In this episode of Zone 7, Crime Scene Investigator Sheryl McCollum talks with Lindsey Wade about her detective expertise, the early days of crime solving, and how free-range parenting changed in the ’90s. Lindsey brings light to many topics in her book, "In My DNA," and more. 

Show Notes:

• [0:00] Sheryl sets the scene to the episode and the guest for today’s zone 7 guest
• [3:10] “Sometimes in your life there will be full circle moments that you could never predict.”
• [4:17] Welcome back to Zone 7 with Crime Scene Investigator, Sheryl McCollum. Sheryl introduces guest, Lindsey Wade to the listeners. Lindsey is a 14-year retired detective and author. Her retirement life has been spent in the SAKE program and as a senior investigator. 
• [7:13] Lindsey's early interest in crime solving
• [11:23] What happened to free-range parenting?
• [14:02] “During the search of the vehicle, we found six rolls of various kinds of tape. Thin white rope, a black handle butcher knife under the driver's seat. It's rape. I also observed the interior passenger side door handle was missing.”
• [16:24] Chapter seven: He picked that time, he picked that hour, he picked that victim. So if you go there, you can get insight from him. So kind of walk us through the importance for you of walking that crime scene from a cold case. 
• [20:35] Question: You are absolutely brilliant at utilizing resources and you do so many smart things like using somebody to help you create a time that includes documents from law enforcement, Department of Corrections, employment history, vehicle registration, address, history. Can you tell us who you used and how that came about? 
• [22:43] Question: So tell us about the John Doe warrant. This is another thing that you did a couple of times that I thought everybody needs to hear that and just be reminded of. 
• [26:23] Sexual predators: residents or predators? 
• [27:09] Dna in CODIS 
• [30::25] “I hate the term peeping Tom. We all know in this business, that's not what they're doing. No. And here's one thing I want people to understand.” 
• [40:00] “Sometimes I'll, I'll hear something about another jurisdiction in another state and I still feel compelled to call 'em and just say, Hey, I know you don't know me, but have you thought of this? You had such a full circle moment with, you know, the child from your community that was killed and then you solved it when you were grown. I mean, I just think that is unbelievable. Twist of fate that was, in my opinion 
• [42:12] “Have no regrets. Change the question mark into an exclamation point. One person can change the world, and I think that sums up Detective Lindsey Wade perfectly
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• About the ‘Zone 7’ Host

  Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an Emmy Award-winning CSI, a writer for CrimeOnline, a forensic and crime scene expert for “Crime Stories with Nancy Grace,” and a CSI for a metro-area Atlanta Police Department. She is the co-author of the textbook, “Cold Case: Pathways to Justice.”

  McCollum 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. They come 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.

  You can connect and learn more about McCollum’s work by visiting the CCIRI website https://coldcasecrimes.org

  Social Links:

  • Email: coldcase2004@gmail.com
  • Twitter: @ColdCaseTips
  • Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum