CrimeCon Las Vegas Spotlight: Sheryl McCollum
April 8, 2022
LIVE EVENT
CrimeHQ and our host Kelly McLear were overjoyed to finally welcome longtime friend Sheryl McCollum to the platform, at our CrimeCon Las Vegas Spotlight special event. McCollum is the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute of America, a crime scene investigator and, as McLear says, a "legend when it comes to CrimeCon."
"Mac" is known for her deep Southern drawl, in which she started by saying, "I am so excited, honey, let's get to it!" McLear points out that while Mac has been a part of CrimeCon since day one, Nancy Grace is commonly referred to as "The Queen of CrimeCon." McLear wanted to know what that makes Mac, then. "The Court Jester, I'm sure," she responded, with a laugh.
McLear asked Mac to share "when, why, and where" she started her career in law enforcement. "I caught the bug at four years old," she said. But it wasn't till age 18, when she started working at Grady Hospital in its rape crisis center, that she worked directly with detectives and the Atlanta Police Department. She also read and watched anything she could get her hands on that was true crime– or police-related, and still does. She even includes shows like "Police Woman" and "Hawaii 5-0," which she watched when she was little. She saw the film "Walking Tall" when she was only in the first grade, and it made an indelible impression on her. So from that early exposure to law enforcement, she grew up to found the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which is a nonprofit she started when she was a college professor. Its purpose is to assist families and law enforcement with unsolved cases, using satellite offices on college campuses. Mac estimates that the Institute works on about five cases per year, and they're coming up on their 20-year anniversary. And if that weren't enough to be proud of, Mac says, "To my knowledge, I'm the only active crime scene investigator who has an Emmy!" She gives credit to her "sidekick" Karyn Greer, an Atlanta-based investigative journalist and anchor (CBS-46). The duo has solved two of the cold cases they took on together on "CSI: Atlanta," and Mac says there are two others that are making significant progress toward being solved. Mac revealed that Greer will be joining her at CrimeCon, and that she "might have an announcement for y'all!"
This is crimeHQ members-only content! Join now or log in here to continue reading.
A behind-the-scenes conversation with the creators of the hit podcast True Crime News Presents: American Hustlers
The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is Raised by a Serial Killer: Discovering the Truth About My Father by April Balascio . Live Q&A with Author April Balascio on April 1 at 7p ET!
Get ready for an exclusive sneak peek at Dr. Honor Doro Townshend’s all-new online Criminology lecture series, available as a free taster only to crimeHQ members! Join us for the first of three exciting sessions, where the renowned British Criminologist will unveil part one of her upcoming "Introduction to Criminology" package. In this session, you’ll dive into the world of Criminology and discover how it unravels the mysteries of True Crime. Curious about what Criminology really is? Wondering why theory matters or what Criminologists actually do? Dr. Honor will cover it all—and more! Plus, you'll get a first look at the next sessions “Drugs and Crime” and “Serial Murder and Other Violent Crime”, and you will have a chance to ask your burning questions and share your thoughts on what captivates you about the world of Criminology. Be the first to experience this fascinating content, which is set to debut in 2025. Criminology 101: An Exclusive Introduction with Dr. Honor Doro Townshend | Thursday, October 3rd at 8p ET Criminology 102: Unravelling Drugs and Crime | Thursday, November 14th at 8p ET Criminology 103: Decoding Serial Murder and Violent Crime | Thursday, December 5th at 8p ET Join crimeHQ now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions. JOIN NOW →
The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is Never Saw Me Coming by Tanya Smith. Live Q&A with Author Tanya Smith on December 9th at 7p ET!
Get ready for an exclusive sneak peek at Dr. Honor Doro Townshend’s all-new online Criminology lecture series, available as a free taster only to crimeHQ members! Join us for the first of three exciting sessions, where the renowned British Criminologist will unveil part one of her upcoming "Introduction to Criminology" package. In this session, you’ll dive into the world of Criminology and discover how it unravels the mysteries of True Crime. Curious about what Criminology really is? Wondering why theory matters or what Criminologists actually do? Dr. Honor will cover it all—and more! Plus, you'll get a first look at the next sessions “Drugs and Crime” and “Serial Murder and Other Violent Crime”, and you will have a chance to ask your burning questions and share your thoughts on what captivates you about the world of Criminology. Be the first to experience this fascinating content, which is set to debut in 2025. Criminology 101: An Exclusive Introduction with Dr. Honor Doro Townshend | Thursday, October 3rd at 8p ET Criminology 102: Unravelling Drugs and Crime | Thursday, November 14th at 8p ET Criminology 103: Decoding Serial Murder and Violent Crime | Thursday, December 5th at 8p ET Join crimeHQ now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions. JOIN NOW →
It’s a case we’ve followed since CrimeCon began in Indiana in 2017—the same year that Abby and Libby were killed. Over the years their family has become our family. We’ve watched as they’ve processed grief, fought for answers, and showed us all what courage really looks like. Join the crimeHQ team and our friend Susan Hendricks, who has been in the courtroom every day, for a live event to talk about the twists and turns of the case, how the family is holding up, and what it’s like when the national media all descends on a small town like Delphi, Indiana. October 30, 2024 at 8:00pET on crimeHQ
The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is The Book of Murder by Matt Murphy. Live Q&A with Author Matt Murphy on October 22nd!
Get ready for an exclusive sneak peek at Dr. Honor Doro Townshend’s all-new online Criminology lecture series, available as a free taster only to crimeHQ members! Join us for the first of three exciting sessions, where the renowned British Criminologist will unveil part one of her upcoming "Introduction to Criminology" package. In this session, you’ll dive into the world of Criminology and discover how it unravels the mysteries of True Crime. Curious about what Criminology really is? Wondering why theory matters or what Criminologists actually do? Dr. Honor will cover it all—and more! Plus, you'll get a first look at the next sessions “Drugs and Crime” and “Serial Murder and Other Violent Crime”, and you will have a chance to ask your burning questions and share your thoughts on what captivates you about the world of Criminology. Be the first to experience this fascinating content, which is set to debut in 2025. Criminology 101: An Exclusive Introduction with Dr. Honor Doro Townshend | Thursday, October 3rd at 8p ET Criminology 102: Unravelling Drugs and Crime | Thursday, November 14th at 8p ET Criminology 103: Decoding Serial Murder and Violent Crime | Thursday, December 5th at 8p ET Join crimeHQ now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions. JOIN NOW →
Join Eastidahonews.com News Director Nate Eaton for a special live crimeHQ event where he will be joined by Laura and Tom, two jurors who served on the jury of Lori Vallows trial. In this intimate session, they will speak candidly about serving on a high profile jury and the trauma they experienced while dealing with the daily horrific details they heard and saw in the courtroom for two months. You’re not going to want to miss this exclusive crimeHQ members-only session! Live on Wednesday, July 17 at 7p ET Can't make it live? Watch this recorded session on-demand the next day. Join crimeHQ now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions. JOIN NOW →
It was 1994 in DeLand, Florida when 15-year-old Laralee Spear was getting off the school bus just like any other day, but she would never make it home. Laralee was abducted and murdered at an abandoned and burned-out house just a ¼ mile from her home on Deerfoot Road, and the person, or persons, responsible have yet to be apprehended. For the last 30 years, investigators with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office have been working tirelessly to solve her case. Even recently announcing a $100,000 reward for anyone that might have information that leads to an arrest and conviction of Laralee’s killer. In this special crimeHQ session, join Sheryl “Mac” McCollum and lead detective on the case Cordell Lemay, as they take members into the life of Laralee Spear, her death, where the case sits now and what we can do as a community to help. Live on Thursday, July 11 at 7p ET Can't make it live? Watch this recorded session on-demand the next day. Join crimeHQ now and get your first 3 days completely free to explore everything on the platform with NO restrictions. JOIN NOW →
