Homicide cleanup · MadTown Biohazard
Homicide and violent crime cleanup around Madison
After a homicide, the investigation can take days, and what’s left behind is more than any family or owner should face. Our techs restore the space carefully and quietly, and help with insurance and Wisconsin victim compensation. We also handle unattended death, suicide, blood and biohazard, death odor removal, hoarding cleanouts and tear gas and fingerprint powder cleanup, and the rebuild afterward.
No money up frontPrice approved firstInsurance billed for youLocal techs, 24/7
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Talk to a local tech now
Tell us what happened and where. The local tech closest to you is on the way while we talk. No pressure, and nothing to pay up front.
- The tech closest to you heads out right away
- Written scope and price you approve first
- No money up front. We bill your insurance
Quick answerHomicide cleanup is the removal and decontamination of blood, tissue and debris after a violent death, once police release the scene. MadTown Biohazard does it across Madison and south central Wisconsin with local techs, licensed biohazard waste disposal, a price you approve first, and help with insurance and Wisconsin crime victim compensation.
What we do
How homicide cleanup works around Madison
A violent scene often reaches far beyond one spot: spatter on ceilings and walls, blood under flooring and in the gaps of trim, evidence cut-outs in carpet and drywall, fingerprint powder on every surface investigators touched.
We wait for the release, then walk every area with your OK, write the scope and price and get started once you approve. Everything that can’t be saved is bagged and taken to a licensed medical waste facility. Everything that can be saved is cleaned and disinfected.
Included
- Blood and tissue removal from every surface
- Evidence cut-outs and damaged materials cleared
- Fingerprint powder lifted
- Subfloor and framing cleaned and sealed
- Odor treated at its source
- Photos for insurance and victim compensation
Timing
Why homicide scenes take longer to release
Investigators may hold a homicide scene for several days while they collect evidence. That can be frustrating for a family or an owner. Call us anyway: we’ll explain what happens next, and we’ll be ready the day the scene is released.
If a detective asks us to leave a certain area alone or wants to come back, we work around them.
Step by step
Homicide cleanup from the first call to the last walkthrough
You approve the scope and price before any work starts.
Release
Police release the property after the investigation.
Walkthrough
We trace every affected area, including the next room or unit.
Approve
Written scope and price before anything starts.
Restore
Removal, decontamination and licensed disposal.
Rebuild
Flooring, drywall and trim put back under the same plan.
Under the floor
After a violent crime, the damage goes below the surface
Blood and fluids from a death or a serious injury move down through carpet and pad into the subfloor, and in older Madison homes with plank floors, into the ceiling of the room below. Scrubbing reaches only the top layer, which is why the smell comes back on the first warm day.
Victim compensation
Wisconsin help for families after a violent crime
Wisconsin crime victim compensation can help eligible victims and families with costs after a violent crime, including up to $1,000 for crime scene cleanup. It pays after insurance and has rules about reporting and deadlines.
We document the cleanup so it can be used with the claim and help you with the forms. Our victim compensation guide walks through the steps.
Care
Working with families who are grieving
A family may be grieving and dealing with police, the media and a funeral all at once. We keep our part simple: one contact, plain words, a written plan and no money up front.
We set personal belongings aside and clean them where we can, and we never talk about the job with anyone but you.
Good to know
Most of our jobs have nothing to do with a crime
People hesitate to call because of our name. In this industry, crime scene cleanup is the catch-all name for any job with blood, bodily fluids or a death, and most of what we do around Madison is a natural death, a fall or a medical emergency.
So if there’s blood, fluid or an odor anywhere at your home or business, call us. We remove it, disinfect what’s left and treat the odor at its source, so the space is safe to live or work in again.
- Natural and unattended deaths
- Falls, injuries and medical emergencies
- Blood and fluids, removed and disinfected
- Death odor treated at the source
- Crime scenes, once police release them
How a job like this goes
After a homicide in a rental house
What we walk into
A tenant was killed in a rental house. Police held the scene for three days. The owner lived out of state and the tenant’s family needed belongings back.
What we did
- Day 1. The tech met the owner’s property manager after the release and walked the house.
- Scope. Living room carpet and pad, a drywall section, a door, the hallway runner and powder throughout, approved by email.
- Days 2-3. Removal, decontamination and powder cleanup; belongings set aside and cleaned for the family.
- Week 2. Drywall, door and flooring replaced in the rebuild.
The result. The family got the tenant's belongings back, and the owner had one scope and one set of photos for the insurer.
A typical example of how these jobs go, written to show our process. It isn’t a specific client; names and addresses are never shared.
Techs on standby now
Facing something similar?
Call and we’ll explain exactly what we’d do in your situation, before anything starts.
- The tech closest to you heads out right away
- Written scope and price you approve first
- No money up front. We bill your insurance
From our techs
Homicide cleanup tips from our techs
What we tell people on the phone before we get there.
Don't wait for the case to close
Call as soon as you can. We can plan with you while police still hold the scene.
Keep the case number handy
Your insurer and victim compensation will both ask for it.
Don't go in alone
When the scene is released, let us walk through first and tell you what to expect.
Ask about victim advocates
The district attorney’s office has victim and witness staff who can help with the process.
Find your tech
Homicide cleanup near you
We provide homicide cleanup in Madison, Janesville, Sun Prairie, Fitchburg, Beaver Dam, Watertown, Portage and Baraboo, plus every town on our service areas page. Your call goes to the tech who covers your zone, and the rest of the crew comes in when the job is big. Pick a tech, or tap your town.
Stylized map, roughly to scale. Rings show the five zones. Every town we serve is marked. Tap one to open its page.
Every town we cover
From the Capitol Square out to Janesville, Baraboo, Portage and Monroe. If your town isn’t listed, call. We likely cover it.
Kevin’s zone
When families in Madison contact our local office after a traumatic event, we understand how important compassion and professionalism are. Our job is to handle the difficult cleanup process with respect, discretion, and attention to safety.Kevin, MadTown tech
Robyn’s zone
When a traumatic incident happens in Verona, residents should know that specialized cleanup assistance is available close to home. Our Madison-area office is committed to helping families through these difficult circumstances.Robyn, MadTown tech
Gabby’s zone
After a suicide, families deserve privacy, compassion, and professional assistance. Our Madison-area office is here to help Oregon residents address the cleanup without placing that difficult responsibility on loved ones.Gabby, MadTown tech
Rick’s zone
Cambridge families and property owners deserve access to specialized crime scene cleanup without having to search across Wisconsin for assistance. Our Madison-area office helps connect surrounding communities with professional remediation services.Rick, MadTown tech
Joe’s zone
Families and businesses in Janesville deserve reliable crime scene cleanup services when unexpected tragedies happen. Our Madison-area office is a resource for professional remediation, respectful communication, and careful property cleanup.Joe, MadTown tech
Who pays
Paying for homicide cleanup: will insurance cover it?
Answer three quick questions to see who usually pays for death, crime scene or biohazard cleanup in Wisconsin. We confirm it with your insurer before we start, and nothing is due up front.
Insurance often pays for this.
- Usually paid by your homeowners policy. Sudden events like a death, crime or injury are often covered.
- Nothing is due up front. We bill the insurer directly where the policy allows.
A general guide, not a coverage decision. Your policy decides, and we check it with you before we start.
Who does what
Who does what after a death
Police, the medical examiner and the funeral home each handle one part. None of them clean the home.
| Who | What they do | What they don’t do |
|---|---|---|
| 911 and police | Secure the scene and investigate. | Don't clean, and won't recommend one company over another. |
| The Dane County Medical Examiner | Takes care of the person who died, investigates and tells the family when the home is released. | Doesn't clean, remove stains or remove odor. |
| The funeral home | Cares for your loved one and arranges the visitation and service. | Doesn't clean or decontaminate the home. |
| Your insurance company | Pays for covered cleanup and repairs. | Doesn't send a crew. You can choose your own cleanup company. |
| The landlord or property manager | Owns the unit and usually arranges cleanup in a rental. | Can't let anyone in to clean until police and the Dane County Medical Examiner release it. |
| A house cleaner or carpet cleaner | Everyday cleaning. | Usually isn't trained or equipped for bloodborne pathogens or medical waste disposal. |
| MadTown Biohazard | Cleans, disinfects and removes odor, sends waste to a licensed facility, rebuilds and bills your insurer. | Call 608-974-1788, 24/7. |
FAQ
Homicide cleanup questions, answered
Still have a question? Call 608-974-1788 any time and talk to someone on our local team.
A trained crime scene cleanup crew. In Madison and Dane County that’s MadTown Biohazard, at 608-974-1788, once police release the scene.
Not usually. Insurance often covers it, and Wisconsin crime victim compensation lists up to $1,000 for crime scene cleanup for eligible victims. We help with both.
As soon as police release the property. Call before then and we’ll plan with you.
Often the property owner’s insurance. Wisconsin crime victim compensation can help eligible victims with up to $1,000 for cleanup.
We wait for the release, follow any instructions officers leave and stay out of the way of follow-up investigation.
Yes. We set belongings aside, clean what we can and return them, unless investigators are holding them.
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We hire local. Join our cleanup team
Steady, meaningful work in Madison and across south central Wisconsin. We hire people from the towns we serve and train you to IICRC standards.