By Noon, I Was Holding $400K in Bearer Bonds from a Hoarded Apartment

 

This happened back in the 1990s-  before computers… . A luxury apartment management company called me in to remediate a death scene involving a long-term tenant. She was elderly, lived alone, and had become nearly impossible to evict. No one had seen her in days, and the death odor had confirmed the worst.

Her apartment was chaos—towering stacks of papers, unopened boxes, and clutter that made walking dangerous. I couldn’t even open the front door fully. Officers had to force their way in, which wasn’t much better when I arrived. 

Once inside, I carefully carved out a path to begin the cleanup. The balcony became my access point for hauling out trash. I still hadn’t located the exact death scene when a maintenance man called me downstairs to meet her only known relative, Jim.

Jim introduced himself as Murta’s cousin, with a half-apologetic smile. I reported to him that his cousin had purchased many different items from mail-order companies, most of which were new in the box. He said he was in the apartment briefly after the police cleared the scene, and the odors were overpowering. “I don’t need anything but important papers or keys,” he said. “She might’ve had a lockbox. If there is anything else inside there, just throw it away. If you think something is salvageable, you’re more than welcome to donate or sell it, but I don’t think you can get the smell out of them.”

That next morning, while clearing a path near the love seat, I tossed what looked like a Texaco bill into the trash. Then something stopped me.

“She didn’t drive.”
I pulled it back out. It wasn’t a bill, it was a statement showing 13,800 shares of Texaco stock.

I froze.

That discovery changed everything. I spent the rest of the day slowly opening envelopes. Stock certificates. Dividend checks. By day’s end, I’d tallied over $187,000 in uncashed dividend checks, dating back to 1987. The number of stocks was easily over 180,000.

Jim, it turns out, was a stockbroker. “I can recover all of this,” he said, wide-eyed. “It’ll take time, but it’s all reclaimable.”

The Shocking Discovery That Came After the Hoarding Cleanup Began

Working around a giant mound of small blue bags, meticulously arranged. I eventually found their grim contents: adult diapers, tightly wrapped and stacked to the ceiling. 

Another astounding discovery was at the bottom of a cabinet. It was a large stack of papers. Just looking at it on the shelf, I thought it would be something I would throw out. Man! Was I mistaken? It was a large stack of Bearer Bonds. 

I could hardly wait for my day to end. I placed the bonds in a separate bag from the rest of the papers I found to turn over to the family. That evening, I brought Jim his daily batch of papers in plastic bags. We’d stack the stinky papers in his garage, and he’d go through them later as his schedule allowed. As he was closing his garage door, I stopped him.

“Wait, there’s one more. I wanted to show you this one last.”

I opened the final bag. Bearer bonds!
Jim gasped. “How much?”
“About $400,000. But you’ll need to verify.”

If you’re not familiar with it, bearer bonds are untraceable. Whoever holds them owns them. Until I handed them to Jim, I legally possessed nearly half a million dollars.

His reaction was childlike joy as he counted the bonds. His wife peeked outside, curious about the noise, and caught both of us laughing. “What’s going on out here?” she asked.

We just smiled. They were both giddy over the find as I drove away that day. I felt like I had just given the best Christmas gift ever. I couldn’t wait to get home and tell my wife about my day.

What Came Next Took This Hoarding Cleanup from Shocking to Unbelievable

Months later, Jim called my office. Among the documents I’d returned, they’d found a deed to a storage unit in a town 70 miles away, with no known family ties. 

While working in Murta’s apartment, I found no personal items other than a few clothes. It was surreal, no tooth or hair brush, no jewelry, nothing. However, inside the storage unit, they uncovered jewelry of hers, her mother’s, and her aunt’s. There was gold, silver, more bearer bonds, and stock certificates, and the find was worth over $1 million.

Jim called to thank us again. “None of this would’ve come to light without your care and attention.”

Sometimes, the real value of a cleanup isn’t what we remove, it’s in what we help people recover.

Written by Don M. McNulty for Crime Scene Cleaners, LLC © COPYRIGHT 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

A Routine Death Scene Turned Into a Life-Changing Discovery

 

Everyone remembers their firsts- first job, first assignment, first time something truly unexpected happens. For me, it was one of our first unattended death scenes. A man had passed away quietly in his sleep, and no one noticed for a week. His co-workers grew concerned after he missed his second day of work, a rarity in his 12-year career, eventually calling his sister after getting no answer.

When his sister and her husband approached the house, they knew better than to go in. They called the police. It was confirmed he died of natural causes, but that didn’t ease the heartbreak, especially for their mother. No parent wants to outlive their child, no matter their age.

As I listened to the sister recall memories and pain, I realized what families need most in these moments isn’t just a technician. They need a human connection, someone to bear witness.

The cleanup itself was straightforward. What wasn’t normal was the condition of the home. Trash was layered, making every step precarious, and there wasn’t a clear spot of flooring to be seen. Later, I joked with my wife that I never once touched the floor. “What did you do, float?” she asked. I told her about the crushed milk cartons, old magazines, and mountains of debris.

The next day, the sister called again not about the death scene but about the rest of the home. She asked if I could return to help clean it all. It would be my first hoarding case.

I brought in a 40-yard dumpster and worked through the layers of his life. I kept aside anything that looked important: documents, jewelry, photos. Each evening, I gave the couple anything that might be meaningful. They had told me only to save things of “value” but that phrase means something different when you’re grieving.

One evening, they told me about their long-postponed dream of visiting Australia. They’d saved for years, saving vacation time and slowly putting money aside. Now, it was gone. They had to use the funds to pay for their brother’s funeral, which wasn’t covered by the homeowner’s insurance, at least so they thought.

A week later, while I was away, our office got a call from the sister. She had found an active life insurance policy tucked in among the papers I had set aside. It would cover all the funeral costs, help their mother with expenses, and supply the remaining funds for the trip to Australia.

They left this message: “Tell Don we are so grateful.. .not just for the cleanup, but for caring enough to pay attention. He gave us closure and a future we thought we’d lost.”

It’s a moment I’ll never forget. Because sometimes, in the debris of tragedy, you uncover something priceless.

Written by Don M. McNulty for Crime Scene Cleaners, LLC © COPYRIGHT 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

• First time facing the unthinkable: What you see at a trauma scene can stay with you forever… don’t take that risk.
• Trauma cleanup isn’t DIY: Avoid emotional trauma and dangerous pathogens… leave it to certified professionals.

More Than Blood and Debris: What You Carry After Cleaning a Suicide Scene

No one will ever forget their first call. Mine was Barry. Barry was an elderly gentleman living alone with three kinds of cancer. His health was failing fast now, and his pain seemed to increase with every breath. The hospice nurse had told him, Barry, do you remember when we talked last month about the possibility of going to the hospice center? So you’d best get your loose ends tied up so you can go; your time is running out.

But Barry knew it was closer than she thought. He had already decided to die in his home, in his small bedroom where he felt safe and secure, at a time of his choosing.

Barry, I was told, had no real regrets in life. He grew up on a farm with his brother and sister in central Nebraska during the Great Depression Era. Life was challenging, as it was for everyone he knew, so he paid little attention to being poor. His mother ensured that the boys went to school, which meant many long nights spent on homework after finishing their chores. He learned the value of hard work during those tough times.
Barry went to college, leaving his siblings behind, but he didn’t get too far in his education when the war broke out. Barry dropped out of school and joined the army. When he returned, he went back to school, but this time, he was helped by the new GI Bill. That’s where he met his wife, and they married just after graduation.
Barry graduated with a degree in civil engineering and took a job at a firm in Chicago. They stayed there many years, then moved back to Kansas City to be nearer to family.

When Terminal Illness Turns to A Final Decision, Suicide

He lived well into his eighties, worked most of his life, and lost his only wife to cancer some years before. They had no children. His sister-in-law, his wife’s sister, was Margaret, who lived a few doors down and was helping care for him as his health began to fail.
Margaret was a slightly built lady, older, but kept herself well-trimmed and seemed very fit for her age. Even though my time knowing her was short, she spoke softly, caring for everyone around her, even me. Margaret and her husband grew up in Kansas City but only briefly discussed what they did for a living. She had children, and I overheard a conversation later in which she said her kids were heading to town for Barry’s funeral.

I’m sure Barry had a plan in place once he found out he was leaving soon. I can only imagine how Barry took his time. Indeed, reminisced over his life and prayed about what was planned. Relatives revealed he was a religious man, attending church regularly. At least, until he was too ill to attend.

I can’t imagine thinking about ending your life without much prayer, angst, and fear. His condition was such that he would have to struggle to get out of bed to get to his closet, where he kept the gun. Moving around had become difficult and painful months before. But great resolve can bring much strength to even the weakest body for a short time.

It still puzzles me how someone can come to a place in their thoughts where they would want to take their own life.

After Death- The Photos, the Silence, and the Weight of What’s Left

When you feel the cold steel against your neck and your next move is pulling the trigger, knowing it will END your life, it must be all awe-inspiring. His time had passed  he had endured horrific pain, and he lived his life, and he knew, in his soul, it was now time to go.

When you’re in someone’s home, you notice the things most important to them, whoever is living there. Barry, I was told, grew up on a farm in central Nebraska, but I saw the photos of his travels with his wife. Several pictures hung on the wall, showing him in uniform. He was an army captain in one photo. Yet, in another instance, he was being honored by a group of businesspeople at a formal dinner.

His wife looked a lot like her sister, Margaret. She, too, was a trim, petite woman, and next to Berry, she only came to his mid-chest area. Other photos show family and friends in various settings, such as by the lake, in the mountains, and at home. Obviously, with no children, these relationships were meaningful, and they traveled well.

Margaret entered Barry’s house the following day, just as she had every morning for months. First, she announced herself, exclaiming, “Good morning!” from the front door as it closed. Then, as she approached the bedroom through the modest home, she noticed it was pretty silent. Barry would always bid her hello in response, or at least a grunt or a groan.

As she approached the other side of the living room near the bedroom, she saw Barry’s feet on the floor, sticking straight out through the doorway. At first, Margaret thought he must have fallen, and then her sad thought was perhaps he had passed away when trying to get out of bed.

The Moment That Can’t Be Unseen

She was ready in her mind to come in one day and find he had passed, which was something she could have handled. But the farthest thing from her mind was that he would have taken his own life, and indeed, she had prepared for something entirely different from what had happened and what she saw.

Barry sat on the edge of his bed facing the doorway, took his 12-gauge shotgun, and placed it just below his chin. After some time of deep mêlée and high concentration, he pulled the trigger. Of course, I’m sure Barry had never seen what a shotgun could do to the human body at close range in a small room, even though he spent time in military battle.

I’m sure Barry gave no thought to what a gruesome sight and what emotional trauma the event would give to those who would eventually find him. Barry did not know what kind of mess he had left behind or who would clean it up.

Margaret slowly rounded the corner, softly speaking Barry’s name, and peered into the room, fully expecting to see Barry resting quietly, though gone from the body.

But, as she looked around the corner, bracing herself to see he had just passed away in his sleep, she let out a scream from the depths of her being; the sound was guttural and full of horror from the shock of what she saw. Margaret went running home crying hysterically to call the police. She could have called the cops from Barry’s house, but all she could think of was an escape.

Where Words Fall Short and Trauma Takes Over

When I recount this scene, I usually say, ‘You could not have put two five-year-olds into this tiny bedroom with a bucket of mud and told them to make a bigger mess. ‘ But, even though I hesitate to describe it, poor Barry had removed his head in totality.

The gun blast propelled the body backward onto the bed. Then the body recoiled and bounced back to an upright position, gently slipping off the edge of the bed, coming to rest sitting on the floor. Barry’s feet were sticking out in front of his body just through the doorway, and the shotgun came to rest between his legs on the floor. (In our industry, we call that room a debris field.)

The force behind the blood and tissue creates massive human debris that ricochets around the entire room. It even flies in the opposite direction of the gun blast. Unencumbered, it will fly 60 to 70 feet.

When Margaret called our office later that day, I asked what I would have to clean up. I wanted to make sure I had all that I needed with me to do the job.

Oh, there’s some blood on the bed and a little on the wall, and I’m sure there must be some blood on the floor, but I didn’t stay to look at the room.
Okay, I’ll assemble my gear and arrive in about an hour.
Margaret stepped out of the front door when she saw my van pull up in front of the house. I brought Pops with me for moral support.
-Are you Margaret, approaching the house?
-Yes.
-I’m happy to meet you, although it’s not a great situation.
-Yes, me too.
-This is my Operations Manager, Pops.
-Come on in, and I’ll direct you to Barry’s bedroom.
Margaret hung back as we approached the room. You’ll be able to look at it without me; I don’t want to see it again.
Oh sure, you don’t need that in your head.

THE NIGHT AFTER; WHEN THE SCENE COMES HOME WITH YOU

As I rounded the corner with Pops right behind me, I almost went into shock myself when I peered into the room, and I certainly wasn’t emotionally or otherwise equipped to handle the task.

Turning quickly and excitedly, I told Margaret, I’m sorry,  but I’m not at all equipped to do this job this evening. I thought there was a much smaller mess…  I’ll have to return tomorrow morning with more equipment.
After witnessing my reaction, Margaret knew her description was lacking and agreed it would be best.While driving back to the office, Pops, sitting next to me, was also upset. We had never seen such carnage in our lives.
The only problem was that he expressed his shock by trying to show how macho he was. Did you see that? Did you see that? That didn’t bother me, not at all! I could eat a hamburger right now, and it wouldn’t make me sick.
I was silent. All I could think about was where to start cleaning. I was very apprehensive about whether I could do what was necessary. Sleep that night was out of the question, tossing and turning, dreaming weird, almost nightmarish dreams filled with blood and gore everywhere.
I didn’t let on what was happening in my head. My machismo was also playing out in me. I wanted to complete the task. I told everyone, including my wife, that I could do it despite my doubts. I didn’t think my first job would be a “baptism by fire.” But to be honest, I’m still determining what my first job will be like.

THE DAY I STEPPED INTO THE WORK AND THE WORK STEPPED INTO ME

I returned the following day with all the gear I thought I would need and went to work. Margaret was there to let me in and watched as I set up my gear just outside the room. She was concerned, asking me if I was ready to do this. As ready as I’ll ever be, I said.
I donned biohazard level C Tývek coveralls with a hood and booties. In the hospitals where I worked, we called them bunny suits because all you needed were two big ears. This gear covers the wearer from head to foot, with two sets of gloves taped to the suit and a face shield protecting against splashes.
It was early 1993, and the day was hot. I hadn’t noticed the heavy blood odor the day before, but it lingers in the air, virtually making it seem like there is no air to breathe. In addition, it has a strong menstrual smell.

I started at the doorway, lifting one part at a time, then placing it in the bio-waste tubs. I cut away the contaminated carpets and pads and put them into containers, one after another. Blood and tissue were everywhere, clinging to every item in that small room.

Margaret said we don’t want anything; throw it away. Back in those early days, I used to have an event that I called “surprises.” I would pull on a bedsheet or cover, and something would plop at my feet- usually a large piece of brain matter, which was a surprise. I always thought one day that would make me sick, but thank God, the day never came.

I never thought about the police being in the room doing an investigation. You quickly learn the police will move everything around while doing investigative work, trying to find evidence of what may determine murder rather than suicide, especially in the absence of a note.

I cleaned the exterior of Barry’s dresser drawer and removed it from the room. So I could take the dresser out of the room by myself. I opened the top right-hand drawer to remove it, and there was my first surprise staring at me in the face… brain matter about the size of my fist just lying on Barry’s underwear. Mortified, I felt the shock roll over me like a wave. Was I going to hold it together? My first thought was, ‘I’m going to be sick! ‘ Then I would say, no, I’m not.

What in the world was I going to do with it? Should I pick it up? I had never held part of a human brain in my hand before. So I gently picked it up, like an injured bird, and held this soft, fatty, almost translucent tissue in my hand for a few moments.

This is the essence of Barry, or at least a part of him. Besides his body, this was a big part of what made Barry, Barry. It was a frontal lobe by its shape, where thoughts, goals, and dreams live. I don’t know how long I stood there staring, but it seemed like half an hour or more. How did it get there? The drawer was closed.While performing their investigation, CSIs will routinely open and shut doors and drawers. The ammo’s placement in the drawer left it wide open during Barry’s death, with the remaining ammo in its box in the opposite corner. I gently placed the brain matter in the bio-tub and then put it in the next drawer until I could pull the dresser out of the room.

Some of Barry’s and Margaret’s friends arrived in the late morning, and I could hear them talking in the other room. The sadness was terrible, and I got mad at Barry for causing them so much pain by doing such a dreadful thing the day before.

I finished the room some six hours later, and I was exhausted. Sweat was pouring off me like a running faucet, and I had lost eight pounds in body weight. Margaret remarked that I had become pale and looked a little sick. I am, I said; I need a little rest, and I’ll be alright.

THE WEIGHT I CARRIED HOME

Driving home, I wondered if I could walk into the house and act like nothing had happened. I felt stressed, and my anxiety was off the charts. I went home that evening and played the part of the macho man.
I told my wife very little. I mean, what is it, I would say? How do you describe the carnage? How do you describe holding a man’s brain in your hands for the first time? I didn’t want to give her nightmares; I wasn’t sure I could go through the night without having them myself.
I did tell her how grateful Margaret was and how she couldn’t give me enough praise. That part was significant, and it helped grow my confidence.

But I learned that you can play the macho man for a while, but things begin to creep into your life. People suddenly start asking questions like, “Are you alright? You seem a little distracted lately.”

You might hear others say, “Why are you so short-tempered today? What bug is in your butt?” It gets harder to deal with as time passes, and you need to seek some relief.

Usually, this is when you put it off, telling yourself you’ve got it together; you need a little more time. Time heals many things in life, but time makes Critical Incident Stress Syndrome and PTSD worse if you don’t seek relief.

Written by-
DON MCNULTY

• Trauma cleanup isn’t DIY: Avoid emotional harm and biohazard exposure, call the pros.
• Trusted local cleanup: Safe, discreet crime scene and trauma cleanup near you.

In times of crisis, communities rally together. Neighbors check in, bring meals, and offer support in ways big and small. But sometimes, in an effort to help, well-meaning neighbors take on more than they realize, especially when it comes to trauma cleanup.

I’ve been on countless scenes where a neighbor stepped in to “help out” before we arrived. Some were just trying to ease the burden for the grieving family. Others were called by a friend or relative and didn’t know what they were walking into. No matter the situation, their intentions were good but the outcome wasn’t always.

Why Well-Meaning Help After a Death Can Lead to Real Harm

I remember one case where a neighbor took it upon himself to start cleaning up after an unattended death that had gone unnoticed. for over a month. The family was extremely emotional, and he thought he was doing them a favor.

By the time we arrived, he had already scrubbed the floor with household cleaners, moved furniture, and even removed part of the carpet. The problem? He had no idea that blood and bodily fluids had seeped underneath, spreading into the subfloor. His efforts made the situation worse, forcing us to take up more flooring and cut deeper into the structure than we would have otherwise.

Worse yet, he had unknowingly exposed himself to biohazards without proper protective equipment. Bloodborne pathogens, bacteria from decomposition, and airborne contaminants pose real risks. He had no gloves, no mask, no protective suit, just a mop and bucket.

The Lasting Emotional Impact of Trauma Scene Exposure

A week or so later, that same neighbor called us, not about the cleanup, but about what he was feeling and if he could get advice from us as our technicians see this kind of stuff regularly.

He couldn’t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the scene again, the blood, the stillness, the smell. He started having nightmares and would jolt awake at random noises in the night. He told me he felt like he was “on edge all the time,” jumping at small sounds and replaying the moment he opened the door over and over in his mind.

That’s when it clicked for him: trying to help in his own shock, grief, and guilt had taken a toll he never saw coming.

How to Support After a Death Without Causing More Harm

There’s a reason trauma cleanup isn’t a DIY job. Aside from the biohazards, there’s the emotional toll. Some people believe they can handle it, only to find that the sights, smells, and memories stay with them long after the cleaning is done.

I’ve had people tell me weeks later that they keep seeing flashes of the scene in their mind. That certain smells trigger memories they wish they could forget. That they regret ever stepping into the room.

This is why we train our team to do more than just clean, we manage the situation. We block off views, redirect family members away from the scene, and step in before well-meaning people retraumatize themselves.

If you’re ever in a position where a neighbor or friend has experienced a tragedy, know this: the best way to help isn’t by cleaning, it’s by supporting.

•  Offer to make phone calls so the family doesn’t have to.
• Help coordinate meals or other needs.
• If they don’t know where to start, help them find professional cleanup services.

Most importantly, respect their space and don’t put yourself in harm’s way.

Tragedies shake entire communities, but no one should have to carry the burden alone. The best thing you can do is be there, not by trying to erase what happened, but by making sure they don’t have to face it alone. That’s why we’re here to help.

If you or someone you know needs help after a traumatic event, our team is here to provide professional, compassionate support.

 

• Healing takes many forms – Repainting, rearranging, or repurposing a room can be a powerful way to reclaim control after tragedy

• Support beyond the cleanup – For those facing the aftermath alone, compassionate guidance can make the next step feel possible

What to Do When a Room Feels Too Painful to Face

Most people think of their home as a place of comfort, a personal sanctuary where they can feel safe. But for some, home becomes the site of unimaginable tragedy. When that happens, the hardest part isn’t just the cleanup, it’s figuring out how to move forward in a space that no longer feels like home.

Over the years, I’ve seen people handle trauma in different ways. Some sell their homes immediately, unable to stay in a place that holds such painful memories. Others try to reclaim the space, repainting, redecorating, even using the room for something new. But one story has always stuck with me, a woman who chose another path entirely.

When a Room Holds Too Much Pain to Keep: Coping with Grief at Home

Her husband had taken his own life in their master bedroom. After the initial shock, she did what so many families do, she called a professional team to remediate the scene. We had cleaned the room, removed anything contaminated, and ensured the space was safe again. But no amount of cleaning could erase what had happened there.

She couldn’t bring herself to use the room again. His absence was louder than words, heavier than the air itself. The walls had been scrubbed, the floors cleaned, every trace of what had happened meticulously removed. But it didn’t matter.

Because when she looked at that space, all she could see was red.

Even though the stains were gone, they lingered in her mind, seared into memory. The bed, the floor, the walls… it was all clean now, yet it would never be clean. It would never be just a bedroom again. It would always be that room. A space frozen in the worst moment of her life.

And when she was alone in there, the silence became unbearable. It was as if she could feel the weight of his final moments, the loneliness that settled in before he made his decision. It clung to the air, pressing against her chest, making it hard to breathe. She tried to shake it, to remind herself that time had moved forward. But in that room, time had stopped.

So she did the only thing she could. She sealed the door, erased its existence. Because if she couldn’t change what happened inside, she could at least make sure she never had to see it again.

She didn’t just lock the door. She hired a contractor to physically remove the doorway, take down the trim, and seal off the entrance. When she walked down the hallway, it was as if the master bedroom had never existed. The door was gone, replaced by a smooth, painted wall.

Coping with Trauma When You Have to Stay in the Same Home

I asked her if she ever planned to open the room again. She told me, “If I ever get to a point where I can financially move, I might have the door put back in before I leave. But until then, I can’t face it.”

Some people can’t afford to leave their homes after a tragedy. Others don’t want to leave, but they also don’t want to relive the event every time they walk past a certain room. So they find their own way to cope by changing the space, reshaping it into something they can live with.

I’ve seen families turn trauma sites into storage rooms, home offices, or even guest rooms, intentionally making them look and feel different. A fresh coat of paint, new flooring, different furniture arrangement. Sometimes small changes help. Other times, they aren’t enough.

Why Spaces Matter in the Healing Process After Trauma

When I talk to families, I always tell them: If you have to keep the space, don’t leave it exactly as it was. Move the furniture, change the colors, do anything that keeps you from seeing it the same way. Because trauma is sneaky. If a space looks the same, your mind will keep going back to the moment you want to forget.

For many, the idea of sleeping in a room where a loved one died is unbearable. Some never step foot inside again. Others try, only to find that the weight of memory is too much to carry. And that’s okay. There’s no right or wrong way to process grief. What matters is that you find a way to live with it.

Beyond Cleanup: Supporting Families Through Grief and Recovery

Our work isn’t just about removing what’s left behind. It’s about giving people a path forward. Whether that means offering guidance on repainting and remodeling or simply being there to listen, we understand that healing doesn’t end when the scene is clean.

Some wounds are visible. Others are hidden behind sealed doors and painted-over walls.

Whatever path you choose, know that you don’t have to go through it alone.

If you or someone you know is struggling with the aftermath of a traumatic event, we’re here to help.

• Gentle Guidance – Helping families navigate trauma so they don’t have to face it alone

• Emotional Awareness – Recognizing unspoken grief and quietly preventing unnecessary re-exposure

• Support Beyond Cleanup – Offering reassurance when families are ready to take the next step forward

The Final Step in Community Care After Tragedy Strikes

When tragedy strikes, the first people on the scene are almost always law enforcement, paramedics, and firefighters. They assess the situation, provide medical attention if possible, and secure the area. The funeral home steps in next, handling the arrangements for the deceased. But once all of them are finished with their work, something is left behind—the reality of what happened.

The aftermath of a traumatic event is rarely discussed, yet it’s one of the hardest parts for families to face. No, it’s not cleaned up by law enforcement. That’s where we come in.

Crime scene cleanup isn’t just about making a space safe again. It’s about managing the human side of tragedy—helping people navigate shock, grief, and the overwhelming reality of what just happened.

When Grief Isn’t Spoken: Recognizing Trauma in Silence

When we arrive at a scene, we’re not just dealing with the physical remnants of a tragedy—we’re dealing with the people left behind. Family members, neighbors, close friends—everyone processes loss differently.

I remember one case where a woman lost her husband unexpectedly. When I arrived, her sister met me at the door. The widow was inside, standing in the hallway, staring at the floor. She hadn’t moved for what seemed like hours. She wasn’t crying. She wasn’t speaking. She was just stuck.

The family wanted to handle logistics—insurance, paperwork, what came next. But she was still in shock, frozen in the moment. Before we even touched the scene, we helped her move to another room. We gave her a moment to breathe. Because in that state, the last thing she needed was to see what we were there to clean.

Why Trauma Cleanup Is About More Than Just Cleaning

People don’t always realize how much mental and emotional weight comes with trauma cleanup. Families call us expecting a service, but what they often get is guidance, support, and someone who understands that this isn’t just about cleaning—it’s about closure.

Some of the most critical moments happen before we even begin our work. We’ve had to gently stop family members from re-entering rooms, remind them that some things can’t be unseen. We’ve suggested ways to change the space once it’s clean—moving furniture, repainting, making it feel different.

Because once the physical cleanup is done, the emotional impact lingers. And if we can make that just a little easier, we will.

The Role of Compassion in Trauma Cleanup

In this work, you can’t be numb. You can’t just treat it like another job.

We train our technicians to approach every scene with the same mindset: This could be your family. How would you want someone to treat them?

That means we don’t rush families through decisions. We don’t ignore their emotions. We don’t pretend like this is just another job site.

We listen. We step in when needed. We step back when it’s time. And we remind people that they don’t have to face this alone.

The Last Step in Community Service

People often ask me, “Isn’t crime scene cleanup just a business? How is that a community service?” My answer is simple: The police are a community service. Paramedics and firefighters are a community service. The funeral home provides a community service. And when all of them have done their job, we are the last step in making sure families aren’t left to handle the worst moments of their lives alone.

At the end of the day, crime scene cleanup isn’t just about removing what’s left behind. It’s about giving people a way to move forward—however that looks for them.

And if we can make even one part of that process easier, then we’ve done our job.

If you or someone you know is facing the aftermath of a traumatic event, we’re here to help.

• Mindful Cleanup – Supporting families with sensitivity during times of loss
• Last Line of Help – Providing care and closure after first responders have gone
• Trauma Protection – Helping prevent re-exposure to support the healing process

When people hear about crime scene cleanup(CTS)—self-inflicted incidents or unattended death incidents—they often think about the physical work involved: removing hazardous materials and sanitizing spaces to ensure a safe and clean environment. But what most don’t realize is that our work is just as much about emotional support as it is about bioremediation.

Our motto, “No one should be victimized twice,” comes from years of witnessing how trauma extends beyond the immediate event. When someone experiences a sudden loss—especially in their own home—the aftermath can feel impossible to face. That’s where we step in as remediation professionals and compassionate presences during some of life’s darkest moments.

When a Teen Can’t Look Away from the Trauma Scene

I’ll never forget a teenage boy at a scene years ago. His mother had chosen to murder her husband, his father, and then take her own life in their bedroom. I watched him pace the house as I spoke with the family—his aunts, uncles, and other relatives. He kept drifting toward the bedroom where it had happened, stopping at the doorway, staring in at the gruesome scene, then retreating, only to repeat the cycle. He wasn’t saying a word, but his body language said everything. Hands in his pockets, he couldn’t pull himself away.

The family, also consumed with grief, was focused on making arrangements, signing paperwork, and dealing with their shock. They hadn’t noticed how often the son had returned to that doorway.
As the family was consumed reading our contract, I walked over to our crew chief and softly said, “The moment you see our contract is signed, take some equipment over to the doorway and block the view for that young man. He doesn’t need to keep seeing it.” She quickly moved a box to obstruct the doorway, gently but firmly setting a boundary. When the boy approached again, she simply said, “I’m sorry, but we don’t allow anyone in our workspace once we begin.”

His response was immediate: “Oh, okay.” Then, for the first time, he sat down on the couch. That moment sticks with me because it shows how trauma can hold someone in place, replaying the worst moments of their lives over and over. Sometimes, people need permission to step away.

Why Trauma Cleanup Is Also About Emotional Support

Our work goes beyond scrubbing walls or removing the last of the unthinkable. We manage trauma, protect families from being re-exposed to the most painful parts of their loss, listen when they need to talk, and step in when they don’t know what to do next.

Grief is unpredictable. Some people want to avoid the scene entirely, while others feel compelled to look—to understand, say goodbye, and make sense of something that will never truly make sense. We guide them with care, always mindful that they’re not just dealing with the aftermath of a loved one’s passing—they’re dealing with a moment that will stay with them forever.

Providing Care and Closure After the Scene Is Cleared

Some argue that CTS companies are not community services because we charge for our services. But we see it differently. The police respond, the paramedics arrive, and the funeral home makes arrangements. But when all of them leave, the trauma remains—physically and in our memories.
That’s where we come in. We are often the last to serve a family in their crisis, ensuring they don’t have to carry the burden alone. And that’s why it’s more than a job for us. It’s a misnistry.

We deliver care, compassion, and peace of mind to the families and, ultimately, the community. 

Providing Care and Closure After the Scene Is Cleared

If you or someone you know ever experiences this kind of tragedy, know that no one has to go through it alone. Our team is here to clean and remediate, provide a path forward that respects your grief, and help you take the next step.

Crime Scene Cleaners—because no one should be victimized twice.

Written for Crime Scene Cleaners © COPYRIGHT 2024 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

More Than Cleaning- We handle structural deconstruction and biohazard remediation for complete safety.
Proven Methods- Our advanced techniques achieve up to 100% success in stain and odor removal.
Trusted Experts- 25+ years of discreet, compliant, and compassionate service.

More Than Cleaning: How Biohazards Penetrate Floors and Structures

Many crime and trauma scene (CTS) cleaning companies like Crime Scene Cleaners have the word “cleaning” in their names. But did you know we do much more than clean? Do you know why this is important?

When the CTS company is called to an incident involving blood and bodily fluids, you must remember that those substances act like water initially. They seek the lowest level to collect. You can often see a carpet with a heavy blood spot about the size of a dinner plate. But, once the carpet is lifted, you will immediately notice that the spot underneath stretches out to as much as two to three feet in diameter.

Despite a hardwood floor under the carpet, it has also progressed to the subfloor. The CTS company should set up a containment for that area and insert an air scrubber, venting it outside the room to create a negative air chamber. Once the soft goods are safely removed and the walls and ceiling have been dealt with, the hardwood and perhaps the subfloor will be removed. To do this, the technicians will use a circular saw and sawzall to remove. This creates a cloud of dust that is most likely contaminated. This is why the negative air containment prevents cross-contamination of air-borne particles captured by the air scrubber.  

This is important to know because our crews usually work with structures. Although carpet and pad are commonly known in the construction industry as flooring and count as structures, what I’m talking about goes beyond flooring, as in the scenario above. We often deal with the physical structure of the building. If your buildings are stick construction (meaning two-by-four walls and plywood flooring), there are building codes in every county in the country. These are the codes that every CTS technician must have basic knowledge of. 

Deconstruction, Not Demolition: How We Protect Buildings During Biohazard Cleanup

We also have experience working with commercial buildings, residential homes, and vehicles. Because each type of structure may require different cleaning, remediation, and restoration methods, we ensure our technicians are knowledgeable in all aspects.

When we remove these elements from the structure, we are not conducting demolition, at least not in the sense that most people think of demolition. We perform “deconstruction,” carefully removing a contaminated area with as little dust and debris as possible. We have set up an air scrubber to create a negative air chamber in the scene area. This allows us to work without causing cross-contamination throughout the structure. 

For example, suppose a trauma scene has damaged a building’s walls or floors. In that case, our team at Crime Scene Cleaners is trained and equipped to clean up the scene and remove any structural elements from the affected areas. This goes beyond cleaning up blood or bodily fluids on the surfaces—it involves removing structures that cannot be cleaned. There are occasions when removing textured wallboard is less expensive than cleaning it. When we need to open a wall cavity, the way plumbing and electrical are run through these structures differs between commercial and residential. The site technician needs to be trained in those differences because not knowing can cause unintended damage or injure the technician. Neither is wanted.

Furthermore, our crews are also trained to handle hazardous materials that are present under protocols that keep the technician safe and the structure free of cross-contamination. 

If you are a Property Management Company, Maintenance Supervisor, or Landlord, please remember that Crime Scene Cleaners is a CTS company only. We are not a Restoration Company or carpet cleaning company trying to fill in time with added work. Crime and Trauma Scene Cleaning and Remediation is all we do. Because of this, we have the experience of thousands of jobs Crime Scene Cleaners have performed in the last twenty-five-plus years.  

Advanced Blood Stain Removal from Concrete, Asphalt, and Wall Surfaces

Another area of our work presented a lot of difficulty in remediating. I speak mainly about concrete and asphalt stained with blood and bodily fluids. Our personnel was on the cutting edge to discover how CTS companies can successfully use a chemical to pull blood stains out of a surface. We have used this process to pull blood staining out of plywood and OSB and drywall painted with flat latex paint, allowing the blood to be absorbed into the wall. Concerning wall board staining, our company has been almost 100% successful in removing the stains. Concrete and asphalt are almost as successful, but I’d place our success in the mid-nineties percentile. Concrete is poured in different densities, and our success can be determined by the age of the concrete and how long the blood was set on the concrete before we were called to the job.

Breakthrough Deodorization Techniques That Actually Work

We have made breakthroughs in deodorization. The rule for successful remediation of an odor is to remove the source. What most companies do now is for a deodorizer, which doesn’t work that well. Clients report they smell the deodorant along with the odors. We used science to reverse what caused the odor, and this process is 100% successful, but it takes three days, is equipment-heavy, and requires monitoring. Any distance from our base doesn’t make it practicable. 

The next iteration uses chlorine dioxide gas. It is inexpensive and has an approximate eighth-percentile chance of total elimination. What odor may be left is small and dissipates within a few days. If the job is out of town, the contact person can safely remove everything the following day and dispose of it in the trash.

Today, we use a proprietary product that is highly successful. Although I haven’t received enough data to gauge our success level at this writing, given the reports I’ve received from the field, it will certainly be 98% to 100% successful. 

Ozone is something most restoration companies use because they use it for fire loss and mold remediation. Typically, they will rub the ozone generator for three days, shut it off, pull the equipment, and tell you it is good they are done. The problem is that they never return in two days to find the odor hasn’t dissipated much. This is why we don’t use ozone for deodorization. 

Our technicians are trained and certified and have the necessary experience to handle any situation that may arise. Whether it is a residential or commercial, live-shooter incident, industrial or construction, we have been highly successful in each type of incident we have confronted. 

Preparedness for Property Managers: Why Pre-Event Contracts Matter

We understand that dealing with a crime or trauma scene can be overwhelming and emotional. That is why we strive to provide compassionate and discreet services for our clients. We work quickly and efficiently to remediate the affected area so the build-back crews can bring the structure to its pre-incident state, allowing you to focus on moving forward and turning the unit back for profit.

In addition, Crime Scene Cleaners adheres to all local, state, and federal regulations regarding the proper disposal of biohazardous waste. We take responsibility for the environment seriously and ensure that all waste is disposed of safely and legally.

Thank you for considering Crime Scene Cleaners for your cleanup needs. We are dedicated to providing exceptional service and covering the entire state of Missouri and Kansas.

Proactive Preparedness for Property Managers in Missouri & Kansas 

Property Managers, are you prepared for the unexpected? A Pre-event Contract with Crime Scene Cleaners ensures you’re ready when it matters most. 

Why consider a Pre-event Contract? 

• Priority Response: You’ll be at the top of our list when emergencies strike. 
• Discounted Pricing: Save money while securing premium biohazard cleanup services. 
• Coverage for Multiple Properties: Manage incidents across all your Missouri and Kansas locations with ease. 

At Crime Scene Cleaners, we deliver more than just cleanup—we bring care, compassion, and peace of mind. Our professional team is available 24/7 to respond swiftly to biohazard situations, minimizing disruption and restoring your property to its original state. We handle every job discreetly and efficiently using advanced equipment and proven techniques. 

We also recognize the emotional toll these situations can take. We offer compassionate support to help you and your personnel through these challenging times. 

Act now to protect your properties and gain peace of mind before emergencies happen. Contact us today to learn more about the benefits of a Pre-event Contract. We’re here for you—anytime, day or night. 

Crime Scene Cleaners—because no one should be victimized twice.

Written for Crime Scene Cleaners © COPYRIGHT 2024 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED