Ethan Crumbley Parents Want Evidence Thrown Out in Their Involuntary Manslaughter Trials

Nearly four decades after the Colonial Parkway murders first shocked Virginia, new DNA links have expanded the known scope of the case while raising questions about investigative accountability. In this episode of "Zone 7," Sheryl McCollum is joined by Bill Thomas, whose sister Cathy Thomas was one of the original victims, and Kristin Dilley, his long-time investigative partner and co-host of the podcast, "Mind Over Murder." They walk through the latest DNA identifications tied to Alan Wade Wilmer Sr., the procedural barriers that keep his profile out of CODIS, and the growing divide between state-level momentum and federal inaction. Their discussion centers on what happens when evidence advances while communication and action stall. 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. Guest Bios: Bill Thomas is a victim advocate and the brother of Cathy Thomas, one of the original victims of the Colonial Parkway murders. For nearly four decades, he has worked with law enforcement, forensic experts, and journalists to seek answers in his sister’s case and accountability for all affected families. Bill is co-host of the podcast, "Mind Over Murder," where he focuses on cold cases, investigative transparency, and the systemic challenges families face in long-term homicide investigations. Kristin Dilley is a true crime podcaster, researcher, writer, and teacher based in Williamsburg, Virginia. Kristin has worked alongside Bill Thomas for more than seven years and is the co-host of "Mind Over Murder," where she examines cold cases with an emphasis on evidence, patterns, and victim-centered accountability. 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 cases, including The Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur and 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: coldcase2004@gmail.com • Twitter: @149zone7 • 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. Highlights: • (0:00) Sheryl McCollum opens Zone 7by addressing stalled accountability in long- running cold cases • (0:45) Bill Thomas and Kristin Dilley return to Zone 7 and reflect on their investigative partnership • (2:00) Bill remembers his sister Cathy Thomas, her Naval Academy legacy, her character, and her friend Rebecca Ann Dowski • (5:15) How advocacy and podcasting have helped families move forward on the Colonial Parkway murders • (9:15) The January 2024 public announcement linking Allen Wade Wilmer Sr. to multiple victims • (10:15) The confirmed DNA connection to Laurie Ann Powell • (13:15) Why Wilmer’s DNA is not in CODIS despite evidence of sexual assault • (17:00) Federal communication failures and the limits of victim services updates • (19:15) The contrast between FBI silence and Virginia State Police persistence • (22:45) Whether Cathy Thomas’s case is closer to resolution and what emerging patterns suggest • (25:15) Evidence handling failures and the long-term consequences for families • (33:15) Closing reflections on persistence, accountability, and the cost of waiting decades for answers See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 Jan 33min

Breaking crime news as it happens throughout the day! Follow "Crime Alert Hourly Update" now on your favorite podcast app: https://link.chtbl.com/Crime_Alert Listen here to some of our top stories this week. Stay informed, stay safe, and stay ahead with "Crime Alert Hourly Update.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

24 Jan 11min

Netflix’s docuseries, "Sean Combs: The Reckoning" is a four-part series from executive producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. Its popularity is proven, with nearly 22 million viewings tallied in its opening week. Now, Combs is "pondering" suing over episodes and "stolen footage,” revealing behind the scenes images of Diddy, in the day leading up to his arrest. Diddy still faces many sexual assault civil complaints, but is appealing his conviction on two lesser counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Now, we learn Diddy is getting out on May 25, 2028. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

24 Jan 58min

Brian Walshe sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. This after a Massachusetts jury finds him guilty of killing and dismembering his wife, the mother of their three children. Ana Walshe, went missing on Jan. 1, 2023. Walshe, 50, initially plead guilty to improperly disposing of her body and lying to police. He had changed his plea on the two charges before jury selection got underway for the trial, while maintaining that he did not kill her. Prosecutors say the 48-year-old husband dismembered Ana Walshe and discarded her body in multiple trash cans in the area. Police have recovered blood-stained items from the home, including a hacksaw. Ana's body has never been found. Joining Nancy Grace Today: David Studdard - Spalding County, Ga. Assistant District Attorney; Former Police Officer Caryn Stark - Psychologist; X: @carnpsych Tom Ruskin - Private Investigator, President of the CMP Protective and Investigative Group, Inc.; Former New York City Police Detective Investigator; Twitter: @tomruskin Julie Lewis - President & CEO, Digital Mountain, Inc. Dr. Kendall Crowns - Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County (Ft Worth), NEW Podcast:"Mayhem in the Morgue;" Lecturer: Burnett School of Medicine at TCU (Texas Christian University) Bob Ward - Reporter for Boston 25 News; X: Bward3, FB: Bob Ward Boston 25 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

24 Jan 45min

Family members of Bryan Kohberger's victims are shocked by the new release of graphic crime scene photos with little warning. Kaylee Gonsalves' parents say they were made aware of it just hours before. The redacted photos show the bedrooms where the murders took place, clearly showing blood spatter on the walls, blood dripping on the beds, and blood smears on the floor where a battle of life and death took place. As it turned out, three of the photos showed body parts and the victims, and had to be taken down by the police. The families of Kaylee, Madison, Xana, and Ethan have filed a lawsuit against WSU, claiming the killings should not and would not have occurred if Washington State University had acted on multiple complaints about Kohberger's inappropriate, predatory, and menacing behavior, the suit seeks unspecified monetary damages and a jury trial for negligence and the wrongful deaths of their loved ones. The 126-page complaint alleges WSU is at fault for bringing Kohberger to the Pullman-Moscow area, where they accepted him into their criminal justice program and hired him as a teaching assistant. Within weeks of Kohberger's arrival, WSU knew there were accusations of Kohberger's threatening, stalking, and predatory behavior led to more than a dozen formal complaints being filed about Kohberger. The families say WSU failed by not taking action and following up on the complaints about Kohberger, ignoring the warning signs that allowed Kohberger's behavior to escalate unchecked. The families claim, "On November 13, 2022, a foreseeable - and, in fact, predictable - tragedy occurred when Kohberger entered the bedrooms of four undergraduate students and violently stabbed them to death. These deaths should not and would not have occurred if WSU had acted appropriately." As the lawsuit heads to court, Kohberger's sister gives an exclusive interview discussing how the family is hurting. Joining Nancy Grace today: Kristi Goncalves - Mother Steve Goncalves - Father Eric Faddis - Partner at Varner Faddis Elite Legal, Former Felony Prosecutor and Current Criminal Defense and Civil Litigation Attorney; Instagram: @e_fad @varnerfaddis; TikTok: @varnerfaddis Dr. Bethany Marshall - Psychoanalyst, Author: "Deal Breaker," and featured in hit show "Paris in Love" on Peacock; Instagram & TikTok: drbethanymarshall, X: @DrBethanyLive Chris McDonough – Director at the Cold Case Foundation, Former Homicide Detective; Host of YouTube Channel: “The Interview Room” Howard Blum - Author: "When The Night Comes Falling, A Requiem for The Idaho Student Murders;" Instagram: howard_blum_author, X: howardblum Joseph Scott Morgan - Professor of Forensics: Jacksonville State University, Author of "Blood Beneath My Feet," and Host: "Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan;" X @JoScottForensic Susan Hendricks - Journalist, Author: “Down the Hill: My Descent into the Double Murder in Delphi", IG @susan_hendricks X @SusanHendicks Dave Mack - Investigative Reporter, 'Crime Stories’  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

23 Jan 52min

Rex Heuermann Judge appalled by 175 page motion challenging evidence gathered from 20 search warrants just a few months before trial. A Port Authority police officer shot and killed his sister and critically wounded their mother before killing himself on Thursday. A missing Arizona woman’s boyfriend was arrested last week for stealing and damaging her car — which was reportedly discovered with blood in it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

23 Jan 6min

John Paul Miller pleads not guilty to charges of cyberstalking and making false statements to investigators, waiving his right to a speedy trial, not unusual in a federal case. Prosecutors claim Miller is a flight risk, citing a large safe, silver pieces, and valuable baseball cards found in Miller’s home as means to flee, in addition to access to a private plane. The judge sides with U.S. attorneys, setting Miller’s bond at $100,000 and ordering Miller must surrender his passport and wear an ankle monitor. The grand jury charges from November 16, 2022, until Mica’s death on April 27, 2024, 528 days, John Paul Miller harassed Mica. Count one claims Miller threatened to use nude videos and photos of Mica to harass, posted a nude photo of Mica online without her consent, placed tracking devices on vehicles used by Mica, placed Mica under surveillance with intent to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate, damaged Mica’s vehicle, and interfered with Mica’s finances. He also interfered with Mica’s daily activities. If he is found guilty of cyberstalking, his sentence could be five years, or it could be between nine and 10 years depending on the charges that the jury decides he's guilty of. Lying to police could equal another five to eight years behind that he could receive behind bars. So. he could get almost 20 years behind bars. Joining Nancy Grace today: Regina Ward - Attorney for Mica Miller's Family, Lawfirm: Regina Ward Law Firm, Dr. Sue Cornbluth - Doctor of Clinical Psychology and Relationship Expert, Owner of Doctor Sue & You, Author of “Building Self-Esteem in Children and Teens Who Are Adopted or Fostered" , www.DrSueAndYou.com, YouTube: DrSueAndYou Dr. Thomas Coyne - Chief Medical Examiner, District 2 Medical Examiner's Office, State of Florida; Forensic Pathologist, Toxicologist, Neuropathologist; X: @DrTMCoyne Jennifer Wood - Journalist and Director of research at FITSNews.com, Twitter: @IndyJenn_, Sydney Sumner - Investigative Reporter, ‘Crime Stories’ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

22 Jan 42min

A 9yo exposes his 10yo bestie's shocking betrayal after he's shot on purpose! The monster behind a massacre that left 5 people dead, including his own brother, makes a plea flip before trial. Plus, a dad schools his teen son that blood ain't thicker than the law! Jennifer Gould reports. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

22 Jan 7min