Cold Red Podcast

Summary

In this episode of Cold Red, hosts Ray Carr and Fitz engage in a deep conversation with Chris Wydra, a professor at Penn West University and former detective with the Pittsburgh Police Department. Chris shares his challenging childhood experiences, his journey through education, military service in the Marine Corps, and his impactful career in law enforcement. He recounts a life-altering shootout that tested his resolve and shaped his future. The discussion also touches on his transition to academia, his involvement with the FBI, and his current research interests, including the implications of artificial intelligence in education.

Keywords

Chris Wydra, law enforcement, military service, education, Pittsburgh Police, shootout, teaching, FBI, criminal justice, artificial intelligence

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

Summary

In this episode of Cold Red, Ray Carr and Jim Fitz Fitzgerald interview Dan Sullivan, a retired Secret Service agent, about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump during his presidential campaign. They discuss Dan's background in the Marine Corps and his rise through the ranks of the Secret Service. They also delve into the process of protecting presidential candidates and the potential security lapses that occurred during the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The conversation touches on the importance of upholding freedoms while ensuring safety and the need for thorough investigations into such incidents.

Summary

Martin Patience, a foreign correspondent for BBC, shares his experiences and insights on reporting from conflict zones such as Jerusalem, Gaza, Syria, and Iran. He discusses his journey into journalism, the challenges and risks of reporting in dangerous environments, and the importance of understanding different perspectives in conflict situations. Martin also highlights the role of luck and preparation in journalism and the impact on families and loved ones. He emphasizes the need for language skills, resilience, and resourcefulness for aspiring journalists. Martin Patience, a former BBC journalist, shares his experiences covering conflicts and crises around the world. He discusses his time reporting in Iran, Nigeria, and Afghanistan, highlighting the challenges and dangers faced by journalists in these regions. Patience emphasizes the importance of listening to all sides of a story and reporting the facts objectively. He also touches on the fragility of the world and the need for understanding and empathy. Patience has written a novel based on a true story and shares his thoughts on the state of the media today.

Keywords : foreign correspondent, conflict zones, journalism, reporting, risks, perspectives, language skills, resilience, resourcefulness, journalism, conflicts, crises, Iran, Nigeria, Afghanistan, challenges, dangers, listening, objectivity, fragility, understanding, empathy, media

In this episode of Cold Red, Ray  and Fitz interview Kris Illingsworth, a retired police officer from New South Wales, Australia. She shares her background and journey into law enforcement, including her time at the police academy and her experience as a patrol officer. She also discusses her involvement in a serial murder investigation and her interest in behavioral analysis and profiling. The conversation highlights the challenges and complexities of working in law enforcement and the importance of understanding the motivations and characteristics of offenders. In this conversation, Kris Illingsworth, a retired detective and criminal profiler from Australia. She discusses her involvement in solving a series of backpacker murders and a rape case in Wee Waa. Kris also talks about her training at the FBI Academy and her work as a consultant. The conversation concludes with Kris recounting her harrowing experience during a bushfire near Sydney.

Chris McMullen, a former police officer, shares his experiences in law enforcement, including his time with the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bucks County Sheriff's Department. He discusses his transition from a small beach town to a large city, the challenges of going through police academies, and the differences between working in a big city department and a smaller department. Chris also talks about his early career as a detective and shares a notable case he worked on. Overall, he reflects on his passion for law enforcement and the satisfaction he found in solving cases. Chris McMullen discusses his experience working on cold cases and the challenges he faced in solving them. He shares the story of the Rowan case, a 1984 murder that remained unsolved for 13 years until he reopened it and eventually got a conviction. He also talks about another cold case involving skeletal remains found in 1988 and how he was able to identify the victim as Jeanette Tamby. Additionally, he discusses the connection between Victor Palaeologus, a serial killer in Los Angeles, and a Jane Doe case in Ben Salem. In this final part of the conversation, Chris discusses how he was able to get the funds and resources to conduct investigative genetic genealogy and upload the DNA profile of the Jane Doe into public databases. He shares the story of how he was contacted by Yolanda McClary, a retired crime scene investigator, who helped him build the family tree and ultimately identify the Jane Doe as Lisa Todd. Chris also talks about his nonprofit organization, Cold Case Initiative, which raises money to offset the cost of forensic testing for unsolved cases. He mentions the success they've had in identifying a John Doe and their ongoing work on three other cases. The conversation ends with a discussion about Chris's acting career and his experiences as a stand-in for Alec Baldwin and appearances in TV shows and movies.

Doug Fifer, a retired Alaskan police officer, shares his experiences growing up in Alaska and his career in law enforcement. He discusses his decision to join the police force after a positive interaction with a Maryland state trooper as a child. Doug talks about his time as a patrol officer and his passion for hostage negotiation. He shares a unique case involving a serial killer and his efforts to obtain confessions from the killer. Doug reflects on the challenges and rewards of his career in law enforcement. In this conversation, Doug Fifer discusses his experiences as a police officer and the prevalence of drugs and crime in prisons. He shares stories about negotiating with criminals, including a serial killer, and the challenges of investigating and solving homicides. The conversation also delves into the topic of sexual deviancy, including fetishes and necrophilia. Doug Fifer's book, 'Fifty Shades of True Crime,' which explores these topics in detail, is mentioned and discussed.

In this episode of Cold Red, Ray Carr and Jim Fitz Fitzgerald interview Dan Sullivan, a retired Secret Service agent, about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump during his presidential campaign. They discuss Dan's background in the Marine Corps and his rise through the ranks of the Secret Service. They also delve into the process of protecting presidential candidates and the mistakes that may have occurred in the advance planning for the event. The conversation touches on the importance of upholding freedoms while ensuring safety, and the bravery of the Secret Service agents involved in the incident.

in this episode of Cold Red, Ray Carr and Fitz interview Francie Hakes, a former federal prosecutor aIn this episode of Cold Red, Ray Carr and Fitz interview Francie Hakes, a former federal prosecutor and child protection consultant. They discuss her recent speaking engagement at the Young Women's Leadership Summit in San Antonio and her breakout session on fighting child exploitation. They also touch on her experience as a senior producer on the reboot of America's Most Wanted and the challenges of creating a show that focuses on fugitives involved in crimes against children. The conversation then delves into the topics of child exploitation, human trafficking, and the importance of addressing these issues. Francie emphasizes the need for resources and action to combat child sexual abuse and child pornography. The discussion also touches on the age of consent and the messaging surrounding these crimes. In this conversation, Francey Hakes discusses her journey from law school to becoming a prosecutor and testifying before Congress. She also shares some of the best and worst cases she has worked on, including a horrific case of child abuse and a story about an athlete transitioning from college sports to professional sports. Hakes also mentions her current projects, including a podcast about sports scandals and her work as a legal analyst on TV.