTok: @aspp_pro, YouTube: @cgrollnek
Chase McGee - Senior Newsroom Producer, Georgia Public Broadcasting
Marylynn Ryan - VP of News, Georgia Public Broadcasting
Sydney Sumner - CrimeOnline Investigative Reporter
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Convicted killer Pamela Smart, 57, serving life without parole for masterminding the 1990 murder of her husband, Gregg Smart, claims her conviction was tainted by faulty audio evidence and media bias. Smart’s legal team filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus, arguing that transcripts of audio tapes played at her 1991 trial were inaccurate and created "expectation bias" among jurors.

The state of New Hampshire has asked a judge to dismiss the petition. Smart's co-conspirators under the age of 18 at the time of the killing, has been released from prison.

Joining Nancy Grace today:
Randy Kessler - Trial Lawyer, Emory Law School Professor, Past Chair ABA Family Law Section, Author: "Divorce, Protect Yourself, Your Kids and Your Future", www.KSFamilyLaw.com, Instagram: @rkessler23, Twitter: @GADivorce,
Allison Paganelli - Board Certified Forensic Psychologist, website: parkdietzassociates.com
Dr. Kendall Crowns - Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County, Host of Podcast "Mayhem in the Morgue”, Lecturer: Burnett School of Medicine at TCU (Texas Christian University),
Colleen Cronin - Reporter from the Boston Herald, website: BostonHerald.com, X: @colleen_cronin
Sydney Sumner - Investigative Reporter, ‘Crime Stories
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