This week on Crime Roundup, former Secret Service agent Jim Rathmann joins Sheryl McCollum to examine the assassination of Charlie Kirk and what it reveals about growing security threats in the United States. Using his protection and weapons expertise, Rathmann walks through the timeline of the attack, analyzes the shooter’s behavior, and highlights security failures that left both the speaker and crowd exposed. Sheryl and Jim also discuss the rise of copycat violence, the role of online misinformation, and the ethical consequences of political extremism.

Highlights:

• (0:00) Sheryl opens with a breakdown of the Charlie Kirk assassination timeline
• (2:15) Jim Rathmann joins the show and discusses early video footage, crowd reactions, and the shot trajectory
• (6:30) Was it a professional hit or an untrained attack? Breaking down shot placement and rooftop tactics
• (8:30) Copycats and connections: what this attack has in common with others
• (14:15) "That guy looks like my doppelganger”: the suspect’s online posts and chat group confession
• (15:45) A father's choice to turn in his son and the aftermath for two families
• (19:30) Security failures, skipped steps, and countermeasures needed for the safety of future public events
• (21:45) Political differences, free speech, and finding a moral compass
• (25:45) Debunking conspiracy theories, online speculation, and viral misinformation
• (32:15) Sheryl commends law enforcement’s 16-minute response and coordinated effort
• (34:45) Future threats: desperation for attention and the risk of copycats
• (37:00) Sheryl wraps the show with some good news: Jim’s son Ethan’s baseball success

About the Hosts

Joshua Schiffer is a veteran trial attorney and one of the Southeast’s most respected legal voices. He is a founding partner at ChancoSchiffer P.C., where he has litigated high-stakes criminal, civil rights, and personal injury cases for over two decades. Known for his bold courtroom presence and ability to clearly explain complex legal issues, Schiffer is a frequent media contributor and a fearless advocate for accountability.

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 co-author of the textbook Cold Case: Pathways to Justice. She is the founder and director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, a national collaboration that advances techniques for solving cold cases and assists families and law enforcement with unsolved homicides, missing persons, and kidnappings.

🎧 Want more from Sheryl?

Catch her every week on the Zone 7 podcast, where she hosts the main series on Wednesdays, Pathology with Dr. Priya on Mondays, and Crime Roundup each Friday alongside Joshua Schiffer.

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Subscribe using your favorite podcast platform and leave a review to support the show. Have a case or topic you’d like Sheryl and Joshua to cover?

Email coldcase2004@gmail.com

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• Sheryl on X: @ColdCaseTips
• Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum
• Joshua on X and Instagram: @lawyerschiff

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In Part 4 of the Olympic Park bombing series, Sheryl McCollum talks with Fallon Stubbs about her mother, Alice Hawthorne. Fallon recalls Alice’s influence as a devoted mother and businessperson, and the way she uplifted those around her. She shares memories of leaders who visited her in the hospital after the bombing and reflects on carrying Alice’s words, spirit, and legacy into her own life.

At just 14 years old, Fallon Stubbs was standing beside her mother, Alice Hawthorne, in Centennial Olympic Park when a bomb exploded during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. She was injured by shrapnel and required surgery, while Alice lost her life in the blast. Today, Fallon honors her mother’s memory with deep respect and love, sharing her story of resilience, family, and purpose.

Missed the previous episodes?

• Listen to Part 1 with Irv Brandt
• Listen to Part 2 with Kent Alexander
• Listen to Part 3 with Dana Jewell

Highlights:

• (0:00) Sheryl welcomes Fallon Stubbs and remembers Alice Hawthorne
• (5:00) Memories of Alice as a devoted mother and businessperson
• (9:45) Alice's influence in Albany and the community she uplifted
• (12:30) Ambassador Andrew Young, Reverend Jesse Jackson, and Reverend Joseph E. Lowery visit Fallon in the hospital
• (22:00) Fallon recounts the bombing and her last moments with her mother
• (28:30) "Take the damn picture” — how Sheryl reframed Fallon’s last words into a message of love
• (30:15) Fallon reflects on carrying Alice’s memory and living with purpose
• (34:30) Sheryl closes with words from Andrew Young and Fallon Stubbs

Enjoying Zone 7? Leave a rating and review. Your feedback helps others find the show and supports our mission to educate and investigate.

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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 co-author of the textbook Cold Case: Pathways to Justice. She is the founder and director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, a national collaboration that advances techniques for solving cold cases and assists families and law enforcement with unsolved homicides, missing persons, and kidnappings.

Social Links:

• Email: coldcase2004@gmail.com
• Twitter: @ColdCaseTips
• Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum
• Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Content Warning: This episode contains graphic discussion of sexual behavior, bodily insertions, foreign objects, and autoerotic asphyxiation. Listener discretion is advised.

Returning from CrimeCon 2025, Dr. Priya Banerjee and Sheryl McCollum open this episode with reflections on the people who moved them, the cold cases that stopped them in their tracks, and the power of connection in the world of true crime. Then, they pivot to a vastly different kind of casework: foreign objects found inside the human body. From surgical tools accidentally left behind to items inserted for sexual pleasure or criminal intent, Dr. Priya shares unforgettable autopsy findings and the often-overlooked forensic clues they offer. As always, it’s a blend of personal and professional, science and heart, in a conversation only these two could have.

Highlights

• (0:00) Sheryl McCollum and Dr. Priya open the week’s episode with reflections from CrimeCon 2025
• (9:30) The saying that starts it all: “If there’s an opening, you can put something in it”
• (11:15) A grocery store, a steak, and a choking death no one expected
• (15:00) What pathologists can infer from surgical tools left inside the body
• (17:00) Autoerotic asphyxiation, sex toys, and accidental death that look like something else
• (21:00) From lightbulbs to screwdrivers, bottles to vegetables: unexpected insertions and the injuries they cause
• (24:30) Forensic red flags: how Dr. Priya distinguishes between consent and crime
• (27:45) Final reflections on connection, continuing education, and the parents who turn tragedy into change

About the Hosts

Dr. Priya Banerjee is a board-certified forensic pathologist with extensive experience in death investigation, clinical forensics, and courtroom testimony. A graduate of Johns Hopkins, she served for over a decade as Rhode Island’s state medical examiner and now runs a private forensic pathology practice. Her work includes military deaths, NSA cases, and high-profile investigations. Dr. Priya has also been featured as a forensic expert on platforms such as CrimeOnline and Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. She is a dedicated educator, animal lover, and proud mom.

Website: anchorforensicpathology.com
Twitter/X: @Autopsy_MD

Sheryl McCollum is an Emmy Award–winning CSI, a writer for CrimeOnline, and the Forensic and Crime Scene Expert for Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. She works as a CSI for a metro Atlanta Police Department and 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 (CCIRI), a nationally recognized nonprofit that brings together universities, law enforcement, and experts to help solve unsolved homicides, missing persons cases, and kidnappings.

Email: coldcase2004@gmail.com
Twitter/X: @ColdCaseTips
Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum
Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

📣 If this episode surprised you, share it. Follow the show, tell a friend, and leave a review. Your support helps others discover the science, the stories, and the heart behind Pathology with Dr. Priya | A Zone 7 Series.

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