Podcast Summary: Cold Case Files - REOPENED: Nacole's Killer: Part 2

Host: Brooke Giddings (A&E / PodcastOne)
Date: October 2, 2025

Overview

This episode examines the dogged pursuit of justice in the 1995 rape and murder of 14-year-old Nicole Smith and a connected assault on another teenager. Nearly a decade after Nicole’s tragic death, detectives refocus on possible suspects using forensic technology and old school investigative tenacity. The episode details community involvement, the process of narrowing suspects, and the tense hunt for Stephen Burris—a person of interest whose DNA could provide a final break in the case.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Community Engagement and the Search for Leads

• Church and Community Mobilization:
  • Reverend Gerald Durley and other leaders rally Atlanta communities, urging residents to come forward with any information (“If we're going to make a difference, we need to get involved. Take these. Talk it up, talk it up, talk it up." — Rev. Durley, 02:18).
  • Detectives attend services and partner with civic groups, schools, and clinics, reinforcing the belief that the perpetrator is a local with ties to the neighborhood.
  • [03:10] Detective Velasquez: “I don't think there's anything that we wouldn't try. We feel that this person is from that community, has lived in that community, perhaps still does.”

Turning to School Records for Suspect Identification

• Attendance List as Investigative Tool:
  • Revisiting the day of Nicole’s murder, detectives analyze absentee and tardy records from Tharrow High School, marking 153 male students as unaccounted for and thus possible suspects.
  • Stephen Burris stands out for his absence and checkered past, including dropped charges for statutory rape and false imprisonment.
  • [04:23] Captain Russell Popham: “We do know that he was arrested for statutory rape and false imprisonment…I remember this now.”

The Hunt for Stephen Burris

• Fieldwork, Surveillance, and Dead Ends:

  • Detectives track down phone numbers and addresses, enlisting help from Burris’s girlfriend and the Douglas County Fugitive Squad.
  • After several leads (addresses, phone traces), Burris remains elusive—his girlfriend dodges calls and appears to aid his avoidance.
  • [09:15] Narrator: “Two days later, there's still no trace of Burris, and his girlfriend is giving police the runaround…”

• Creative Tactics to Make Contact:

  • Detectives successfully reach the girlfriend by blocking their number—demonstrating ingenuity and relentless pursuit.
  • [09:57] Captain Russell Popham: “This is Captain Popham with East Point police. How are you? Okay. Have you talked to Mr. Burris lately? You have? Why won't Mr. Burris give us a call back? I mean, what's his problem?”

Gathering DNA Evidence

• The Interrogation and DNA Collection:
  • After Burris is finally located (already detained on a probation violation), Detectives Velasquez and Popham set up a strategic interrogation.
  • They subtly obtain a surreptitious DNA sample via a soda can and then ask directly for a saliva swab.
  • [13:16] Detective Velasquez: “He was very good at what he was doing…He can’t, if he wanted to take the can with him, he could. But once he leaves the can there…it’s discarded. We'll take the can and have the…opening swabbed at the crime lab.”
  • Tense moment as Burris hesitates but ultimately consents:
    • [18:52] Stephen Burris: “I mean, I ain't got no reason not to. I mean, y’all being brought with me…straight up. I mean, I ain't killed nobody, you know?”

The Wait and The Reveal

• Detectives' Gut Instinct:

  • Even after the intense lead-up, Velasquez expresses doubt about Burris’s guilt based on intuition:
    • [19:56] Detective Velasquez: “It’s almost like we know this guy, we know who he is, and when we meet him, we’ll know it’s him…I think when that happens, we’re gonna look at each other and go, ‘Okay, are you feeling what I’m feeling?’”

• Lab Results Clear Burris:

  • Six weeks later, Burris’s DNA does not match the evidence, eliminating him as the perpetrator.
  • The investigation is reset; detectives remind the community they are still searching for Nicole’s killer.

Ongoing Appeal and Emotional Stakes

• Public Call for Information:

  • Detectives urge listeners and viewers to reflect on people from the neighborhood with unique features (notably a gap tooth), appealing for tips through official channels.
  • [20:48] Detective Velasquez: “We want people to look at this sketch we have…anybody around the time Nicole Smith was killed that had a gap tooth, lived in that area, looked remotely similar to this…those are the people we want to find and have contact us.”

• Detective’s Resolve and Family’s Plea:

  • The episode closes with a poignant reminder of the personal toll:
    • Detective Velasquez tells local press that Nicole’s case is the one he feels compelled to solve.
    • [21:43] Brooke Giddings: “Nicole’s mother said it had been 20 years. Someone knows something. She just wants them to come forward.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [02:11] Rev. Durley: “This 13 year old girl came up with this description of the man…If we're going to make a difference, we need to get involved.”
• [03:10] Detective Velasquez: “I don't think there's anything that we wouldn’t try.”
• [07:53] Detective Velasquez: “Is that your daughter's boyfriend? They identified him as their daughter's boyfriend. Not very happy about him.”
• [13:16] Detective Velasquez: “He was very good at what he was doing…I could tell Burris was kind of easing up to him and kind of letting his guard down a little bit. So we were happy about that.”
• [18:52] Stephen Burris: “I mean, I ain't got no reason not to…I ain't killed nobody, you know?”

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:57 | Reverend Durley mobilizes faith community | | 03:42 | School absentee list provides new suspects | | 04:17 | Stephen Burris becomes focus based on history and absence | | 07:27 | Detectives coordinate with fugitive squad for Burris | | 09:47 | Detectives break through girlfriend’s evasion with blocked call | | 13:00 | Burris brought for questioning; DNA strategy in play | | 18:52 | Burris consents to DNA swab | | 19:56 | Detectives’ intuition raises doubts about Burris’s guilt | | 20:48 | DNA results: Burris ruled out; renewed community appeal | | 21:43 | Family’s enduring hope; call for public support |

Conclusion

Despite exhaustive efforts, the case of Nicole Smith's murder remains open, with detectives turning back to the community for any shred of information. The episode highlights the emotional drive of detectives, the critical role of community engagement, and the painstaking process of cold case investigation.

If you have any information, contact Atlanta Crimestoppers at 404-577-TIPS or visit crimestoppersatlanta.org.