On July 7th, 2013 17-year-old Molly Miller and 22-year-old Colt Haynes disappear in Love County after a car chase with police. The car was driven by a friend, James Con Nipp. Police lost the vehicle somewhere in the area of Long Hollow Rd. and Oswalt Rd in Love County, Oklahoma. Miller and Haynes disappear after the pursuit. Nipp was prosecuted for the car chase in 2014, but no one has been charged in the disappearances of Colt and Molly.

In this episode of Zone 7, Crime Scene Investigator, Sheryl McCollum, talks with retired FBI special agent Maureen O’Connell about the disappearance of Molly Miller and Colt Haynes. Together, they recount their journey investigating this case, sharing insights into their process of collecting potential evidence, unique challenges presented when investigating potential water-based crime scenes, and interpreting crime scene clues, and much more.   

If you have any information about this case call 800-522-8017 or submit a tip online at [email protected]

Show Notes:

• [0:00] Welcome back to Zone 7 with Crime Scene Investigator, Sheryl McCollum. Sheryl recalls her early experiences with her older siblings that piqued her interest in law enforcement
• [1:44] Sheryl gives listeners a recap of the case of Molly Miller and Colt Haynes, who vanished after a high-speed police chase. If you missed the previous episode regarding this case visit this link Chasing the Truth: The Molly and Colt Case | Rob and Cindy
• [2:45] Sheryl introduces retired FBI special agent Maureen O'Connell to the listeners  
• [6:30] The duo shares their investigative journey in Oklahoma, traversing dense woods and waterways in search of clues
• [9:30] Maureen elaborates on the thought process and challenges of visualizing different crime scenarios to deduce the most probable outcome
• [10:20] Sheryl highlights Maureen's instinct-driven approach during investigations, constantly brainstorming new ideas
• [11:52] The investigators commend their team's dedication, especially Toby, who played a crucial role in their work
• [12:29] Question: Can you tell the listeners your approach when working on a crime scene? 
• [15:30] The meticulous process of sifting through potential evidence
• [16:33] Maureen underlines the importance of documenting evidence locations, aiding in focusing their search
• [20:23] The investigators speculate that the victims could be nearby, suggesting a quick, simple body disposal
• [21:07] “The hallmark of any good investigator, as you well know, is to go exactly where the evidence leads you.”
• [25:45] Question: If you could go back in time, what would you do day one and minute one?
• [28:40] A visit to the scene allows Maureen and Sheryl to connect the dots in their investigation, with the fishing hole and pier providing key insights
• [29:50] A conversation with Toby, reveals crucial information about the suspects' illegal activities on his land
• [30:47] “Trust your gut.” -A.W
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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 a CSI for a metro Atlanta Police Department. She 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, a collaboration between universities and colleges that brings researchers, practitioners, students and the criminal justice community together to advance techniques in solving cold cases and assist families and law enforcement with solvability factors for unsolved homicides, missing persons, and kidnapping cases.  

You can connect and learn more about Sheryl’s work by visiting the CCIRI website https://coldcasecrimes.org

Social Links:

• Email: [email protected]
• Twitter: @ColdCaseTips
• Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

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