Zone 7 with Sheryl McCollum

On September 30, 2026, Tennessee attempted to execute death row inmate Christa Pike by lethal injection for the 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer. Despite receiving two doses of pentobarbital, Pike survived. She lost consciousness but continued breathing, and her heart was still beating more than an hour after the procedure began. She was eventually transported to a hospital, where she regained consciousness and recovered enough to return to prison.

In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum welcomes back board-certified forensic pathologist Dr. Priya Banerjee to discuss what may have gone wrong during Pike’s failed execution. She explains how pentobarbital affects the brain and breathing, why improper IV placement may have prevented the full dose from entering Pike’s bloodstream, and why her recovery was so unexpected. Sheryl and Dr. Priya also discuss previous execution failures, the ethical questions surrounding physician involvement, and the emotional toll these failures can have on victims’ families and everyone involved.

Highlights:

(0:00) Sheryl introduces Christa Pike’s failed execution and welcomes back Dr. Priya Banerjee

(1:30) Dr. Priya explains Tennessee’s single-drug lethal injection protocol and how pentobarbital works

(3:15) How improper IV placement may have contributed to the failed execution

(5:15) The medical response after Pike survived the lethal injection attempt

(7:00) Why Pike’s recovery was so unexpected

(9:15) Previous execution failures involving John Wayne Gacy and problems with lethal injection

(11:15) Questions about who administers lethal injections and the ethical restrictions on physician involvement

(15:15) How lethal injection protocols vary from state to state

(16:30) Pike’s attorneys requested an alternative execution method before the procedure

(17:30) Statistics on failed executions and the need to prevent medical errors

(19:15) The emotional impact of failed executions on victims' families and everyone involved

Enjoying Zone 7? Leave a rating and review where you listen to podcasts. Your feedback helps others find the show and supports the mission to educate, engage, and inspire.

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Dr. Priya Banerjee is a board-certified forensic pathologist and former Rhode Island state medical examiner. She previously co-hosted Pathology with Dr. Priya, a Zone 7 series, and uses her forensic expertise to help audiences better understand complex medical evidence and death investigations.

Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an active crime scene investigator for a metro Atlanta police department and the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which partners with colleges and universities nationwide. With more than four decades of experience, she has worked on thousands of cold cases using her investigative system, The Last 24/361, which integrates evidence, media, and advanced forensic testing.

Sheryl’s work has included high-profile investigations involving the Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur, and the Moore’s Ford Bridge lynching. She is an Emmy Award-winning crime scene investigator and was inducted into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023.

Social Links:

Email: [email protected]

X: @ColdCaseTips

Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

Instagram: @officialzone7pod

Sheryl’s new book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint River Killer’s Daughter, is available now wherever books are sold.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Presley Gerber, the 27-year-old son of supermodel Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber, died at a sober living facility in September 2026. His death is being investigated as a suspected overdose. Despite his family’s resources and access to treatment, Presley had publicly expressed frustration with his psychiatric care and the number of medications he had been prescribed. His death raises questions about addiction, overprescribing, and how families can find effective help for someone they love.

In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum welcomes her sister, board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner Shelley Halligan, to discuss the challenges of treating addiction and the risks associated with certain prescription medications. They talk about counterfeit pills, the dangers of mixing substances, and the questions patients should ask before taking new medications. For families trying to help a loved one, Shelley offers advice on researching treatment centers, explains why facilities that claim to treat everything deserve a closer look, and stresses the importance of researching treatment options.

Highlights:

(0:00) Sheryl reflects on Cindy Crawford and the suspected overdose death of her son, Presley Gerber

(5:00) Shelley explains addiction and the emotional pain that can contribute to substance use

(7:30) Presley’s public frustration with psychiatric care and the number of medications he was prescribed

(9:15) Fentanyl, kratom, and the risks associated with high-potency THC

(12:45) Sheryl recalls a childhood prescription medication dosing error involving Shelley

(15:45) Questions patients should ask about prescribed medications and how to dispose of unused pills safely

(18:00) What families should look for when choosing an addiction treatment facility

(20:45) Shelley’s approach to evaluating multiple prescriptions and reducing unnecessary medications

(23:15) Counterfeit pills, fentanyl, and the dangers of taking medication from someone else

(26:45) Shelley shares stories of addiction-related loss and why she remains hopeful about recovery

(30:45) The importance of asking questions, advocating for loved ones, and removing the shame surrounding addiction

Enjoying Zone 7? Leave a rating and review where you listen to podcasts. Your feedback helps others find the show and supports the mission to educate, engage, and inspire.

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Dr. Shelley Halligan is a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner with certifications in mental health first aid and advanced practice addiction nursing. She specializes in addiction treatment and recovery with a focus on individualized, patient-centered care.

Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an active crime scene investigator for a metro Atlanta police department and the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which partners with colleges and universities nationwide. With more than four decades of experience, she has worked on thousands of cold cases using her investigative system, The Last 24/361, which integrates evidence, media, and advanced forensic testing.

Her work on high-profile cases, including The Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur and the Moore’s Ford Bridge lynching, led to her Emmy Award for CSI: Atlanta and induction into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023.

Social Links:

Email: [email protected]

X: @ColdCaseTips

Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

TikTok: @Sheryl.McCollum

Sheryl’s new book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint

River Killer’s Daughter, is available now wherever books are sold.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Lindsay Clancy trial ended in a mistrial in September 2026 after jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict in the case involving the deaths of her three young children. The case has sparked strong opinions and heated debate, and with another trial potentially ahead, attention is turning to what prosecutors might do differently the second time around.

In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum welcomes former law enforcement officer, domestic violence expert, and on-air crime analyst Claudia King to discuss the prosecution’s strategy during the first trial and what may need to change if the case returns to court. They talk about how witness sequencing impacts the jury, mental health arguments, accountability, and the evidence surrounding the children’s deaths. Sheryl and Claudia also address the public identification of the lone holdout juror, concerns about jury intimidation, and whether sequestering the jury during a second trial could help protect the integrity of the proceedings.

Highlights:

(0:00) Sheryl introduces Claudia King, former police officer, domestic violence expert, and crime analyst

(4:00) Claudia discusses the possibility of a retrial, pending defense motions, and jury selection challenges

(8:45) Where prosecutors succeeded in closing arguments and why their focus on Lindsay’s suicide attempt may have hurt the case

(11:00) How witness order and testimony can influence a jury●

(14:00) Claudia questions the defense’s claims about Lindsay’s efforts to seek mental health treatment

(17:00) Mental illness, criminal responsibility, and questions about accountability

(20:45) The children’s positions and locations and what they may suggest about the killings

(22:00) The holdout juror faces public backlash after his identity becomes known

(27:15) Jury selection, outside influence, and the case for sequestration

(29:00) Concerns about a defense psychiatric expert’s relationship with Lindsay’s family and potential bias

(31:00) Remembering Cora, Dawson, and Callan Clancy, the victims at the heart of the case

Enjoying Zone 7? Leave a rating and review where you listen to podcasts. Your feedback helps

others find the show and supports the mission to educate, engage, and inspire.

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Claudia King is a former police officer, domestic violence expert, survivor advocate, and crime

analyst. A domestic violence survivor herself, she uses both her personal and professional

experiences to advocate for victims and offer insight into high-profile criminal cases. She also

hosts the Strong Enough podcast.

Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an active crime scene investigator for a metro Atlanta police department and the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which partners with colleges and universities nationwide. With more than four decades of experience, she has worked on thousands of cold cases using her investigative system, The Last 24/361, which integrates evidence, media, and advanced forensic testing.

Her work on high-profile cases, including The Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur and the Moore’s Ford Bridge lynching, led to her Emmy Award for CSI: Atlanta and induction into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023.

Social Links:

Email: [email protected]

X: @ColdCaseTips

Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

TikTok: @Sheryl.McCollum

Sheryl’s new book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint River Killer’s Daughter, is available now wherever books are sold.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

High-profile cases don’t stay behind the scenes anymore. Lawyers are hired before investigations are complete, advocates and private experts release their own findings, witnesses speak on podcasts, and online accusations spread long before anyone is charged with a crime.

In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum welcomes back criminal defense attorney Joshua Schiffer to discuss how that shift is changing the criminal justice system and putting new pressure on prosecutors, investigations, witnesses, families, and potential jurors. Using the Nolan Wells investigation as an example, Sheryl and Joshua talk about outside experts, secondary autopsies, media coverage, death threats, doxing, and what can happen when people outside an investigation become involved before law enforcement has finished its work. They also explain how public statements, podcasts, and social media posts can complicate a case and potentially create reasonable doubt if it eventually reaches court.

Highlights:

(0:00) “Crazy town”: the troubling trend in high-profile cases that brings Joshua Schiffer back to Zone7

(1:00) How lawyers, GoFundMe campaigns, protests, and public pressure can begin before an investigation is complete

(6:00) The personal toll of high-profile cases on prosecutors, public defenders, investigators, and their families

(8:30) From theories accusing Lindsay Clancy’s husband to lawsuits against influencers: where true crime interest crosses into harassment and civil liability

(12:15) The Nolan Wells investigation and the outside force already influencing the case before any criminal charges are filed

(14:30) Private reports, outside experts, nonprofits, and public advocacy: when well-meaning help complicates an active investigation

(18:15) Why following police procedures matters when a defense attorney begins challenging an investigation

(20:00) Hiring a lawyer or remaining silent is a constitutional right, not an admission of guilt

(22:15) No blunt force trauma or signs of a fight: what the secondary autopsy does and does not show

(27:30) Death threats, doxing, disputed audio, and why Sheryl and Joshua question the theory of a violent death

(34:30) How podcasts, books, interviews, and social media posts can introduce reasonable doubt before a case ever reaches trial

Enjoying Zone 7? Leave a rating and review where you listen to podcasts. Your feedback helps others find the show and supports the mission to educate, engage, and inspire.

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Joshua Schiffer is an Atlanta-based criminal defense attorney and longtime Zone 7 contributor. He represents clients in criminal matters and frequently provides legal analysis on high-profile cases, courtroom strategy, constitutional rights, and the realities of the criminal justice system.

Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an active crime scene investigator for a metro Atlanta police department and the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which partners with colleges and universities nationwide. With more than four decades of experience, she has worked on thousands of cold cases using her investigative system, The Last 24/361, which integrates evidence, media, and advanced forensic testing.

Her work on high-profile cases, including The Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur and the Moore’s Ford Bridge lynching, led to her Emmy Award for CSI: Atlanta and induction into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023.

Social Links:

Email: [email protected]

X: @ColdCaseTips

Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

TikTok: @Sheryl.McCollum

Sheryl’s new book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint River Killer’s Daughter, is available now wherever books are sold.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lindsay Clancy, a Massachusetts mother who had been struggling with serious mental health symptoms after the birth of her third child, admitted to strangling her three young children with exercise bands while her husband was out picking up dinner and medication. She then jumped from a second-story window, survived, and was left paralyzed. Her first trial ended in a mistrial, leaving major questions about what happens next.

In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum welcomes back board-certified forensic pathologist Dr. Priya Banerjee to talk through the Lindsay Clancy case and what the medical evidence can help explain. Dr. Priya describes what the children’s injuries can tell us about how they died and why Lindsay’s mental state that night remains one of the central questions in the case. They also discuss the difficult months leading up to it, from Lindsay’s sleepless nights to changing prescriptions and the challenges of coordinating care across multiple providers, and consider what could change if the case goes to trial again.

Highlights:

(0:00) Sheryl and Dr. Priya address misinformation surrounding the Lindsay Clancy case and the questions following the mistrial

(4:45) Why the repeated ligature strangulation of three children raises difficult medical and psychiatric questions

(7:00) The Clancy children and the significance of different exercise bands being used to strangle each child●

(8:15) Dr. Priya explains how ligature strangulation causes asphyxia, loss of consciousness, and irreversible brain injury

(11:15) Lindsay Clancy’s injuries after jumping from a second-story window and Dr. Priya’s assessment of the suicide attempt

(13:30) Postpartum anxiety, hormonal changes, severe sleep deprivation, and why recovery does not follow a simple timeline

(17:15) Why psychiatric medications can take weeks to work and the complications of starting, stopping, or changing prescriptions

(21:30) How mental illness, multiple providers, telehealth, and incomplete communication can complicate psychiatric care

(23:45) Speculation about Patrick Clancy and what the defense stipulated at trial

(25:45) What prescription drug monitoring programs can and cannot tell doctors about a patient's medication

(29:30) Why another Lindsay Clancy trial could become a battle between psychiatric experts

(33:00) The emotional toll that graphic child-death evidence can place on jurors asked to decide a difficult case

Enjoying Zone 7? Leave a rating and review where you listen to podcasts. Your feedback helps others find the show and supports the mission to educate, engage, and inspire.

---

Dr. Priya Banerjee is a board-certified forensic pathologist and former Rhode Island state medical examiner. She previously co-hosted Pathology with Dr. Priya on Zone 7 and uses her forensic experience to help explain complex medical evidence and death investigations.

Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an active crime scene investigator for a metro Atlanta police department and the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which partners with colleges and universities nationwide. With more than four decades of experience, she has worked on thousands of cold cases using her investigative system, The Last 24/361, which integrates evidence, media, and advanced forensic testing.

Her work on high-profile cases, including The Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur and the Moore’s Ford Bridge lynching, led to her Emmy Award for CSI: Atlanta and induction into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023.

Social Links:

Email: [email protected]

X: @ColdCaseTips

Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

TikTok: @Sheryl.McCollum

Sheryl’s new book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint River Killer’s Daughter, is available now wherever books are sold.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On September 11, 2001, with U.S. airspace closed after the terrorist attacks, dozens of transatlantic flights were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland. Thousands of passengers and crew from around the world landed in the small town, nearly doubling its population within minutes. Their story later inspired the Broadway musical Come From Away.

In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum welcomes her sister, Sharlene Bowen, who was working as a flight attendant aboard Delta Flight 15 from Frankfurt, Germany, to Atlanta when the plane was ordered to land in Gander. Sharlene recalls spending 30 hours grounded on the tarmac with little information, the moment she finally saw the attacks on television, and the note that led her to Constable Oswald “Oz” Fudge and a hug Sheryl sent from Atlanta. Over the next five days, she watched the people of Gander open their schools, homes, and churches to the “plane people," as the locals called them.

Highlights:

(0:00) Sheryl introduces the story of Gander, Newfoundland, and her sister Sharlene Bowen’s experience on September 11, 2001

(3:00) Sharlene remembers when an ordinary flight from Frankfurt to Atlanta suddenly changed and the crew learned something had happened in New York

(7:00) “All US airspace has been closed.” The announcement that silenced an entire cabin

(11:45) How passengers and crew worked together during 30 hours aboard the grounded plane●

(16:00) Why every passenger had to be cleared before leaving the aircraft and how Gander prepared for thousands of unexpected guests

(20:45) Sharlene finally sees the attacks on a TV at Walmart more than a day after they happened

(23:00) A note and a police hat lead Sharlene to Oz Fudge and a message from her sister

(28:00) Teenagers give free rides, Walmart hands over its keys, and the hockey rink becomes the town’s refrigerator

(36:45) Local teenagers create a special experience for stranded Make-A-Wish kids who missed their trip to Disney World

(41:45) Returning to Gander, hearing the original air traffic control recording, and seeing Come From Away with the people who lived the story

(46:30) How the hug from Oz Fudge delivered on Sheryl’s behalf became part of the production of Come From Away

(51:45) A scholarship fund started on the flight home has now sent more than 300 Gander students to college

(56:45) Delta employees wave American flags along the Atlanta taxiway, and Sharlene share a message about remembering the way people cared for one another after 9/11

Enjoying Zone 7? Leave a rating and review where you listen to podcasts. Your feedback helps others find the show and supports the mission to educate, engage, and inspire.

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Sharlene Bowen spent 34 years as a Delta Air Lines flight attendant and was a crew member aboard Delta Flight 15 when it was diverted to Gander, Newfoundland, on September 11, 2001. She later became a level one trauma nurse and charge nurse at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, where she recently celebrated 20 years of service.

Related Episode

From Crisis to Compassion: A 9/11 Retrospective with Constable Oswald Fudge

Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an active crime scene investigator for a metro Atlanta police department and the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which partners with colleges and universities nationwide. With more than four decades of experience, she has worked on thousands of cold cases using her investigative system, The Last 24/361, which integrates evidence, media, and advanced forensic testing.

Her work on high-profile cases, including The Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur and the Moore’s Ford Bridge lynching, led to her Emmy Award for CSI: Atlanta and induction into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023.

Social Links:

Email: [email protected]

X: @ColdCaseTips

Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

TikTok: @Sheryl.McCollum

Sheryl’s new book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint River Killer’s Daughter, is available now wherever books are sold.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jabez Spann was 14 years old when he disappeared from Sarasota, Florida, over Labor Day weekend in 2017. It would be two years before his remains were recovered and his death was ruled a homicide.

In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum welcomes back Jabez’s mother, Tawana Spann, and her husband, Joe Spann, to mark nine years since Jabez went missing and renew their call for anyone with information about his murder to come forward. Tawana and Joe discuss the advocacy work they have built out of their grief, including the Jabez Spann Foundation, the Missing Our Voices podcast, and a new initiative called If We Could Speak.

Highlights:

(0:00) Sheryl opens the episode with a call to action for anyone who knows what happened to Jabez Spann

(2:00) Tawana explains the one question she still needs answered about her son’s murder

(5:00) How living without answers can become its own kind of prison for families of missing and murdered children

(9:00) Why Jabez’s disappearance led Tawana to create resources for other families searching for loved ones

(11:45) How Missing Our Voices gives families a place to talk about the people they lost

(14:00) Joe Spann introduces the rapid response readiness kit, and the common misconceptions families can face when someone goes missing●

(17:00) Why organization during the first 72 hours can help families become more proactive in a missing-person investigation

(19:00) How If We Could Speak uses digital avatars to make people stop, listen, and remember the victim

(22:30) Jabez’s digital avatar focuses on the life he should have had and the future that was taken from him

(24:45) Joe appeals to anyone who has information about Jabez’s murder to do the right thing

(27:00) Joe reflects on Tawana’s strength and how she has channeled her grief into helping other families

(33:15) Tawana credits her mother, Lucille Tillery, with helping her turn her anger into advocacy for other families

Enjoying Zone 7? Leave a rating and review where you listen to podcasts. Your feedback helps others find the show and supports the mission to educate, engage, and inspire.

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Tawana Spann is the mother of Jabez Spann and an advocate for families of missing and murdered loved ones. Through the Jabez Spann Foundation, Missing Our Voices podcast, and other initiatives created in her son’s memory, she works to provide families with practical resources, keep their loved one’s stories visible, and give them a place to be heard. Her husband, Joe Spann, works alongside her as a co-advocate through the foundation.

Related Episode

Who Killed Jabez Spann? | Seeking to Expose a Killer's Secret

Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an active crime scene investigator for a metro Atlanta police department and the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which partners with colleges and universities nationwide. With more than four decades of experience, she has worked on thousands of cold cases using her investigative system, The Last 24/361, which integrates evidence, media, and advanced forensic testing.

Her work on high-profile cases, including The Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur and the Moore’s Ford Bridge lynching, led to her Emmy Award for CSI: Atlanta and induction into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023.

Social Links:●

Email: [email protected]

X: @ColdCaseTips

Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

TikTok: @Sheryl.McCollum

Sheryl’s new book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint River Killer’s Daughter, is available now wherever books are sold.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By 1901, Laura Bullion had traded the ranches of her childhood for life with the Wild Bunch, the outlaw gang associated with Butch Cassisy and the Sundance Kid, and took part in the Great Northern train robbery that would eventually send her to prison. After years spent waiting for Ben Kilpatrick, she reinvented herself as a seamstress in Memphis, leaving the people around her with no idea about the life she had once lived.

In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum welcomes back New York Times bestselling author Chris Enss to talk about Laura Bullion and her newest book, The Last Ride. Chris shares the circumstances that connected Laura to the Wild Bunch, what her prison letters tell us about her relationship with Ben Kilpatrick, and why women like Laura have been largely overlooked in the history of the American West.

Highlights:

(0:00) Sheryl welcomes Chris Enss and introduces Laura Bullion, the little-known female outlaw of the Wild Bunch

(1:15) Laura’s childhood in Texas and the circumstances that put her among cowboys who would later turn to crime

(4:45) The complicated relationship between Laura and Will Carver, and how he connected her to the Wild Bunch

(7:15) Laura’s role in the 1901 Great Northern train robbery and the gang’s refuge at Hole-in-the-Wall

(8:45) How the famous Fort Worth Five photograph helped the Pinkerton detectives identify members of the Wild Bunch

(11:45) What Laura’s prison letters tell us about her dysfunctional relationship with Ben Kilpatrick

(14:30) Laura Bullion’s mugshot, her aliases, and the years surrounding the train robbery

(17:15) Remembering Laura as a criminal in her own right

(20:00) How brothels like Fannie Porter’s became a home base for members of the Wild Bunch

(22:45) Why the women of the American West, including female criminals, remain largely absent from popular history

(27:45) Laura leaves the outlaw life behind, becomes “Freda Lincoln,” and spends her later years as a seamstress in Memphis

Enjoying Zone 7? Leave a rating and review where you listen to podcasts. Your feedback helps

others find the show and supports the mission to educate, engage, and inspire.

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Chris Enss is a New York Times bestselling author who has spent more than three decades researching and writing about women of the American West. She has written more than two dozen books highlighting women whose contributions, adventures, and crimes have often been overlooked in traditional accounts of Western History.

Chris Enss’s The Last Ride tells the story of Laura Bullion and her life with the Wild Bunch.

Related Episode

The Outlaw Queen: Kathryn Throne and the Making of Machine Gun Kelly

Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an active crime scene investigator for a metro Atlanta police department and the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which partners with colleges and universities nationwide. With more than four decades of experience, she has worked on thousands of cold cases using her investigative system, The Last 24/361, which integrates evidence, media, and advanced forensic testing.

Her work on high-profile cases, including The Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur and the Moore’s Ford Bridge lynching, led to her Emmy Award for CSI: Atlanta and induction into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023.

Social Links:

Email: [email protected]●

X: @ColdCaseTips

Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

TikTok: @Sheryl.McCollum

Sheryl’s new book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint River Killer’s Daughter, is available now wherever books are sold.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During the Prohibition era and the rise of organized crime in the early 20th century, Meyer Lansky emerged as one of the figures who helped shape the modern American mob. Through his partnerships with Charles “Lucky” Luciano and Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, he became closely tied to the development of legalized gambling in Las Vegas and casino operations in Cuba, earning the nickname the “Mob’s Accountant.” He was also remembered by his family for his insistence on education, philanthropy, and what his grandson describes as being a “mobster with morals” who believed in helping the communities where he did business.

In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum welcomes Meyer Lansky II to discuss his new book, The Lansky Legend: The Life and Letters of Meyer Lansky. Meyer shares his memories of his grandfather, how he gradually came to understand the life his grandfather lived, and his grandfather’s role in Prohibition, gambling, Cuba, and the early development of Las Vegas.

Highlights:

(0:00) Sheryl introduces Meyer Lansky II and the legacy of his grandfather, Meyer Lansky

(2:00) What motivated Meyer to tell his grandfather’s story through The Lansky Legend

(5:00) The grandfather Meyer knew and the importance he placed on education, discipline, and doing things well

(7:00) What Meyer says about the reported $300 million fortune and what happened to his grandfather’s money

(10:00) The childhood gambling loss that taught Meyer Lansky never to bet again●

(11:15) How Meyer Lansky met Bugsy Siegel and why their opposite personalities worked so well together

(12:30) A confrontation with Lucky Luciano that became the beginning of another lifelong alliance

(14:45) Meyer Lansky II begins to realize his grandfather is not the ordinary businessman his family described

(16:30) The attempted kidnapping that led to FBI protection and his family secretly leaving town

(21:15) Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel’s early vision for Las Vegas and the Flamingo

(23:45) The FBI surveillance that followed Meyer Lansky into retirement and continued through the end of his life

Enjoying Zone 7? Leave a rating and review where you listen to podcasts. Your feedback helps others find the show and supports the mission to educate, engage, and inspire.

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Meyer Lansky II is the grandson and namesake of one of the most recognizable figures in American organized crime history. He grew up knowing his grandfather personally and now shares those memories and family stories to help preserve a more complete picture of Meyer Lansky and the era he helped shape.

Meyer Lansky II’s The Lansky Legacy: The Life and Letters of Meyer Lansky is available now. Learn more about the book and order your copy here.

Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an active crime scene investigator for a metro Atlanta police department and the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which partners with colleges and universities nationwide. With more than four decades of experience, she has worked on thousands of cold cases using her investigative system, The Last 24/361, which integrates evidence, media, and advanced forensic testing.

Her work on high-profile cases, including The Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur and the Moore’s Ford Bridge lynching, led to her Emmy Award for CSI: Atlanta and induction into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023.

Social Links:

Email: [email protected]

X: @ColdCaseTips

Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum●

Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

TikTok: @Sheryl.McCollum

Sheryl’s new book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint River Killer’s Daughter, is available now wherever books are sold.

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Karmelo Anthony was convicted of murdering 17-year-old Austin Metcalf during an altercation at a high school track meet and was sentenced to 35 years in prison. Anthony’s defense team sought a new trial, and hearings this week revealed that prosecutors and the defense had agreed to keep certain evidence from the original jury.

In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum is joined by civil litigator Reagan Charleston Thomas to discuss what that newly disclosed information could mean for the case. They look at the agreement between prosecutors and the defense that kept information about both teenagers out of the original trial and the strategy behind that decision. Sheryl and Reagan also discuss the Nolan Wells case and the dispute over access to his phone before reacting to Judge Michael Chitty’s ruling denying Karmelo Anthony’s motion for a new trial.

Highlights:

(0:00) Sheryl recaps the Karmelo Anthony case and introduces civil litigator Reagan Charleston Thomas

(3:00) Reagan discusses her work in digital harm litigation and why teenagers’ phones can become critical sources of evidence

(4:15) How lawyers build a case by telling a story within the framework of the law

(5:30) The agreement that kept damaging information about both Karmelo Anthony and Austin Metcalf out of the original trial

(6:45) When a school could potentially face civil liability for known threats, bullying, or violent behavior

(8:00) Karmelo’s alleged text about shooting up the school and questions about why prosecutors chose not to introduce it

(12:00) A reported statement about stabbing someone and the evidence involving Austin’s prior graffiti arrest

(16:00) The role racial tension and concerns for both families' safety played in shaping trial strategy

(18:45) Reagan explains why the alleged knife-related text messages changed the way she viewed the evidence and self-defense claim

(21:45) Whether jurors should hear the good, the bad, and the ugly when attorneys decide what evidence reaches the courtroom

(25:45) What information cellphones may contain, the Nolan Wells case, and the dispute over access to his phone

(33:30) Judge Chitty denies Anthony’s motion for a new trial, and Reagan explains why the case is far from over

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Reagan Charleston Thomas is a civil litigator whose work includes social media addiction and digital harm litigation. A magna cum laude graduate of Loyola University law school, she also provides legal commentary for Fox News, Fox News Radio, and OutKick.

Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an active crime scene investigator for a metro Atlanta police department and the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which partners with colleges and universities nationwide. With more than four decades of experience, she has worked on thousands of cold cases using her investigative system, The Last 24/361, which integrates evidence, media, and advanced forensic testing.

Her work on high-profile cases, including The Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur and the Moore’s Ford Bridge lynching, led to her Emmy Award for CSI: Atlanta and induction into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023.

Social Links:

Email: [email protected]

X: @ColdCaseTips

Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

TikTok: @Sheryl.McCollum

Sheryl’s new book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint River Killer’s Daughter, is available now wherever books are sold.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.