Zone 7 with Sheryl McCollum

In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum is joined by retired Las Vegas Police Sergeant Jenn Benjamins for a look inside undercover police work. Jenn explains what separates basic surveillance from true deep cover, where officers must build believable identities, speak the language of the street, and think fast enough to avoid being “made.” She discusses prostitution stings, pimp culture, human trafficking, and why undercover work requires a specific kind of officer. Jenn also shares how she now carries that experience into Covert Blue LLC, her law enforcement training company, where she helps prepare officers for undercover operations, investigations, leadership, and the realities of the job.

Highlights:
(0:00) Sheryl McCollum introduces retired Las Vegas Metro Police Sergeant Jenn Benjamins and her 22 years on the force
(1:15) Jenn explains why undercover work can produce some of the strongest evidence in criminal investigations
(2:15) “Doing theater” for suspects and why successful undercover work requires acting, instinct, and total commitment to the role
(4:15) How officers avoid getting “made” while working prostitution and narcotics cases
(8:00) Why only a small percentage of officers may be suited for undercover assignments
(11:15) The importance of knowing street talk, pricing, roles, and expectations during vice investigations
(16:00) Sheryl and Jenn discuss the kind of money that moves through high-end escort work in Las Vegas and why leaving is often more complicated than people assume●
(19:00) Jenn explains the different types of pimps, including Casanova and gorilla pimps, and how violence and gang culture changed the prostitution landscape
(22:30) Major events like the Super Bowl and the World Cup, the “circuit,” and how large
gatherings can bring increased prostitution, trafficking, and related crime into host cities
(29:30) Jenn talks about dressing the part, avoiding entrapment concerns, and building a believable undercover appearance
(35:15) Sheryl honors Jenn’s law enforcement service and her work training future undercover officers through Covert Blue LLC

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Jenn Benjamins is a retired Las Vegas Metro Police Department sergeant with more than 22 years of experience in patrol, investigations, criminal intelligence, vice, organized crime, and undercover operations. She is the founder of Covert Blue LLC, where she trains law enforcement professionals in undercover work, investigations, leadership, and officer wellness.

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 episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum is joined by retired Police Chief Frank Frederickson and Michelle Linn for a case that began with a violent 1988 Cape Cod assault and, years later, became something neither of them could have imagined. Frederickson, then a newly assigned detective, recalls a summer of escalating attacks across Hyannis and Barnstable, Massachusetts, and the unconventional decision to bring Michelle along into the nightclubs to search for the man who attacked her. Michelle shares what finally convinced her to report the assault, how she knew her attacker the instant she saw him, and how one of the most traumatic experiences of her life led to justice, healing, and an unexpected love story.

Highlights:
(0:00) Sheryl McCollum introduces retired Police Chief Frank Frederickson and details his decades of law enforcement service
(1:00) Frank describes the 1988 Cape Cod case and “sets the stage” before cell phones, DNA testing, cameras, and modern investigative tools
(2:00) A young woman is attacked while trying to retrieve a motel key; a passerby intervenes as the attacker tries to drag her across the road
(3:45) Similar assaults begin happening weekly in Barnstable and Hyannis, Massachusetts, growing more violent as the summer goes on
(4:45) Michelle tells Frank she believes she will know the assailant if she sees him again
(7:15) Michelle spots the man outside a Hyannis nightclub
(8:00) Frank describes following the suspect until a liquor store stop gives police a reason to approach him
(11:15) Michelle joins the conversation and shares how she recognized her attacker and what she remembered from the attack
(15:30) Michelle recalls not wanting to report the assault, and the moment her friend convinced her that staying silent could put someone else at risk
(21:30) Frank and Michelle share the unexpected turn their lives took years later

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.

Frank Frederickson is a retired chief of police with more than 45 years in law enforcement, beginning with the Yarmouth Police Department in 1977 and retiring in 2022. He has served as director of government affairs for the Massachusetts Fraternal Order of Police and as executive director of the New England Association of Chiefs of Police.
Michelle Linn is a survivor whose courage helped investigators identify and arrest the man responsible for a series of sexual assaults on Cape Cod in 1988. Her decision to report, stay involved, and trust what she recognized helped bring justice for multiple victims.

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 follow-up episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum is joined by retired NYPD detectives Tom Smith and Dan Murphy of Gold Shields to take an investigative look at the unresolved case of Stevie Bates. After revisiting Stevie’s 2012 disappearance and the 2020 discovery of her remains in Glendale, Queens, Sheryl, Tom, and Dan discuss the key questions that remain. They examine why the deleted Facebook messages raise red flags, the legal issues surrounding a squatted property, and why the discovery of Stevie’s remains, wrapped in a blanket and disposed of five feet below ground, points to someone who knew her, knew the area, and likely had help. They also urge anyone with information, no matter how small it may seem, to come forward and help bring resolution to the case and justice for Stevie.

Missed Part One?
For more background on Stevie Bates’ life, disappearance, and her family’s perspective, listen to the first episode with Stevie’s cousin, Isis Jannierre:
Stevie Bates Made It Back to New York. Then She Vanished

Highlights:
(0:00) Sheryl McCollum recaps Stevie Bates’ 2012 disappearance, her last known sighting, and the eight-year gap before her remains were found
(3:45) Why unresolved cases can be especially frustrating when key investigative opportunities may have been missed
(4:45) Why a warrant likely wasn’t even required for the squatted property, and what that missed window could have meant
(6:00) The importance of conducting face-to-face interviews, doing street work, and reading reactions
(7:15) Dan’s starting point: the boyfriend, the gap in Stevie’s timeline, and retracing her last known steps
(9:00) Stevie’s relationship history, financial patterns, and the question of motive
(12:45) Three crime scenes: Where Stevie was killed, how she was moved, and where her remains were found
(14:15) Why working around a person of interest beats confronting them directly
(16:15) Sources, leverage, and who in his circle may know more than they’ve shared
(17:30) Wrapped in a blanket, buried five feet down: what the recovery scene says about planning, knowledge of the area, and who may have helped
(23:00) A cold case where a long-term undercover placement finally drew out the statements investigators needed “to bring to conclusion”
(25:00) Tom and Dan speak directly to anyone with information and call for a fresh NYPD cold case review

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.

Dan Murphy is a retired NYPD detective sergeant with extensive experience in homicide, major case investigations, and counterterrorism. He co-hosts the Gold Shields podcast and previously served as Chief Security Officer for U.S. Bancorp.
Tom Smith is a retired NYPD detective, 2024 National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame inductee, and co-host of the Gold Shields podcast. Over 30 years with the NYPD, he worked in patrol, narcotics, robbery investigations, and the FBI/NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force.

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 hasworked 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 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 become a vulnerability. Huck, a juvenile court intake officer and former public defender investigator, explains how a case like this may move through the justice system, including mental health evaluations, prior behavior, and the role social media could play. Together, they look at the trauma this leaves on both riders and horses, the security gaps it exposes, and why animal cruelty cases raise concerns about future violence.

Highlights:
(0:00) Sheryl McCollum welcomes Caroline and Huck McCollum to Zone 7 and introduces the Las Vegas horse stabbing case
(1:00) Three horses, Sully, Detail, and Rocket, are stabbed at South Point Casino and police quickly identify a suspect
(3:15) Caroline and Huck bring their own field experience, from horse riding and juvenile court to wildlife forensic training
(4:30) Inside the open, social world of competitive riding and why barn access can create security concerns
(6:15) Caroline weighs in on animal cruelty as a possible red flag for deeper behavioral concerns
(7:30) Huck explains why police withheld the suspect’s name and how being weeks away from turning 18 could affect the case
(8:15) Mental health history, school records, prior behavior, and what juvenile court may examine
(9:45) The “crush theory” and how months of messages may point to fixation before the attack
(13:45) Premeditation, the suspected weapon, and the suspect’s actions after leaving the barn
(16:45) Caroline explains why the placement of the wounds matters and how close the horses came to dying
(19:30) The permanence of social media, including how posts, messages, and saved chats could help investigators understand the suspect’s behavior
(24:45) What this case may change for barn access, event credentials, cameras, and future horse show security

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.

Caroline McCollum is a criminology student, longtime horse rider, and lifelong volunteer with the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute. She has also trained with the Wildlife Forensic Academy in South Africa and volunteers with the Wildlife CSI Academy.

Huck McCollum is a former public defender investigator and current juvenile court intake officer. He has trained with the Wildlife Forensic Academy in South Africa and volunteers with the Wildlife CSI Academy.

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 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 disappeared in 1934 while investigating illegal deer kills, and the family memory that helped bring answers to Idaho’s oldest cold murder case nearly 90 years later. Ed also explains how wildlife crimes can connect to broader criminal enterprises, how wildlife officers became part of the Christopher Dorner manhunt, and what listeners can expect from the new wolf-focused season of Nature’s Secret Service, where wolf recovery, poaching investigations, and the politics of conservation collide.

Highlights:
(0:00) Sheryl McCollum opens Zone 7 with the danger and isolation of wildlife law enforcement before welcoming guests Ed Newcomer and Tony Latham
(2:45) Why wildlife crimes are often connected to broader criminal activity
(4:00) Tony recounts the murders of Idaho game wardens Bill Pogue and Conley Elms by Claude Dallas
(7:00) How the Christopher Dorner manhunt unexpectedly intersected with California wildlife officers
(11:45) The 1934 disappearance of Idaho game warden Art Teed
(13:30) Art Teed’s locked vehicle, uneaten lunch, and the massive search that followed his disappearance
(15:15) The false report that shifted the case and left Art Teed’s family without answers for generations
(17:15) Karen Downing reads a local newspaper and connects a family story to Art Teed’s murder
(19:00) George Pentland, two child witnesses, and the family accounts that finally helped close Idaho’s oldest cold murder case
(21:45) Ed previews the wolf-focused season of Nature’s Secret Service and the controversy around wolf recovery
(26:30) Sheryl closes with Theodore Roosevelt’s words on the courage and hardiness of game protectors

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.

Ed Newcomer is a former special agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where he spent more than 20 years investigating wildlife trafficking and other wildlife crimes. He is the host of Nature’s Secret Service, a true crime podcast focused on wildlife law enforcement, poaching, trafficking, and the officers who protect wild animals and plants.

Tony Latham is a retired Idaho Fish and Game conservation officer and regional investigator who worked on overt and covert wildlife crime investigations, including cases involving the illegal killing of Idaho’s big game. He is the author of A Case So Cold: The Murder of an Idaho Game Warden, which examines the 1934 murder of Idaho game warden Art Teed.

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.