An active investigation into the death of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez has left the public with a timeline, a Tesla, and an extensive list of unanswered questions.

In this episode of "Zone 7," Sheryl McCollum is joined by journalist Lauren Conlin to review what has been said publicly about Celeste’s initial classification as a runaway, her connections to older individuals, and why the continued absence of a named person of interest raises concern.

They also turn to the arrest of actor/director Timothy Busfield and discuss what can and cannot be concluded from selective “evidence” releases, how credibility gets weaponized in public, and why child abuse allegations demand careful, methodical evaluation rather than internet verdicts.

Guest Bio

Lauren Conlin is a New York-based journalist covering true crime and high-profile investigations. She contributes reporting to Los Angeles Magazine, hosts investigative podcasts, and appears as a legal and crime commentator on platforms including Court TV, Fox News, and "Crime Stories with Nancy Grace."

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 includes, in part, the Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur. Her work on 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.

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.

Highlights:

• (0:00) Sheryl McCollum opens the episode on the death of Celeste Hernandez and why the case is “driving her crazy”

• (1:30) Lauren Conlin’s case status framing: no official person of interest, grand jury activity, and what “imminent indictment” does and does not mean

• (3:00) Celeste’s runaway classification, age, and how early labels can shape urgency, resources, and risk

• (7:15) Behavior after the discovery: canceled tour, transferred home ownership, legal strategy, and public silence

• (10:00) Publicity economics: spikes in streams/downloads and the reality of scandal- driven attention

• (15:15) Homicide indicator vs. Evidentiary barriers when decomposition complicates cause-of-death determinations

• (17:45) Tesla cameras, event data, and why Sheryl expects a digital trail around movement and access

• (21:45) Why runaway youth are at elevated risk and how dependency becomes leverage for exploitation

• (27:00) Timothy Busfield: prior allegations and the optics of how he presented himself

• (29:15) The alleged history patterns, witness context, and credibility disputes around the parents

• (33:00) “Tickling to me does not absolve you from being a pervert.”

• (36:00) Predatory access: why being near adults does not guarantee safety and how abuse can occur quickly and covertly

• (39:15) Sheryl and Lauren address recantation, selective interview clips, and why child abuse cases require restraint, context, and patience before judgment

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.