Zone 7 with Sheryl McCollum

In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum is joined by Caroline McCollum and Huck McCollum to talk about the case involving three horses who were stabbed during a barrel racing event at South Point Casino in Las Vegas. Caroline, a longtime horse rider and criminology student, shares her perspective on what it means to compete with and care for these animals, and how the open, trusting culture of barn life can b...

In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum is joined by former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agent Ed Newcomer and retired Idaho Fish and Game conservation officer Tony Latham for a look at the danger, isolation, and critical work of wildlife law enforcement. They discuss the murders of Idaho game warden Bill Pogue and Conley Elms by Claude Dallas, the cold case of Art Teed, an Idaho game warden who dis...

In 2012, 19-year-old Stevie Bates vanished after calling her mother from a Greyhound bus during a layover in Pittsburgh; she made it back to New York but never made it home. Eight years later, her skeletal remains were discovered wrapped in a blanket at an abandoned house in Queens, the same property where her boyfriend had reportedly been squatting. In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum welcomes Stevie&rsq...

Bestselling true crime author and investigative journalist Aphrodite Jones returns to Zone 7 with Sheryl McCollum to discuss her book Dog O’ War and the fatal 2001 dog mauling of Diane Whipple in San Francisco. Drawing on her extensive reporting on the case, Aphrodite details the connections to the Aryan Brotherhood, the Presa Canario dogs Bane and Hera, and the attorneys whose relationship with an incarce...

In this week’s episode of Zone 7, Sergeant Eric McCants joins Sheryl McCollum to talk about leadership, community policing, and the mindset required to serve well in high-pressure environments. He discusses the importance of communication, building community trust, getting out of the patrol car, and knowing the people you serve before a crisis ever happens. Eric also addresses first responder mental health...

In this week’s episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum is joined by former judge, legal analyst, and former Court TV anchor Ashley Willcott to discuss her decades-long career advocating for children in the legal system, her transition from the bench to television, and her new microformat focusing on fast, fact-based case analysis. Sheryl and Ashley also reflect on cases they have carried with them over the year...

In this week’s episode of Zone 7, more than three months after Nancy Guthrie vanished, Sheryl McCollum returns to the case with one central question: what does the evidence actually prove? From the masked suspect’s behavior on camera to the blood patterns at the front door and the complete absence of credible ransom activity, she argues that the scene shows signs of staging, not a financial motive, a...

In this week’s episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum talks to Court TV correspondent Matt Johnson about what it takes to cover high-profile criminal cases and trials, from the Lori Vallow Daybell case and Rex Heuermann to Karen Read and the Delphi murders. Matt explains how deadlines, jury reactions, and the pressure of live television shape the way he turns hours of courtroom testimony into clear, accessible...

In this week’s episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum talks with retired FBI special agent Jodene Weber about the parallels in their careers and the many times their paths nearly crossed before they officially met. Jodene reflects on the cases that shaped her years in the FBI, from piecing together the timeline of the Olympic Park bombing through crowd photographs to processing debris at the Pentagon after the...

In this week’s episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum welcomes Julie Grant for a special Legend Series conversation about her path from journalism to the courtroom and the commitment to justice that drives her today. As a former prosecutor and Court TV host, Julie discusses her advocacy for domestic violence survivors, explaining how systemic failures, including those seen in the Gabby Petito case, leave victi...

In this week’s episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum talks with forensic DNA expert Suzanna Ryan about how powerful DNA evidence can be and why it is so often misunderstood. They discuss how DNA is analyzed, how touch DNA and mixtures can complicate a case, and how newer tools like genetic genealogy and next-generation sequencing are changing the field. Using the Nancy Guthrie case as an example, Suzanna and ...

In this week’s episode of "Zone 7," retired NYPD detective Mike Alcazar joins Sheryl McCollum to talk about what hostage negotiation looks like when a scene is tense, the stakes are high, and one wrong move can change everything.

Drawing on decades in law enforcement, Mike discusses the Nancy Guthrie case, explains how negotiators read people in real time, and highlights the importance of patience, trust, and teamwo...

In this week’s episode of "Zone 7," Sheryl McCollum talks with author and investigative reporter Casey Sherman about the murder of his aunt, Mary Sullivan, long believed to be the final victim of the Boston Strangler, and the lasting impact her murder had on his family.

Casey explains why his family has long questioned the official story, pointing to evidence that, in his view, complicates what many people...

After weeks of testimony and a defense case that ended without a single witness, the jury in the Kouri Richins trial returned a guilty verdict in the death of Eric Richins.

In this week’s episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum talks with investigative reporter Nate Eaton, who has been in court following the testimony, key witnesses, and the evidence surrounding Eric's death.

Together, they discuss the prosecution's theory of moti...

When an 84-year-old woman vanishes from her home in the middle of the night, leaving behind signs of blood and a struggle, every early decision investigators make is critical.

Retired NYPD sergeant Joe Giacalone returns to Zone 7 to talk with Sheryl McCollum about the Nancy Guthrie investigation and the mistakes they believe set the case back from the start.

Together, they walk through the investigative failures, why...

A late-night stop at a Dairy Queen led to one of the biggest stories of Dale Cardwell’s career.

In this episode of "Zone 7," Sheryl McCollum talks with Dale about the investigation that uncovered corruption inside the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, exposed deputies working on the clock for Sidney Dorsey, and helped fuel a political shakeup that ended in the murder of Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown.

Dale shares how the stor...

This episode of Zone 7’s Crime Roundup captures the energy of the first stop on Sheryl McCollum’s 10-8 Tour: a packed house, a hot mic, and the kind of stories you only get when prosecutors, defense attorneys, detectives, and crime-scene folks are all sitting at the same table.

With Joshua Schiffer and Franz Borghardt alongside her, Sheryl recaps an unforgettable night featuring surprise moments, Tri...

In this "Zone 7" special on the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, Sheryl McCollum and retired NYPD detective Tom Smith break down what a disciplined first 24 hours should have looked like, and why the public-facing story has created confusion.

They walk through the biggest unanswered questions, including “unknown male DNA, ” the surveillance video, and why a classic ransom scenario is not tracking.

For those l...

When a judge declared that Rex Heuermann’s trial would begin after Labor Day “come hell or high water,” the Long Island Serial Killer case entered a decisive new phase.

In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum is joined by journalist Laura Ingle for a boots-on-the-ground update of the Long Island Serial Killer investigation. They examine the sweeping defense omnibus motion, the ongoing fight over ...