In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum is joined by attorney Joshua Schiffer to examine the case of 15-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Celeste, a runaway, was found decomposing in the trunk of an abandoned Tesla registered to a rising star named David. They review what is currently known about the investigation and discuss the disturbing connections between Celeste and David, including their matching “shhh” tattoos and a song released on her birthday that now carries chilling significance. They also question how a 13-year-old could vanish for nearly two years, raising concerns about communal responsibility and the protection of vulnerable youth.

Joshua Schiffer is a veteran attorney and one of the Southeast’s most respected legal voices. He is a founder 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 contributor to Zone 7 and a fearless advocate for accountability.

Highlights:

• (0:00) Sheryl welcomes Joshua Schiffer and introduces the case of Celeste Rivas Hernandez
• (1:45) The discovery of the body in the abandoned Tesla and the first red flags
• (3:00) Tesla technology, surveillance footage, and how modern cars track everything
• (7:15) Celeste's background: How does a 13-year-old vanish without support or detection?
• (9:30) Fan culture and the personal connection between Celeste and the singer
• (11:30) The silence of family, neighbors, schools, and systems that failed her
• (19:30) "You’ve got a head and a torso of a 15-year-old in a Tesla.” Examining decomposition, concealment, and the physical evidence left behind
• (21:30) Third-party defense strategies and future courtroom challenges
• (28:15) A tribute to Celeste, a plea for societal change, and a closing quote from “Romantic Homicide”

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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

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Start your day with the news only the New York Post can deliver, with their brand-new daily podcast, NYPOSTcast. From the iconic newspaper that pulls no punches, you’ll get the headlines you need and the stories you want. Every episode includes a deep dive into a headline impacting your world plus, the Post’s signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime, and everything in between. In today's episode, host Caitlyn Becker looks at the Charlie Kirk memorial service, a shooting at a wedding in New Hampshire, and an Oregon Senator who's children are being blamed for the suicide of a family assistant.

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This week on Pathology with Dr. Priya, a Zone 7 series, Dr. Priya Banerjee and Sheryl McCollum walk through a case that’s captured national attention—the discovery of a missing teenager’s body in the trunk of a car linked to a rising music star.

From decomposition and dismemberment, to teeth, tattoos, and tech, Dr. Priya breaks down how identification works when the body is severely compromised. Together, she and Sheryl discuss the forensic challenges, legal red flags, and the many unanswered questions that still surround the case.

Highlights

• (0:00) Sheryl McCollum and Dr. Priya focus the week’s episode on the discovery of a young girl's body in the trunk of a famous musician’s car
• (4:45) How decomposition and dismemberment alter a body, and the tools pathologists use to uncover the truth
• (11:00) Tattoos, teeth, and tech come into play as investigators work to identify the victim and interpret the meaning behind the song “Romantic Homicide”
• (15:30) Dating a minor: red flags, blurred boundaries, and the legal realities behind grooming and consent
• (16:45) “I got a beater car, and if it ain’t in my driveway, I’m going to call somebody.” Why the car wasn't reported stolen and what that might suggest about ownership and intent
• (17:45) How anthropology and toxicology provide answers when traditional autopsy results fall short
• (24:30) Looking at the bigger picture: survival, exploitation, and the forensic clues left behind in both bones and behaviors

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: @149zone7
Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum
Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

📣 If this episode opened your eyes to the reality behind the headlines, 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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