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 the ransom note narrative never rang true, and the steps investigators can still take to regain traction.
Guest Bio
Joe Giacalone is a retired NYPD sergeant and former commanding officer of the Bronx Cold Case Squad. He serves as an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and is the author of, “The Criminal Investigative Function: A Guide for New Investigators and The Cold Case Handbook.”
Giacalone also hosts True Crime with the Sarge and is a frequent media commentator on criminal investigations.
About the Host
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 case include, in part, The Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, and Tupac Shakur. McCollum’s work on 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: [email protected]
X: @zone7squad
Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum
Instagram: @officialzone7podcast
Preorder Sheryl’s upcoming book, “Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Lessons in Life, Justice, and Joy from a Forensic Scientist,” releasing May 2026 from Simon and Schuster.
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
[Feature Photo: Jeff Robb, a Seattle resident wintering in Tucson, signs a banner supporting Nancy Guthrie in Tucson Ariz., on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)]
