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 years including Abby and Libby in Delphi and Melissa Wolfenbarger in Atlanta. They emphasize the importance of showing up, returning to the facts, and continuing the work on behalf of victims and families. The episode closes with a tribute to the late Captain Dr. Duanne Thompson, honoring his legacy of quiet loyalty, humility, and lifelong commitment to service.

Highlights:

(0:00) Sheryl McCollum welcomes Ashley Willcott to Zone 7

(1:45) Court TV’s transition, Law & Crime, and the importance of cameras in the courtroom

(3:30) The emotional toll of child cases on professionals

(4:30) Ashley explains why child welfare became the focus of her legal career

(7:15) Sheryl reflects on Ashley’s hands-on work with the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute

(9:15) Why showing up, knowing your strengths, and doing the legwork can change case outcomes

(11:15) Facts vs. opinions: Ashley explains how judges must separate evidence from assumptions

(13:45) Ashley’s new 60-second legal updates and the need for fast, fact-based case analysis

(19:30) From the bench to television Ashley’s path through child advocacy, Law & Crime, and Court TV

(23:00) “Surround yourself with good”: Ashley and Sheryl discuss learning from people who make you better

(25:15) The Delphi case, Abby and Libby, and why going to the scene can change how a case is understood

(27:45) Melissa Wolfenbarger, returning to square one, and the importance of boots-on-the-ground cold case work

(29:15) Remembering Dr. Henry Lee and the unexpected lesson that took over a crime convention classroom

(31:00) Sheryl and Ashley honor Captain Dr. Duanne Thompson and his lifelong commitment to service

(35:30) Sheryl shares the story of Duanne sitting in her mother-in-law’s driveway night after night

(38:00) Final reflections and Sheryl’s closing quote from Captain Dr. Duanne Thompson: “You know where to find me.”

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.

Ashley Willcott is a former judge, trial attorney, mediator, and Certified Child Welfare Law Specialist with more than 20 years of experience advocating for children in the legal system. She previously served as the Governor-appointed Child Advocate for the state of Georgia before transitioning to television, becoming a trusted legal analyst and anchor known for her work with Court TV and Law & Crime. She also serves as an expert with the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute.

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: coldcase2004@gmail.com

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.

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, and makes the case that investigators may need to reset and start again from the ground up.

Highlights:

(0:00) Welcome to Zone 7 with Sheryl McCollum

(0:15) The Hampton’s Whodunit event and early release of Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer

(2:00) Nancy Guthrie case: “You don’t tell the evidence what happened; you let the evidence tell you.”

(3:45) The critical overnight timeline: Nancy’s drop-off, camera activity, and pacemaker disconnect

(5:15) Immediate red flags that point to an abduction rather than a disappearance

(6:00) The masked suspect’s gear, behavior on camera, and evidence that points to one suspect, not a team

(9:00) What the blood patterns at the front door reveal about the attack

(11:30) Camera tampering, staging, and contradictions in the jammer theory

(13:30) Key takeaways that reshape the case and call for an investigative reset

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 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: coldcase2004@gmail.com

X: @ColdCaseTips

Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

TikTok: @Sheryl.McCollum

Preorder Sheryl’s upcoming book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint River Killer’s Daughter, releasing May 12, 2026.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 coverage. They discuss the public’s fascination with true crime, investigative missteps, and the emotional weight of sitting near violent offenders, including a moment when Matt says it felt as if “the devil is real, and here he is.

Highlights:

(0:00) Sheryl McCollum welcomes Matt Johnson to Zone 7

(2:45) Matt’s process for turning complex cases into clear, headline-driven reporting

(5:45) The pressure of explaining a full case narrative in seconds on live television

(7:15) Matt describes seeing Bryan Kohberger in court and the feeling of being near what he describes as “pure creep and evil”

(10:00) The psychological impact of observing defendants like Lori Vallow Daybell during trial

(14:30) The Delphi murders, Richard Allen, and how courtroom access, investigative gaps, and missing details shape public trust

(18:15) Rex Heuermann, plea deals, and the answers families may never fully receive

(20:45) Matt describes Rex Heuermann’s courtroom presence and the unsettling behavior he observed

(26:00) The early cases that shaped Matt’s career, including the Turpin family case and Rebecca Zahau

(29:30) Matt shares his new YouTube venture: True Crime and Justice with Matt Johnson

(31:00) Sheryl closes with a Karen Read quote that captures Matt’s next chapter

Guest Bio:

Matt Johnson is an Emmy Award-winning crime and justice correspondent for Court TV Network covering major criminal cases and high-profile trials. He hosts the award-winning true crime podcast True Crime Deadline and recently launched True Crime and Justice with Matt Johnson on YouTube

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: coldcase2004@gmail.com

X: @ColdCaseTips

Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

TikTok: @Sheryl.McCollum

Preorder Sheryl’s upcoming book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint River Killer’s Daughter, releasing May 12, 2026.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.