Just blocks from the White House, a quiet act of service ended in tragedy.

Two young National Guard members were ambushed; one was killed instantly, and another was left in critical condition.

This week on Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum welcomes Dr. Sunny Slaughter to reflect on what happened that day and what it reveals about leadership, language, and the power of restraint.

Together, they explore how hate takes root, why communication can be a matter of life and death, and what it truly means to serve with empathy when the world feels like it’s falling apart.

Highlights:

• (0:00) Sheryl McCollum reveals Zone 7’s 2026 return to weekly episodes and the kickoff. of the 10-8 Tour

• (1:00) Welcome to Zone 7 with Sheryl McCollum and guest Dr. Sunny Slaughter

• (4:15) The ambush that killed Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and critically injured Andrew Wolfe, 24

• (7:00) How compassion, not politics, defines law enforcement and military duty

• (10:00) “Take the temperature down to zero”: Dr. Slaughter’s warning against political violence

• (12:30) Dr. Slaughter’s experience teaching “lens, language, and law” and why empathy is operational readiness

• (17:00) Service as calling, not career: advice for the next generation of guardsmen and officers

• (20:45) Sheryl and Dr. Slaughter on gratitude, resilience, and learning through hardship

• (27:00) Finding meaning after loss and the power of service on purpose• (30:00) Preparing for crisis: why every law enforcement professional must plan for the unexpected

• (35:00) The Florida eviction tragedy and how quickly crisis can turn fatal

• (36:15) Final reflections: honoring the National Guard members through unity, compassion, and continued service

Guest Bio

Dr. Sunny Slaughter is a law enforcement instructor, expert witness and crisis communication strategist who specializes in counterterrorism, extremism, and emerging threats.

As CEO of Sunny Slaughter Consulting and founder of the Sunny Slaughter Group, she helps agencies nationwide build crisis-ready leadership. A former military spouse and longtime advocate for justice and public safety, Dr. Slaughter has served as a U.S. Department of Homeland Security instructor and continues to guide federal, state, and local agencies in strengthening community resilience.

About the Host

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 4 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]

• Twitter: @149zone7

• Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

• Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

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.

Preorder Sheryl’s upcoming book, "Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Lessons in Life, Justice, and Joy from a Forensic Scientist," releasing May 2026 from Simon and Schuster.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sheryl briefs us on Zone 7 news for the New Year!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At 4:22 p.m. on what should have been an ordinary December afternoon, gunfire erupted inside the engineering building at Providence College.

Students preparing for final exams found themselves barricaded in classrooms as text alerts warned, “Hide. Stay where you are. Silence your phone.”

This week on "Zone 7," Sheryl McCollum and retired FBI Special Agent Scott Duffey revisit the Providence College shooting, where a day of finals spiraled into chaos and tragedy. Together, they discuss the confusion inside the building, the calm suspect caught on camera, and the observant witness whose attention to detail helped identify him.

Sheryl and Scott examine what went right, what went wrong, and how information, instinct, and timing shaped the investigation.

Guest Bio

Scott Duffey is a retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent with more than two decades of service in the Bureau’s Baltimore Division, including assignments with the Wilmington Resident Agency and the Delaware Violent Crimes Task Force.

He now directs the Criminal Justice Institute at Wilmington University, where he teaches interview and interrogation techniques to law enforcement professionals. Duffey also provides on-air crime analysis for FOX, CNN, NewsNation, and the Wildlife CSI Academy, continuing to educate, inform, and engage audiences worldwide.

About the Host

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 4 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]

• Twitter: @149zone7

• Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

• Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

Preorder Sheryl’s upcoming book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Lessons in Life,Justice, and Joy from a Forensic Scientist, releasing May 2026 from Simon and Schuster.

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Swans-Dont-Swim-in-a-Sewer/Sheryl-Mac-McCollum/9798895652824

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.

Highlights:

• (0:00) Welcome to Zone 7 with Sheryl McCollum and returning guest Scott Duffey to discuss the Providence College shooting and the law-enforcement response that followed

• (5:45) The moment violence reached Providence College: students taking finals as shots rang out

• (12:30) “Nobody was prepared to take this person on”: why Providence College was a soft target

• (15:30) Behavioral clues and why the suspect didn’t fit the usual active-shooter profile

• (18:30) How video surveillance, community vigilance, and digital evidence guided the search

• (21:15) Law enforcement press conferences and why clear, real-time communication with the public is critical

• (25:00) The second engineer’s murder: coincidence or connection?

• (28:30) Theorizing motive and method• (31:00) The suspect’s calm demeanor and cultural clues that caught investigators’ attention

• (34:45) Terrorism concerns, global context, and seasonal timing during the holidays

• (39:00) Update: the shooter found deceased; press conference missteps and misinformation

• (43:15) The breakthrough witness whose attention to detail broke open the case

• (48:30) Closing thoughts on the investigation, the likelihood of a manifesto, and why violent offenders rarely act in silence

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The verdict is in: Brian Walshe has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Anna Walshe.

This week on "Zone 7," Sheryl McCollum is joined by Dani, creator and host of "Dani After Dark." The two revisit the Brian Walshe trial, where months of evidence, emotion, and courtroom drama culminated in a single word: guilty.

From the disturbing Google searches to the cash-only shopping trips for bleach, buckets, and a hacksaw, the jury weighed the evidence alongside the confession that Walshe dismembered his wife and disposed of her remains. Dani shares what she witnessed inside the courtroom, from the jurors’ reactions to the moment that sealed the case.

Then, she and Sheryl break down the digital evidence, behavioral patterns, and courtroom strategy that secured a first-degree murder conviction.

Highlights:

• (0:00) Sheryl opens with a summary of the Ana Walshe case, outlining the timeline and the accusations against her husband, Brian Walshe before welcoming Dani from Dani After Dark back to Zone 7

• (1:45) What Brian Walshe admitted before trial and what the jury did not hear

• (3:15) Brian’s Google searches that dismantled the “sudden death” defense

• (6:15) Cash-only shopping trips and the evidence captured on camera

• (7:45) The moment the jury watched Walshe’s six-year-old son help him check out at Lowe’s

• (13:30) Affair allegations and the life-insurance policy

• (16:30) Body language inside the courtroom: Brian Walshe and his mother

• (19:00) Why the defense never called on a psychologist, how that decision cost them, and the collapse during closing arguments

• (22:45) Verdict day: Guilty of murder and justice for Ana Walshe

• (23:45) Final reflections on the events that led to the first-degree murder conviction

Guest Bio:

Dani is the creator and host of "Dani After Dark," a true-crime and legal analysis channel on YouTube, where she covers high-profile criminal trials in real time.

Connect with Dani on Instagram @dani_after_dark or follow her on YouTube at @DaniAfterDark.

About the Host

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 4 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]

• Twitter: @149zone7

• Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

• Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

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.

Preorder Sheryl’s upcoming book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Lessons in Life, Justice, and Joy from a Forensic Scientist, releasing May 2026 from Simon and Schuster. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Swans-Dont-Swim-in-a-Sewer/Sheryl-Mac-McCollum/9798895652824

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From college dorms to quiet suburbs, fentanyl's reach no longer fits a stereotype.

This week on Pathology with Dr. Priya, a Zone 7 series, Sheryl McCollum and Dr. Priya Banerjee confront the reality of a Providence College house party that nearly claimed seven young lives.

Together they discussed the chemistry, economics, and criminal psychology behind modern synthetic drugs, showing how a single white powder can conceal a fatal mix, and how dealers prioritize profit over safety. These drugs do not discriminate; they affect every community, every family, and every socioeconomic group.

For parents, this episode serves as a reminder that prevention begins long before a crisis. Awareness, honest conversation, and early education remain the most powerful safeguards against tragedy.

Highlights

• (0:00) Welcome to Zone 7’s Pathology with Dr. Priya: “’Tis the season”: why overdoses spike between Thanksgiving and New Year’s

• (0:45) Seven Providence College students found unresponsive at a house party

• (3:00) Fentanyl's evolution from heroin corridors to every college town in America

• (5:00) Cutting agents and chemical roulette: what's really in the “white powder”

• (7:00) Xylazine, ketamine, and the rise of “zombie drugs” and clandestine labs

• (11:15) Dealers, profit, and the deadly absence of quality control

• (12:30) "Drugs don't discriminate": how overdose affects every class and community

• (16:30) As holiday parties ramp up, Sheryl and Dr. Priya address alcohol, impaired driving, and false confidence behind the wheel• (18:15) “There ain’t a drug dealer out there that cares about anybody they’ve ever sold to”: how profit drives addiction across every demographic

• (22:15) Final reflections: stay aware, stay connected, and keep the season focused on life, not loss

About the Hosts

Dr. Priya Banerjee is a board-certified forensic pathologist with extensive experience in death investigation, clinical forensics, and courtroom testimony. A graduate of Johns Hopkins, she served for over a decade as Rhode Island’s state medical examiner and now runs a private forensic pathology practice. Her work includes military deaths, and high-profile investigations. Dr. Priya has also been featured as a forensic expert on platforms such as CrimeOnline and Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. She is a dedicated educator, animal lover, and proud mom.

Website: anchorforensicpathology.com 

Twitter/X: @Autopsy_MD

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 4 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.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter/X: @ColdCaseTips

Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

📚 Preorder Sheryl’s upcoming book, 

Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Lessons in Life, Justice, and Joy from a Forensic Scientist, releasing May 2026 from Simon and Schuster.

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Swans-Dont-Swim-in-a-Sewer/Sheryl-Mac-McCollum/9798895652824

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The empire is gone, but the influence remains.

This week on "Zone 7," Sheryl McCollum and journalist Lauren Conlin discuss Sean “Diddy” Combs’ life inside federal prison, from coveted assignments and rule violations to the month of good time he lost. Drawing on her extensive coverage from jury selection to sentencing, Lauren explains how Diddy's actions inside prison expose the difference between reputation and reality.

Their conversation then turns to the NBA's gambling scandal, where federal investigators are piecing together evidence from rigged poker games, high-stakes payouts, and the athletes now under scrutiny.

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.

Highlights:

• (0:00) Welcome to Zone 7 with Sheryl McCollum and guest Lauren Conlin

• (0:30) Lauren on her new Los Angeles Magazine role and coverage of the Diddy trial

• (3:15) Revisiting earlier predictions: Diddy’s special treatment and coveted prison job

• (5:00) Sentencing day details: defense missteps, emotional pleas, and the judge’s “severe sentence” remark

• (10:15) Prison conduct issues: alleged alcohol incident, phone call violations, and loss of release time

• (13:00) Diddy’s Thanksgiving initiative with inmate group “Bankroll Bosses”

• (14:45) Sheryl reflects on Diddy’s physical transformation, rehab reports, and adapting to life in prison

• (21:30) NBA gambling scandal: Chauncey Billups, mob-linked poker games, and the $50,000 payoff

• (26:15) Mountain of evidence: texts, surveillance, and why the case could drag well into 2026

• (31:30) Who flips First? Cooperation deal and the government’s strategy to secure testimony

• (32:45) Sheryl closes the episode with a Diddy quote on prison life

Guest Bio:

Lauren Conlin is a New York based journalist and contributor for Los Angeles Magazine, recognized for her coverage of high-profile federal trials and celebrity cases. A former HLN and CNN correspondent, she is regarded as one of the most trusted voices in pop-culture crime and justice.

About the Host

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 4 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]

• Twitter: @149zone7

• Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

• Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

Preorder Sheryl’s upcoming book, "Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Lessons in Life, Justice, and Joy from a Forensic Scientist," releasing May 2026 from Simon and Schuster.

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Swans-Dont-Swim-in-a-Sewer/Sheryl-Mac-McCollum/9798895652824

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week’s Crime Roundup, Sheryl McCollum and Joshua Schiffer Break down the federal hearing surrounding Luigi Mangione, the suspect accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024.

What started as a five-day manhunt has transformed into an instructive case, complete with missed warrants, coached testimony, and evidence on the verge of being thrown out. Sheryl and Joshua examine how procedural missteps could weaken a potential death penalty case, and why “get a warrant” isn't just good advice; it's the foundation of justice.

They then turned their attention to Massachusetts, where the trial of Brian Walshe, who is accused of killing and dismembering his wife, reveals how arrogance, lies, and a trail of Google searches can expose a killer's truth.

Highlights:

• (0:00) Welcome to Crime Roundup with Sheryl McCollum and Joshua Schiffer

• (0:15) "99 percent of the time, you need a warrant... it won’t hurt your case if you get one and don’t need it.”

• (4:00) Coached testimony and the danger of tailoring officer statements for admissibility

• (7:30) What happens when training, procedure, and pressure collide in the courtroom

• (9:00) How early media leaks and “pre-trial publicity” can poison a case before it begins

• (10:30) The potential collapse of key evidence and its impact on death penalty eligibility

• (12:15) The rules of criminal procedure and what it means when they don’t apply equally

• (17:15) The defense’s dream scenario: getting the weapon suppressed because of a“bad stop”

• (17:45) The Brian Walshe trail and the anatomy of a cover-up

• (19:30) Walshe’s “woke up and she was dead” defense and why it’s collapsing in court

• (21:45) The digital trail: how Google searches reveal motive, method, and mindset

• (23:00) Closing thoughts: why “get a warrant” isn’t optional, it’s the rule of law

About the Hosts

Joshua Schiffer is a veteran trial attorney and one of the Southeast’s most respected legal voices. He is a founding partner at ChancoSchiffer P.C., where he has litigated high-stakes criminal, civil rights, and personal injury cases for over two decades. Known for his bold courtroom presence and ability to clearly explain complex legal issues, Schiffer is a frequent media contributor and a fearless advocate for accountability.

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 4 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, earned her an Emmy Award for CSI: Atlanta and induction into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023.

Preorder Sheryl’s upcoming book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Lessons in Life,Justice, and Joy from a Forensic Scientist, releasing May 2026 from Simon and Schuster.

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Swans-Dont-Swim-in-a-Sewer/Sheryl-Mac-McCollum/9798895652824

Stay Connected

Subscribe using your favorite podcast platform and leave a review to support the show. Have acase or topic you’d like Sheryl and Joshua to cover?

Email [email protected]

Follow the Hosts:

• Sheryl on X: @ColdCaseTips

• Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

• Joshua on X and Instagram: @lawyerschiff

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During Halloween weekend of 1993, a 34-year-old teacher and mother of three, Cherilyn Hawkley, vanished from Granite Bay, California. Two days later, her body was discovered inside her minivan, less than a mile from the school where she taught fifth grade. In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum and Laura Ingle revisit the case that shocked the community, retracing the timeline, the missing hours, and the single piece of rope believed to have been used in Cherilyn’s murder. With the newly established cold-case team reopening the files, they explore how advances in forensic science and a new round of DNA testing may hold the key to solving this 32-year-old cold case.

If you have information about this case, contact the Placer County Sheriff’s Tip Line at (530) 889-7830.

Highlights:

• (0:00) Welcome to Zone 7 with Sheryl McCollum and guest Laura Ingle

• (1:00) Laura Ingle recounts growing up near Granite Bay and Cherilyn’s final hours after the school’s Halloween party

• (3:30) The van’s location and why it suggests a local offender

• (9:30) The rope used in the killing and new DNA testing by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office

• (11:45) Cleared suspects: ex-husband, boyfriend, and school custodian

• (16:00) Sheryl breaks down potential motives and why the crime does not fit the typical pattern

  (17:30) The detailed witness sketch of a man driving a white VW Bug

• (21:00) Laura describes visiting the school and the plaque that bears Cherilyn’s name

• (24:15) Why it’s important to re-examine every witness and every clue, and how uniting

the original detectives with the new cold-case team could uncover what was never written in the files

• (26:30) Tip line information and closing message

Guest Bio:

Laura Ingle is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and the host of The Ingle Edit, a YouTube series and podcast dedicated to re-examining unsolved cases through on-scene reporting and firsthand interviews. As a longtime network correspondent, she has covered many of America’s most notoroious crime stories and continues to champion cold-case investigations.

Learn more about the case and view Laura’s on-scene reporting on The Ingle Edit: www.youtube.com/@TheIngleEdit

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.

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 4 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]

• Twitter: @ColdCaseTips

• Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

• Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

Preorder Sheryl’s upcoming book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Lessons in Life, Justice, and Joy from a Forensic Scientist, releasing May 2026 from Simon and Schuster.

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Swans-Dont-Swim-in-a-Sewer/Sheryl-Mac-McCollum/9798895652824

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Content Warning: This episode discusses eating disorders, starvation, and medical neglect. Listener discretion is advised.

This week on Pathology with Dr. Priya, a Zone 7 series, Sheryl McCollum and Dr. Priya Banerjee look at some of the most painful and complex ways a body can fail, from starvation and radiation exposure to delayed deaths that can take years to claim a life. Dr. Priya Breaks down the science of how the body deteriorates during starvation, explains why children in famine zones appear bloated, and discusses both abuse and eating disorder cases that show the psychological and biological devastation of prolonged deprivation. They also explore radiation-linked illnesses, the hidden risks of environmental exposure, and what happens when a wound or poisoning leads to death years later. Through every case, Dr. Priya explains the forensic details behind a “slow death” and why, for the body, nothing about it is slow.

Highlights

• (0:00) Sheryl welcome listeners and introduces the topic: slow deaths

• (3:00) Why Thanksgiving reminds Sheryl of slow deaths and what starvation really is

• (4:00) Dr. Priya explains how starvation breaks the body down from within, and how it can stem from both illness and abuse

• (12:45) Dr. Priya describes why starving children often appear bloated and the biology behind kwashiorkor• (16:15) Radiation exposure: how time, dose, and distance determine long-term damage

• (20:45) Delayed deaths, paralysis, and the challenge of proving causation

• (26:15) "Death by a thousand cuts": how blood loss from minor wounds can still be lethal, and how even old wounds can become deadly decades later

• (29:00) Closing thoughts: Sheryl and Dr. Priya reflect on the cruelty of slow deaths

About the Hosts

Dr. Priya Banerjee is a board-certified forensic pathologist with extensive experience in death investigation, clinical forensics, and courtroom testimony. A graduate of Johns Hopkins, she served for over a decade as Rhode Island’s state medical examiner and now runs a private forensic pathology practice. Her work includes military deaths, and high-profile investigations. Dr. Priya has also been featured as a forensic expert on platforms such as CrimeOnline and Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. She is a dedicated educator, animal lover, and proud mom.

Website: anchorforensicpathology.com

Twitter/X: @Autopsy_MD

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 4 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.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter/X: @ColdCaseTips

Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

Preorder Sheryl’s upcoming book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Lessons in Life, Justice, and Joy from a

Forensic Scientist, releasing May 2026 from Simon and Schuster.

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Swans-Dont-Swim-in-a-Sewer/Sheryl-Mac-McCollum/9798895652824

If this episode gave you a new understanding of the science behind slow deaths, share it with a friend and leave a review. Your support helps others discover the science, the stories, and the heart behind Pathology with Dr. Priya | A Zone 7 Series.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just when you think it’s safe to step back into the courtroom, another week proves otherwise. On this episode of Crime Roundup, Sheryl McCollum and Joshua Schiffer dig into the newly released Karen Read transcripts that reveal what really happened behind the bench, the face-tattooed suspect raising eyebrows in the Celeste Rivas investigation, and a cruise ship death now under federal review. Together, they take on the week’s most unsettling cases the only way they know how: with sharp insight, hard facts, and a measured dose of humor.

Highlights:

• (0:00) Welcome to Crime Roundup with Sheryl McCollum and Joshua Schiffer

• (1:15) Karen Read updates: prosecution releases sidebar transcripts and what they reveal

• (4:45) The reality of “bench conferences” and how they shape public perception of justice

• (6:00) When prosecutors overcharge: discretion, burden of proof, and why it matters

• (9:15) “Creep Factor” cases and the week’s most unsettling stories, featuring an update

in the Celeste Rivas investigation

• (17:15) Cultural assumptions and the hidden bias in courtroom decision-making

• (21:30) Death penalty leverage, coerced confessions, and systemic pressure

• (22:45) Cruise ship tragedy: an 18-year-old cheerleader found dead under a bed, and what investigators know so far

• (27:45) Ripple effects: trauma across families, classmates, and communities

• (28:15) Finding gratitude in chaos: Joshua’s ATV story and the beauty in everyday moments

About the Hosts

Joshua Schiffer is a veteran trial attorney and one of the Southeast’s most respected legal voices. He is a founding partner at ChancoSchiffer P.C., where he has litigated high-stakes criminal, civil rights, and personal injury cases for over two decades. Known for his bold courtroom presence and ability to clearly explain complex legal issues, Schiffer is a frequent media contributor and a fearless advocate for accountability.

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 4 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, earned her an Emmy Award for CSI: Atlanta and induction into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023.

Preorder Sheryl’s upcoming book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Lessons in Life,

Justice, and Joy from a Forensic Scientist, releasing May 2026 from Simon and Schuster.

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Swans-Dont-Swim-in-a-Sewer/Sheryl-MacMcCollum/9798895652824

Want more from Sheryl?

Catch her every week on the Zone 7 podcast, where she hosts the main series on Wednesdays,Pathology with Dr. Priya on Mondays, and Crime Roundup each Friday alongside Joshua Schiffer.

Subscribe using your favorite podcast platform and leave a review to support the show. Have a case or topic you’d like Sheryl and Joshua to cover? Email [email protected]

Follow the Hosts:

• Sheryl on X: @ColdCaseTips

• Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

• Joshua on X and Instagram: @lawyerschiff

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.