Stevie Bates Cold Case Review: Deleted Messages, Three Crime Scenes, and Who’s Still Not Talking

June 24, 2026·27 min

Episode Description from the Publisher

In this follow-up episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum is joined by retired NYPD detectives Tom Smith and Dan Murphy of Gold Shields to take an investigative look at the unresolved case of Stevie Bates. After revisiting Stevie’s 2012 disappearance and the 2020 discovery of her remains in Glendale, Queens, Sheryl, Tom, and Dan discuss the key questions that remain. They examine why the deleted Facebook messages raise red flags, the legal issues surrounding a squatted property, and why the discovery of Stevie’s remains, wrapped in a blanket and disposed of five feet below ground, points to someone who knew her, knew the area, and likely had help. They also urge anyone with information, no matter how small it may seem, to come forward and help bring resolution to the case and justice for Stevie. Missed Part One? For more background on Stevie Bates’ life, disappearance, and her family’s perspective, listen to the first episode with Stevie’s cousin, Isis Jannierre: Stevie Bates Made It Back to New York. Then She Vanished Highlights: (0:00) Sheryl McCollum recaps Stevie Bates’ 2012 disappearance, her last known sighting, and the eight-year gap before her remains were found (3:45) Why unresolved cases can be especially frustrating when key investigative opportunities may have been missed (4:45) Why a warrant likely wasn’t even required for the squatted property, and what that missed window could have meant (6:00) The importance of conducting face-to-face interviews, doing street work, and reading reactions (7:15) Dan’s starting point: the boyfriend, the gap in Stevie’s timeline, and retracing her last known steps (9:00) Stevie’s relationship history, financial patterns, and the question of motive (12:45) Three crime scenes: Where Stevie was killed, how she was moved, and where her remains were found (14:15) Why working around a person of interest beats confronting them directly (16:15) Sources, leverage, and who in his circle may know more than they’ve shared (17:30) Wrapped in a blanket, buried five feet down: what the recovery scene says about planning, knowledge of the area, and who may have helped (23:00) A cold case where a long-term undercover placement finally drew out the statements investigators needed “to bring to conclusion” (25:00) Tom and Dan speak directly to anyone with information and call for a fresh NYPD cold case review 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. Dan Murphy is a retired NYPD detective sergeant with extensive experience in homicide, major case investigations, and counterterrorism. He co-hosts the Gold Shields podcast and previously served as Chief Security Officer for U.S. Bancorp. Tom Smith is a retired NYPD detective, 2024 National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame inductee, and co-host of the Gold Shields podcast. Over 30 years with the NYPD, he worked in patrol, narcotics, robbery investigations, and the FBI/NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force. 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 four decades of experience, she hasworked 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 X: @ColdCaseTips Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum Instagram: @officialzone7podcast TikTok: @Sheryl.McCollum Sheryl’s new book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Swans-Dont-Swim-Sewer-Daughter/dp/B0FWZY5Y

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