This episode of Zone 7 features an in-depth discussion with true crime author George Jared about the 2004 murder of Rebekah Gould in Arkansas. He provides detailed background on the crime scene, body disposal location, initial suspect theories by police, and his own analysis pointing toward Rebekah’s ex-boyfriend Casey McCullough's family. Jared describes how crowdsourced investigation through podcasts and social media eventually led to the shock confession from Casey's cousin William Miller, where Miller admitted killing Rebecca.

George Jared is an award-winning journalist and true crime author. George has contributed to notable publications like the New York Times and USA Today and has been featured on Discovery ID. His work on the West Memphis Three case and numerous other unsolved crimes has highlighted the importance of determination and innovation in the realm of criminal justice.

Resources:

Whispers in the Willows: Who killed Rebekah Gould? Who killed Amanda Tusing? And why? By George Jared 

Witches in West Memphis: The West Memphis Three and another story of false confession by George Jared 

The Creek Side Bones: Reality is more horrifying than fiction by George Jared

Show Notes:

• [0:00] Welcome back to Zone 7 with Crime Scene Investigator, Sheryl McCollum.  
• [1:30] Sheryl introduces guest, George Jared to the listeners 
• [2:20] George shares a bit of his background 
• [4:20] Details on Rebekah Gould's disappearance
• [12:00] Autopsy report and analysis 
• [15:00] Investigative breakthroughs and challenges
• [16:00] Murder weapon… a piano leg
• [24:30] The impact of media and social platforms on investigations
• [25:00] Witches in West Memphis: The West Memphis Three and another story of false confession 
• [31:15] “My focus turned to the McCullough family, and that's when everything changed.”
• [35:00] New information emerges about William Miller's involvement
• [37:00] Uncovering new evidence 
• [41:30] The importance of paying attention to patterns
• [45:00] The breakthrough confession in Rebecca Gould's case
• [53:40] “My best advice for cold case investigators is to read the investigative reports last.  If you read them first, you're more likely to be led down the same path as the other investigators were on. If the body dropped today, would you have access to the reports? No. So start with the crime scene photos and move forward from there.” -J.J
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Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an Emmy Award winning CSI, a writer for CrimeOnLine, Forensic and Crime Scene Expert for Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, and a CSI for a metro Atlanta Police Department. She is the co-author of the textbook., Cold Case: Pathways to Justice. Sheryl is also the founder and director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, a collaboration between universities and colleges that brings researchers, practitioners, students and the criminal justice community together to advance techniques in solving cold cases and assist families and law enforcement with solvability factors for unsolved homicides, missing persons, and kidnapping cases.  

You can connect and learn more about Sheryl’s work by visiting the CCIRI website https://coldcasecrimes.org

Social Links:

• Email: [email protected]
• Twitter: @ColdCaseTips
• Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

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