Dismemberment, Fraud, Identity Theft: A 16-Year Hunt For Justice

Zone 7 with Sheryl McCollum

Work a cold case alongside investigator Sheryl “Mac” McCollum, Director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute. Every week, Sheryl dives in…

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*The names in this case discussion have been changed to protect the investigation's integrity.

Guest Bio and Links:

Clay Bryant is a retired chief of police, author, and cold case expert with decades of experience in law enforcement. Known for his meticulous attention to detail, Clay has solved numerous high-profile cases, bringing closure to families and communities.

Clay is the author of three books:

The Cold Case Murder of Fred Wilkerson: Untangling the Black Widow's Web in West Georgia

Solving the West Georgia Murder of Gwendolyn Moore: A Cry From the Well

Solving the Murder of Vieng Phovixay: Evil Dwells in West Georgia (True Crime)

In this episode of Zone 7, Crime Scene Investigator, Sheryl McCollum and returning guest, Clay Bryant dive into the gruesome case of a victim, whose dismembered body was found in a burning black bag in December 2007. Clay uncovers the investigation's unique challenges, including the victim's posthumous identity theft perpetrated by the suspect, who assumed her benefits and life. The victim’s identity remained a mystery until 2023 when advances in DNA technology and ancestry databases provided a breakthrough.

Show Notes:

(0:00) Welcome back to Zone 7 with Crime Scene Investigator, Sheryl McCollum
(0:15) A brief background of the case discussed
(0:35) Sheryl introduces guest, Clay Bryant back to Zone 7
(3:30) Identifying the victim
(5:00) The adoption connection
(7:00) Identity theft and fraud
(8:00) Tracking the imposter/suspect
(16:30) Evidence of dismemberment in the apartment
(19:00) Arrest made on the suspect
(21:00) Ongoing investigations and collaborations
(29:30) “Crime is common. Logic is rare. Therefore, it's upon the logic rather than the crime that you should dwell.” -A.C.D
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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.

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