1 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: Y'all, I am so excited about tonight. I have got 2 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 1: my buddy, Vince Velasquez here, and let me tell you. 3 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: Twenty two years with the Atlanta Homicide he is the 4 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: director of security for the Atlanta Hawks. Now y'all know 5 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:30,639 Speaker 1: him from atl Homicide. Y'all have heard and gotten to 6 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:34,239 Speaker 1: know David Quinn. Y'all love him. But let me tell you, 7 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 1: Vince Velaska is baby. You are in for a treat. 8 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: I can honestly say this now I'm just talking to y'all. 9 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: Y'all know I don't sugarcoat nothing. I don't lie to y'all. 10 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:52,240 Speaker 1: So here's the deal. Yes, he is a good looking man. Okay, 11 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:57,279 Speaker 1: he as handsome as he can be. But when I 12 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: tell you he is kinder, then he is good looking. 13 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: I'm not kidding. He is one of the most decent 14 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 1: people I have ever known. So it is my honor 15 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 1: to welcome Bence Velasquez to Zone seven. 16 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 2: What's okay? So I want to meet this guy. Jesus, 17 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:19,920 Speaker 2: thank you. 18 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 1: Listen, I have held back. You're talking about you have 19 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 1: worked over a thousand murders, you have got so much 20 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 1: to offer people, But there's so much about you. I 21 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 1: will never forget. The news comes on breaking news. There's 22 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: a man way up on this gigantic crane. I mean 23 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: it's four thousand feet in the air or something ridiculous, 24 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 1: And I'm like, oh no, that's awful, that poor man. 25 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: But I mean it's a crane. I ain't trying to 26 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 1: climb that and walk out on that to try to 27 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 1: talk to somebody. You did, and you connected with him. 28 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 1: I mean, that's one of my favorite stories about you. 29 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 1: And that's just one. But you walked out there and 30 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: you were just so real and just so yourself. I mean, 31 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:13,399 Speaker 1: I think the first thing you said to him is, hey, 32 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:14,359 Speaker 1: you having a bad day. 33 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:19,079 Speaker 2: Yeah? Yeah, bad days is our business. 34 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 1: Bad days is our business. Amen. 35 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 2: Yeah. 36 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:25,240 Speaker 1: But you are just a remarkable person. And I just 37 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 1: want people to know that because a lot of people 38 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: ask me, like, you remember Lauren Conlin, as cute as 39 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: she can be, Oh my gosh, she's such a doll. 40 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 1: She wanted to meet you, but she's like, I don't know, 41 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 1: I don't want to bother him. I don't think I 42 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 1: could just walk. 43 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 2: Up to him. 44 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 1: And I said, if there is anybody here that you 45 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 1: can just walk up to, it is that man right there. 46 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:45,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, I am. 47 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 3: You know, one of the things about me that I 48 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 3: think a lot of people don't know is I have 49 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 3: a range of personalities and have a range of emotion, 50 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 3: so you may and I said that to me. 51 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 2: I'm a kind person and you know, I treat everybody 52 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 2: with respect. But I know how to read a room, 53 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 2: so uh, you know, I can be funny, I can 54 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 2: be serious, and it just depends on what that situation is. 55 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 2: I just saw Lauren. I was on Vinnie Polo Tan 56 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 2: show the other night and I got a chance to 57 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 2: chat with Lauren a little bit. 58 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: But yep, I love both of them. 59 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, great people. And that's that's that's the key to 60 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 2: this whole thing, The key to you know, whatever your 61 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 2: job is, homicide detective, talk show host, baker, barista, lawn 62 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 2: care person, whatever it is, it's interpersonal connection and communication. 63 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 2: That's really what makes people successful. So I learned early 64 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 2: in my life, not just my career, that even when 65 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 2: you're feeling uncomfortable, even when you're having a bad day, 66 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 2: you know, you got to give a little bit more 67 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 2: of yourself to to somebody, because it's not always about you, 68 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 2: you know, at the end of the day, you know, 69 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 2: we want something back, you know, you want some I 70 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 2: don't know. We want people to acknowledge us and recognize 71 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 2: us and maybe even appreciate us. But you know, too 72 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 2: many times I think people walk around and not consider 73 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 2: what the other person needs. So I don't know if 74 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:17,599 Speaker 2: that explains me in a nutshell, but I try to 75 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 2: read the room and just try to, you know, fit 76 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 2: in where I fit in. 77 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 1: But you know, you do it so naturally. People want 78 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:27,600 Speaker 1: to talk to you. They feel comfortable talking to you. 79 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 1: I think they forget they're talking to police. I think 80 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: it's just, oh, that's vents. You know, he's going to 81 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: listen to me. He's going to understand me, just like 82 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:39,599 Speaker 1: the young man on the crane. I've seen you do 83 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 1: it at a homicide scene where people are not trying 84 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 1: to talk, but they're talking to you. And you know, 85 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 1: when I look at your background, a lot of people 86 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: know Atlanta. You know, homicide Unit, Hat Squad, some people 87 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:58,039 Speaker 1: may know Delta, but not everybody knows your entire background. 88 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 1: And I don't mean just joining the Air Force. You 89 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 1: had a lot of really interesting jobs. You work construction, 90 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 1: you worked for a bullet manufacturer. I mean you were 91 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:10,360 Speaker 1: a butcher, come on now. 92 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, you know, these are you know, these 93 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 2: are jobs I took, and you know, I'm in high 94 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 2: school and I'm just trying to figure it out, you know. 95 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 2: But again, like I don't know that I ever really 96 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 2: had a passion for much, to be honest with you, 97 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 2: growing up, I didn't always want to be a cop. 98 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 2: I didn't always want to be in the military. And 99 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 2: I think I think for me, your circumstance or my 100 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 2: circumstances at the time, dictated what my next steps were. 101 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:41,039 Speaker 2: And then I started to understand and take the advice 102 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 2: of my grandfather. So I was raised by my grandparents. 103 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,840 Speaker 2: And this not to sound cliche, but you know, some 104 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 2: advice I got from him. It may sound cliche, but 105 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 2: it really was, no matter what you do, whatever your 106 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 2: job will be, do it to the best of your ability, 107 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 2: whatever it is, you know. And I think that is 108 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 2: totally cliche, but it's absolutely true. And those words always 109 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 2: run clear in my head in anything I did. You know, 110 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 2: did I like some of the jobs I did? 111 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: No? 112 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 2: You know, was did I in high school? Did I 113 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:18,159 Speaker 2: want to, you know, be carving up meat at the 114 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 2: local bodega? No? Did I want to? When I get 115 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:23,239 Speaker 2: out of the Air Force work for this little company 116 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 2: that you know, manufactured bullets for the army for I 117 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 2: think I was there for three weeks. No, but I 118 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 2: did a great job to the best of my ability. 119 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:35,039 Speaker 2: And I think I've kept that mantra of my career 120 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:38,719 Speaker 2: until I found my passion, and my passion I think 121 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 2: was working homicide cases. But really it's not about so 122 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 2: much the investigation, which I love puzzles. I love, always 123 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:49,840 Speaker 2: loved puzzles. But to your point, it's the people. It's 124 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 2: it's actually being around people, communicating with them and really 125 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 2: getting to the bottom of it and understanding what people need. 126 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 2: And I say that to me mean not just the victims' 127 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 2: families of homicides, but also even the bad guy. And 128 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:09,359 Speaker 2: it may sound a little weird to say that, but 129 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:13,920 Speaker 2: there is a what do they say, come to Jesus meeting. 130 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 2: We've said, We've you said that, we know what it 131 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 2: means where you know, we put all the bullshit aside, 132 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 2: right and we get down to the nuts and bolts 133 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 2: of what we're here for and the only way to 134 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:27,239 Speaker 2: do that And what I learned and David Quinn also 135 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 2: as a master at this my partner in homicide. For 136 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 2: my entire career is that you treat those people as 137 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 2: people with respect and empathy. Now, they could have just 138 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 2: massacred a family, and I'm not giving them any props, 139 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 2: and I'm not giving them any you know, accolades, because 140 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 2: none are deserved. But I have a job to do. 141 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 2: I need, I need to get information from you, and 142 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 2: the only way to do that is to connect on 143 00:07:56,480 --> 00:08:00,040 Speaker 2: a humanistic level. Uh. Trust me when I tell you, 144 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 2: I've gotten so many sight eyes when people looking at 145 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 2: me how I'm talking to this guy. But at the 146 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 2: end of the day, I walk out of there and 147 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 2: what I really am working for is justice, right working 148 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 2: for my victim. I'm working for my victim's family, and 149 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:15,239 Speaker 2: I want to present a great case to the District 150 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 2: Attorney's office for a successful prosecution. And if that means 151 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 2: I got to sit there and have lunch and break 152 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 2: bread with this monster, I'm going to dip my fries 153 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 2: in some ketchup and we're going to talk about some 154 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 2: homicide stuff. 155 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 1: You know. My children hucking Caroline. Oh yeah, And I 156 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:37,559 Speaker 1: just preach to them all the time, similar to your grandfather. 157 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:41,080 Speaker 1: But I tell them, whatever you choose, love it because 158 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:42,599 Speaker 1: you're going to do it longer than you do a 159 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: whole lot of other things, and it's important that you 160 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 1: love it, and I think that's when you do it 161 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:52,559 Speaker 1: to the best of your ability. But I also tell them, 162 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: whatever road you take is leading you to where you're 163 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:58,679 Speaker 1: supposed to be. And when I look at your path, 164 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 1: whether it's that butcher shop, in that bodega, or making 165 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 1: those bullets for three weeks or in the Air Force 166 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: for seven years, all of that led you to that 167 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:14,960 Speaker 1: detective you were when y'all first started ATL homicide. Of 168 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: course I loved it. I was immediately hooked. But y'all 169 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 1: were the same people I've always known. You told the 170 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:26,719 Speaker 1: stories like you would legitimately tell them. There was no pretense, 171 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:30,200 Speaker 1: there was no drama, there was no fakeness. And I thought, 172 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 1: you know what, anybody that was ever in an interview 173 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 1: with you saw that guy was real. He treated me respectfully. 174 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 1: But it wasn't a hoax, It wasn't a game, it 175 00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 1: wasn't a con hundred percent. 176 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 2: I think you know, you know, people understand or try 177 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 2: to understand what homicide detectives do by watching TV shows, right, 178 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 2: so you just hit on something that's really important. When 179 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 2: we had the idea to do a show, TV one 180 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 2: is where we landed. But we had other offers. And 181 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 2: the reason why we went with TV one is because 182 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 2: TV one wanted us to be our authentic self. And 183 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:16,679 Speaker 2: I say that to me. Other networks were offered, offering 184 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 2: us these development deals and kind of telling us, well, 185 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 2: you know, we envisioned the show to be a certain way. 186 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:29,400 Speaker 2: When we realized that TV one wanted us to be 187 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 2: who we really are, it was a no brainer because 188 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:37,599 Speaker 2: that's who we are. And with that said, working cases 189 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,719 Speaker 2: people on the street, and you know, unfortunately, you know, 190 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 2: the majority of the homicides that Quinn and I investigated 191 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:53,640 Speaker 2: were in impoverished neighborhood you know, marginalized neighborhoods, low income neighborhoods, 192 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 2: and a lot of times it's striped with crime, not 193 00:10:56,640 --> 00:11:00,640 Speaker 2: just murder, but other crimes, drugs and assaults and robberies 194 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:03,439 Speaker 2: and burglary. So the folks that live in these communities 195 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 2: are exposed to things that a lot of us that 196 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:12,240 Speaker 2: live in other committees aren't. So they know the streets right. 197 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 2: So the worst thing you could do is when you're 198 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 2: talking to somebody from that community is try to be 199 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 2: something other than your authentic self. They can see through 200 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:27,520 Speaker 2: bullshit a mile away, and if you don't hit that 201 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:31,560 Speaker 2: mark in the first ten seconds of that conversation, you're 202 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 2: not going anywhere. You're done. And I've seen it happen. 203 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:37,599 Speaker 2: I've seen detectives go in there and try to be 204 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 2: this TV cop. You know, it's almost like they took 205 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 2: a training class by growing up watching true crime or 206 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 2: drama TV and thinking this is how I need to be. 207 00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:52,559 Speaker 2: And we were like, wait a minute, time out, retract 208 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 2: that statement, Let's go back, let's talk about it. You 209 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 2: need to go in there and you need to try 210 00:11:57,360 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 2: this again, because who are you right now? Who is 211 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:04,840 Speaker 2: this guy? You know, hands on your hips and you know, 212 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 2: barking out orders like people don't respond to that. So 213 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 2: you know that to your point, I'm me. I was 214 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:14,160 Speaker 2: me before I put a badge on, I was me 215 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 2: after I put a badge on, and I'm still me 216 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:20,320 Speaker 2: after I took the badge off after twenty two years. 217 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:26,440 Speaker 1: Amen. Absolutely, and you know your background again, all of it. 218 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 1: I think you draw from it, but I think again, 219 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:34,480 Speaker 1: so much of it is fun and that shows too, 220 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 1: like you've got a big fun Puerto Rican family, all 221 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:41,679 Speaker 1: your brothers and cousins and your dad. I mean, y'all 222 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:45,199 Speaker 1: just have a great time. I mean the cigars, the traveling. 223 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 1: Every time I see some of those pictures, I'm like, man, 224 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:50,120 Speaker 1: that hotel was not. 225 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:53,560 Speaker 2: Ready, not ready for us, not ready. 226 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:56,720 Speaker 1: But again, if you and I are talking, our families 227 00:12:56,760 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: are very similar. Whether it's a big Puerto Rican family, 228 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 1: big family, We're gonna cook for you, We're gonna make 229 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 1: sure everybody eat something. The music's gonna be too loud, 230 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:07,679 Speaker 1: you know, we're all going to be loud talking at 231 00:13:07,679 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 1: the same time. Yes, but again, I have seen you 232 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: in a situation where you may think vents and this 233 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:19,680 Speaker 1: suspect or vents in this victim's family have nothing in common, 234 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 1: and you find you find that commonality so quick and 235 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:26,280 Speaker 1: it's an amazing thing to watch. 236 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:29,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, if you just look, all you really 237 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:32,439 Speaker 2: have to do is I mean we are we are 238 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:36,840 Speaker 2: all separated by not many alleles in the DNA chain 239 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:39,880 Speaker 2: as being humans. I mean, think about it. We all 240 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 2: we all live, we breathe, we have two eyes, two ears, 241 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 2: and those we live. We drive, we go to work, 242 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 2: we have kids, we eat dinner, we do everybody has 243 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 2: so much in common and if you just really think 244 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:57,359 Speaker 2: about that, we have troubles, We have problems with our families. 245 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:00,600 Speaker 2: Sometimes you have marital problems, sometimes you have problems with 246 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 2: your kids. And if you just tap into that stuff 247 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 2: that you know you have in common with somebody, you 248 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:07,840 Speaker 2: can find a way to meet in the middle. And 249 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 2: that's you know, meeting in the middle is the number 250 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 2: one thing you have to do to try to, you know, 251 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:16,719 Speaker 2: connect with somebody and get information. If that's what you're 252 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:20,360 Speaker 2: trying to do is talk about life. You know. One 253 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:22,160 Speaker 2: of the things I would do. I used to teach 254 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 2: interview and interrogations, and I would do an exercise with 255 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 2: the police recruits and first thing I would ask is 256 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 2: what week are you in? And typically I would show 257 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 2: up to teach these recruits around week six or seven. 258 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 2: So imagine being with somebody eight hours a day, five 259 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 2: days a week, or more than eight hours ten hours 260 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 2: a day, five days a week for six or seven weeks. 261 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 2: You should know a lot about the people that you're 262 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 2: with every day for that long. So the exercise would 263 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 2: be I would tell them something personal about my life 264 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:01,480 Speaker 2: or as a child growing up, something personal about my 265 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 2: family that a lot of people may or may not 266 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:08,040 Speaker 2: know typically that they don't know. And you know, I 267 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 2: didn't come from the greatest background. You know, my members 268 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 2: of my family have been dealing with you know, drug abuse, 269 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 2: drug addiction, prison and I share that story. So then 270 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 2: I make each police recruit get up and tell the 271 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 2: class that they've been with for the last six or 272 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 2: seven weeks, their classmates something about them that they don't 273 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 2: think anyone in the class knows, as long as it's legal, 274 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 2: because you made it this far right, Yep, you passed 275 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:38,640 Speaker 2: the polygraph. You're here, so don't talk about anything else. 276 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 2: And you'd be surprised at some of the things that 277 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 2: people would say. X NFL players, classically trained violinists, one 278 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 2: person had a PhD. And this the look of the classmates' 279 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 2: faces when they would share this information. And that tells 280 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:58,160 Speaker 2: me right there that they're not getting to know each other, 281 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 2: they're not connecting on a So I use that as 282 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 2: an example that you have to tap into your personal 283 00:16:05,160 --> 00:16:08,640 Speaker 2: life experiences when you're on the street and you're trying 284 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 2: to connect with somebody and you're trying to find that 285 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 2: middle ground. So when you start getting down to the 286 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:18,760 Speaker 2: business of why you're there you can connect and you 287 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 2: can possibly get what you need, and they feel good 288 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,920 Speaker 2: about giving you the information and they don't feel tricked. 289 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 2: They don't feel, you know, like you pull a fast 290 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 2: one on them. They actually willingly gave you the information 291 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 2: and they feel good about it, and not because not 292 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 2: always because they feel like they're doing the right thing. 293 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:40,040 Speaker 2: And here's the thing, right you're sitting down, it's because 294 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 2: they like you. That's it. They like who you are 295 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:46,600 Speaker 2: as a person. It's that simple. 296 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 1: Tell us what is going on. July twenty first, honey, 297 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 1: at six o'clock. 298 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 2: My producer and I have been working on a treat. 299 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 2: So we have a new YouTube true crime show coming 300 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 2: out July twenty first at six pm dropping on YouTube, 301 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 2: and it's called murder Man. That's the name of the show, 302 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:14,719 Speaker 2: Murderman with Vince Sblaskaz. And what we are doing is 303 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 2: I am talking about my homicide cases in narration form 304 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 2: with high end graphics, real police audio, real police video, 305 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:29,879 Speaker 2: and behind the scenes information that the public typically doesn't 306 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 2: get to hear or see, and a total information that 307 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:36,359 Speaker 2: you don't see on real true crime shows. How I 308 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:40,359 Speaker 2: felt really scary moments when I'm dealing with suspects. There's 309 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 2: one case in particular where I literally thought the suspect 310 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 2: as he was chopping greens talking to him in his kitchen, 311 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 2: froze and I thought he was going to turn around 312 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 2: with the knife and come at me. And I literally 313 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 2: was putting my hand on my gun, and I think 314 00:17:57,359 --> 00:18:00,080 Speaker 2: he contemplated suicide by cops. So things like that that 315 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 2: people don't get to hear or see, and it's phenomenal. 316 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 2: Each episode is, you know, fifteen to twenty minutes long, 317 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:10,159 Speaker 2: and we're gonna take the viewers from the beginning of 318 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:12,680 Speaker 2: when I caught the case. Every week we'll have another 319 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:14,920 Speaker 2: episode picking up from the last week's episode all the 320 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:17,720 Speaker 2: way till we finished, typically around eight to ten episodes, 321 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 2: and then we're gonna reboot this for another case. So, 322 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 2: you know, July twenty first, six pm, first episode drops 323 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:26,920 Speaker 2: murder Man show. 324 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 1: That's gonna be so good. So let me just make 325 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:33,119 Speaker 1: sure I'm clear when you dropped the first one. The 326 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:37,200 Speaker 1: first episode is one case that goes eight episodes. 327 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:40,639 Speaker 2: Right, So will we're gon we're gonna give a treat 328 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:42,680 Speaker 2: for the first few weeks. We're gonna drop two or 329 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:45,840 Speaker 2: three episodes a week just to get this ball rolling. 330 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 2: But when you listen to listen and see the first episode, 331 00:18:50,359 --> 00:18:52,399 Speaker 2: it's gonna start off with when I get the call 332 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:54,680 Speaker 2: and I show up at the crime scene, and then 333 00:18:54,720 --> 00:18:56,440 Speaker 2: the next episode is going to be where I left 334 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 2: off last time. So we're gonna leave you with Okay. 335 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 2: On the next episode, what you're going to hear or 336 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:06,360 Speaker 2: see is ME now speaking to the wife, and we're 337 00:19:06,359 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 2: going to talk about what happened next. So each episode 338 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:12,879 Speaker 2: picks up and sequenced in the investigation, just like I 339 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:16,159 Speaker 2: worked the case all the way to the conclusion of 340 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:18,960 Speaker 2: who the bad guy is and what happened to him. 341 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:23,359 Speaker 1: Vince, this sounds incredible, and I think not only is 342 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 1: it going to be something that people gravitate to to 343 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:31,360 Speaker 1: watch you in your element, just utilizing all of your expertise, 344 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 1: but it's also going to be a good training mechanism 345 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 1: because once again you're telling the truth. 346 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 2: These are facts. This is not fiction. This is completely factual. 347 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:47,880 Speaker 2: This is exactly what happened, and this comes the storyline 348 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 2: comes straight from my report. We crafted this show that 349 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:55,159 Speaker 2: every case that you're going to see on The murder 350 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 2: Man Show is going to be really right from my 351 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 2: could be one hundred and fifty page report from the 352 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:03,879 Speaker 2: investigation that I did from the minute I got to 353 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 2: the scene and so I put cuffs on the bad guy. 354 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,640 Speaker 2: So it's almost like you're riding along with me as 355 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 2: my partner as I investigate this case. On TV, you 356 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:17,480 Speaker 2: get to see everything I do. So even as a detective, 357 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 2: a junior detective, watching is they may learn a few things. 358 00:20:22,520 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 2: I'm not the smartest man in the world, but I'm 359 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:27,399 Speaker 2: not dumb either, So there's some things in here that 360 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:31,359 Speaker 2: I think it's going to be truly amazing, and I 361 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:35,399 Speaker 2: think you like anything I've ever done. Four seasons of 362 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:40,240 Speaker 2: ATL Homicide and one season of Deadly Case File, we 363 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 2: were victim based and victim advocacy was number one, So 364 00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:48,879 Speaker 2: this show is no different. We are all about the victim. 365 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:51,920 Speaker 2: We want to make sure that we represent the victims 366 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 2: in this case because truly, this is a story about 367 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 2: what happened to them. And then I'm just in the 368 00:20:58,119 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 2: background trying to figure it out. 369 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:03,400 Speaker 1: And y'all, he's not given a line. Let me tell 370 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:07,359 Speaker 1: you something. There was a case Nicole Smith, and it 371 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 1: was a case that stayed with Vince, aided him, bothered him, 372 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 1: He kept Nicole's picture on his desk at the Atlanta 373 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:19,879 Speaker 1: Police Department, and he moved that picture to his desk 374 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:22,800 Speaker 1: in his home office when he retired, and I heard 375 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: him say, and I quote, I will come back and 376 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: work this case for free. 377 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:31,840 Speaker 2: That's that one case that every detective has that you know, 378 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:36,399 Speaker 2: it just stays with you, you know, I it's not 379 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:39,679 Speaker 2: a burden. It was an honor to be part of 380 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:42,879 Speaker 2: that case and get to meet Nicole's mom and you know, 381 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 2: connect with her over the years. I picked that case 382 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:48,560 Speaker 2: up as a cold case in two thousand and two 383 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:51,440 Speaker 2: just to put it in context, and worked it even 384 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 2: into retirement. I left it. Yeah, when I retired in 385 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 2: twenty seventeen, I left it in good hands with very 386 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:04,639 Speaker 2: very skilled and smart detective Scott Demester, who took this 387 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 2: case and used modern technology to help solve the case. 388 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:13,240 Speaker 2: And then partly because of some of the things that 389 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:18,160 Speaker 2: you know, we did before I retired, I came back 390 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 2: after retirement just to be part of just to be 391 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:25,000 Speaker 2: part of the family, Like I was there with Nicole's 392 00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 2: mom and the rape victim, not as a detective who 393 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 2: really solved the case, but just who worked on this 394 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 2: case for over a decade in support of the family. 395 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 2: You know, I was invited to attend the press conference 396 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:41,280 Speaker 2: and I felt truly honored. And I wasn't there representing 397 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:44,400 Speaker 2: the police department. I'm a civilian, was a civilian when 398 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:46,760 Speaker 2: this case got solved. But I was just there in 399 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:47,679 Speaker 2: support of the family. 400 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:51,200 Speaker 1: I don't know if you remember, but you and Shei 401 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:54,680 Speaker 1: la Ross came to the college in two thousand and 402 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:59,399 Speaker 1: seven and you had the composite and y'all were like, 403 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:05,800 Speaker 1: it's students. Would they could blanket the city putting these everywhere? 404 00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:10,680 Speaker 1: And that's when we first got just hooked, like we've 405 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:13,720 Speaker 1: got to help them in any way possible. Sheila even 406 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 1: had T shirts made with his face on them. And 407 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:21,720 Speaker 1: then years later I got Kelly Lawson with a GBI 408 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:27,720 Speaker 1: to do a age progression. Thence when y'all had the 409 00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: press conference and his name was put out there, we 410 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:38,920 Speaker 1: found a photograph. It is unbelievable, those two pictures side 411 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:39,480 Speaker 1: by side. 412 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:43,160 Speaker 2: Oh, I've seen them. It's it's it gives me goosebumps 413 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:44,080 Speaker 2: just thinking about it. 414 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:47,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, remember I sent it to you before we put 415 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:49,600 Speaker 1: it out, and you were like, that's him, that's him. 416 00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:52,480 Speaker 1: There's no way people aren't gonna know him. 417 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 2: To this day like we hadn't. We've had no other 418 00:23:56,119 --> 00:24:00,399 Speaker 2: case like this. This, this would be in this was 419 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,680 Speaker 2: hiding in plain sight. And have always said that. I said, 420 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:08,200 Speaker 2: you know, unfortunately, you know, for the people listening, just 421 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:12,640 Speaker 2: so you understand, this suspect died four months before we 422 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:18,159 Speaker 2: identified him through DNA, So although we solved the case, 423 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:21,399 Speaker 2: justice really wasn't served. There was no day in court. 424 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:26,600 Speaker 2: But I always used to wonder had I encountered him somewhere? 425 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:29,960 Speaker 2: I always felt he was in the Metro area. Did 426 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:32,439 Speaker 2: I run into him that? You know this clearly we 427 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:35,520 Speaker 2: did so much press on this case. My face was 428 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:37,879 Speaker 2: out there. I had been on the news. So I 429 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 2: always wondered, I don't know who you are, but you 430 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:44,520 Speaker 2: probably know who I am. And I wondered, have we 431 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:47,960 Speaker 2: ever crossed paths? And you would have The suspect would 432 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:51,639 Speaker 2: have been the only one to know that, and that 433 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:55,280 Speaker 2: likely could have been the case. We'll never know, obviously, 434 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:56,320 Speaker 2: because he passed away. 435 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:00,520 Speaker 1: You know, her mom, Aquanella said something to me one 436 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 1: time that just knocked me out. She said, Cheryl, I'm 437 00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:09,560 Speaker 1: afraid to date because I don't know who he is, 438 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:14,760 Speaker 1: and is he asking me out because he killed Nicole 439 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:19,240 Speaker 1: and wants to have some sick, twisted date with me. 440 00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:24,280 Speaker 1: That was just not only horrifying, but it's something I 441 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:25,320 Speaker 1: had never thought about. 442 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 2: God, that's the Cole's mom has been through so much, 443 00:25:31,240 --> 00:25:33,359 Speaker 2: Like it's I can't we don't have enough time on 444 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 2: this show to talk about how much that woman, who's 445 00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:40,080 Speaker 2: in my opinion, assault of the earth has been through. 446 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:44,439 Speaker 2: But you know, that's that's real trauma. Like, you know, 447 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:48,040 Speaker 2: not just to lose your daughter, but to not have 448 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:50,680 Speaker 2: any answers, Like you know, the worst thing can happen 449 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 2: is a parent losing a child under any circumstance, but 450 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:56,840 Speaker 2: much less homicide, and then you have no resolution. You 451 00:25:56,880 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 2: don't know why it happened, You don't know who did it, 452 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:03,640 Speaker 2: you don't know how it could have happened. How we 453 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:06,879 Speaker 2: as a community didn't figure this out. Because you know, 454 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:08,840 Speaker 2: one of the things I used to say when I 455 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:13,159 Speaker 2: would do press conferences is say that Nicole obviously was 456 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:15,879 Speaker 2: Aquanella's daughter, but she was all of our daughter. She 457 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:21,720 Speaker 2: represented everybody in this community, right, you know, especially her age. 458 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 2: So I wanted to make sure that people understood that, like, 459 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:29,600 Speaker 2: take this serious. Like, it's not just Aquinella's problem, it's 460 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 2: our problem. It's our community's problem. 461 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:34,960 Speaker 1: Because y'all have children out there and there's a killer 462 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:36,719 Speaker 1: walking around. 463 00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:41,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, and obviously we know from the history of this 464 00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:45,800 Speaker 2: case that he offended again. He raped a thirteen year 465 00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:49,840 Speaker 2: old girl in East Point nine years later, so you know, 466 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 2: he was a predator, and you know, had he not died, 467 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:55,320 Speaker 2: it would have been just a matter of time before 468 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:57,040 Speaker 2: he struck again. I'm sure of it. 469 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:04,640 Speaker 1: I agree completely. You know, you lived it. You were 470 00:27:05,680 --> 00:27:08,679 Speaker 1: just the epitome of what a homicide detective should be. 471 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:12,360 Speaker 1: You were successful, you were well known. What made you 472 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:14,919 Speaker 1: want to move into the true crime space. 473 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 2: It's a great question, and I've been asked that often. 474 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:23,480 Speaker 2: One of the things that has always been important to me, 475 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:25,680 Speaker 2: and we kind of touched on this in the beginning 476 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:30,679 Speaker 2: of our conversation, is how law enforcement is portrayed, what 477 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:34,760 Speaker 2: I experienced, what my expectations were when I became a detective, 478 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 2: and what I learned that it really should be, and 479 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:42,960 Speaker 2: what we see on TV. And sometimes those roads don't 480 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:46,399 Speaker 2: always intersect. So one of the things that was very 481 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 2: important to me and David Coyn when we started Our 482 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:53,200 Speaker 2: quest to do a show, and starting with ATL Homicide, 483 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:59,600 Speaker 2: is to not just honor and showcase these wonderful people 484 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:02,879 Speaker 2: who were taken from us way too soon as victims 485 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:07,640 Speaker 2: of homicide in their families, but to also show other 486 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:12,080 Speaker 2: detectives that may see to show how you could get better. 487 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 2: We're not the best, and I'm sure there's many detectives 488 00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 2: out there way better than us. And it's not about 489 00:28:19,119 --> 00:28:23,560 Speaker 2: a skill set, it's about how you treat people. You 490 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:26,119 Speaker 2: saw what happened in the summer of twenty twenty to 491 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:29,399 Speaker 2: be a cop in the summer of twenty twenty, it 492 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:35,159 Speaker 2: was the scarlet letter. That's what the badge represented. But 493 00:28:35,359 --> 00:28:38,560 Speaker 2: we wanted to show a different side of law enforcement. 494 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:40,440 Speaker 2: We wanted to show that you could do this job, 495 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 2: be respectful, be empathetic, still connect with the community, still 496 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:47,760 Speaker 2: care about the community that you live in, and solve 497 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:51,520 Speaker 2: cases and earn a living and support your family, all 498 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 2: those things congruently working together versus what you see on 499 00:28:56,640 --> 00:29:01,640 Speaker 2: TV when they're like knocking on the door yelling at people. Right, 500 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 2: and I'm not just talking about drama shows. I'm talking 501 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:08,240 Speaker 2: about other true crime shows that I won't mention the names, 502 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:10,960 Speaker 2: but you know what I'm talking about. Of course, open 503 00:29:11,040 --> 00:29:14,400 Speaker 2: this damn door. You better open this door. You're going 504 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:18,600 Speaker 2: to jail like all those type of scenarios. That's not 505 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 2: who we were, right, and that's not who we represented. 506 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:25,240 Speaker 2: We didn't represent the city that way. We didn't represent 507 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:28,520 Speaker 2: our families that way. We didn't represent the police department, 508 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:32,960 Speaker 2: or didn't represent our community that way. We were who 509 00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:35,200 Speaker 2: we were, and that's what we brought to the table. 510 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:37,720 Speaker 2: So that was important to get into the true crime 511 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:43,040 Speaker 2: space and show that, hey, things are not exactly they 512 00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:44,960 Speaker 2: don't have to be what you see on TV. We 513 00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:46,960 Speaker 2: want to show you a different way of doing things. 514 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:51,280 Speaker 1: And you know that's something you've always lived again when 515 00:29:51,360 --> 00:29:54,160 Speaker 1: you came to the college. For me, all of my 516 00:29:54,280 --> 00:29:57,480 Speaker 1: students were the first folks in their family to ever 517 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 1: go to college. These were inner city kids, not a 518 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:05,720 Speaker 1: lot of money, no resources, no scholarship, but they had 519 00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 1: access to people like you who not only came and said, look, 520 00:30:10,480 --> 00:30:13,480 Speaker 1: let's talk about this case and you would just sit 521 00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:16,360 Speaker 1: on the table and talk to them, just let's walk 522 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:19,080 Speaker 1: it through. Tell me what you think, and I'll never 523 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:23,520 Speaker 1: forget the Seandra Levy case. Oh came and they were 524 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:26,840 Speaker 1: all freaked out about that scream. The scream, the scream, 525 00:30:27,160 --> 00:30:31,880 Speaker 1: and you said to them, hey, people scream. Sometimes it 526 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:34,960 Speaker 1: could be a bridal party at a hand. Sometimes it 527 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:37,320 Speaker 1: could be a kid trying to scare a friend. It 528 00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:42,640 Speaker 1: doesn't always lead to something violent, you know. And I 529 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:45,520 Speaker 1: remember their faces. And then the other thing that I 530 00:30:45,560 --> 00:30:47,880 Speaker 1: remember is when y'all, this is the first time i'd 531 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:51,040 Speaker 1: ever heard this term, y'all talked about the side check. 532 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:55,960 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, so I got some information there, and you 533 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 1: were just so real with them because you were like, 534 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:01,680 Speaker 1: if this man has had this many a face, why 535 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:04,840 Speaker 1: is he worried about this girl? He's not, she's one. 536 00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:09,480 Speaker 1: More So, you were always just such a good, you know, 537 00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:13,280 Speaker 1: person to guide them, to tell them the truth, to 538 00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 1: give them advice. But they left there well, Detective Alaskaz said. 539 00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:21,880 Speaker 1: Detective Alaskaz said, you know, it didn't matter what Cheryl 540 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 1: McCollum or anybody else said. They had year backing. And 541 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:30,000 Speaker 1: that to me in that small community. You're talking now 542 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:34,040 Speaker 1: some of those students. I've got one that's a captain 543 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:38,320 Speaker 1: with the CAB, one that's a tsa high ranking person, 544 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 1: somebody that is not an agent, but it's with the 545 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:50,000 Speaker 1: FBI Probation parole, Sheriff's department, police department one in Union 546 00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:54,040 Speaker 1: City that is on track to be chief. So you 547 00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 1: are part of all of those careers because you believed 548 00:31:57,320 --> 00:32:01,400 Speaker 1: in them, and that elevated the way they saw themselves. 549 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 1: Like I can do this, He's telling me. I just 550 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:07,120 Speaker 1: had a great idea on an unsolved case. 551 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:12,920 Speaker 2: Yeah exactly. And you let me just rewind something you said. 552 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:16,160 Speaker 2: You know, you said that they had access to me. Well, 553 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:18,760 Speaker 2: this The only reason they had access to me is 554 00:32:18,800 --> 00:32:22,800 Speaker 2: because I had access to you. Meaning you have you 555 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:26,320 Speaker 2: not been who you were and still are, I probably 556 00:32:26,360 --> 00:32:29,720 Speaker 2: wouldn't have been there. So it's all full circle. It's 557 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:34,280 Speaker 2: all full circle, yes, right, and it's and it's ironically 558 00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 2: I've ran into so many of your students, so many 559 00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:41,000 Speaker 2: they're like, Detective Blaskis, you may not remember me because 560 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:43,560 Speaker 2: I thought, you know, I spoke at several of your classes, 561 00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:47,320 Speaker 2: so I didn't remember all of them. You spoke at 562 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:50,200 Speaker 2: at a course with Cheryl McCollum, and I was like, oh, yeah, 563 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:52,040 Speaker 2: I used to do that quite a bit. Tell me 564 00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:54,400 Speaker 2: what you're doing now and to your point, like just 565 00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:57,440 Speaker 2: so much success. So that's a testament to you who 566 00:32:57,520 --> 00:33:00,320 Speaker 2: you are, Cerah. So like we connected, you and I 567 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:03,600 Speaker 2: connected a long time ago and you were doing great 568 00:33:03,640 --> 00:33:06,360 Speaker 2: things like you were doing. So we Quinn and I, 569 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:09,040 Speaker 2: you know, we think out of the box. We did 570 00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:11,840 Speaker 2: think outside the box. You have always been the same 571 00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:15,480 Speaker 2: type of person to even you know, absent of what 572 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:20,000 Speaker 2: your police career, was still doing things like that. So again, 573 00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:24,880 Speaker 2: all of those roads connect. And you know that's when 574 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:28,040 Speaker 2: you say tapping into a network. And if you teach 575 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:31,640 Speaker 2: anybody anything, that's what you should learn. It's who is 576 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:33,880 Speaker 2: your network? You know what I mean? Like I may 577 00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:35,840 Speaker 2: get this wrong when I say this, but there's a 578 00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:38,240 Speaker 2: saying and has something to do with flying with eagles. 579 00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:39,880 Speaker 2: If you want to store with eagles, right, you know, 580 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:43,080 Speaker 2: don't hang out with you know, ducks. That's probably that's 581 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:44,080 Speaker 2: probably not the right. 582 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:45,720 Speaker 1: That's good. 583 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:49,520 Speaker 2: Probably probably got that wrong, but you know what I mean, right? 584 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:52,880 Speaker 2: So uh? And it all, it all, it all comes 585 00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:56,240 Speaker 2: home to roost. Everything pays off in the end. It's 586 00:33:56,280 --> 00:34:01,040 Speaker 2: the connections you make, your resources, your network, your information 587 00:34:01,160 --> 00:34:04,960 Speaker 2: that you may need that make you successful. And that's 588 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:07,600 Speaker 2: why you're successful. So I'm proud to know that. I'm 589 00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:08,319 Speaker 2: proud to know you. 590 00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 1: Well, I appreciate that. But you know, when Nancy Grace 591 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:14,839 Speaker 1: was kind of pushing me to do a podcast, the 592 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:17,279 Speaker 1: first thing I thought is, well, if I'm going to 593 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:19,480 Speaker 1: do it, I know what I'm going to call it, 594 00:34:19,680 --> 00:34:23,040 Speaker 1: and that's Zone seven. Because you remember back in the day, 595 00:34:23,160 --> 00:34:26,400 Speaker 1: that's what we called Manual's tavern. That's right, because that's 596 00:34:26,440 --> 00:34:29,400 Speaker 1: where you went. You sat with people that you trusted, 597 00:34:29,440 --> 00:34:33,000 Speaker 1: that you loved and respected, and that's where you really 598 00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:36,200 Speaker 1: learned the job. You learn the truth. You got somebody 599 00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:38,560 Speaker 1: that'll pull you aside to say, hey, you kind of 600 00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:41,239 Speaker 1: went in their sideways. Don't do that again. Don't stand 601 00:34:41,239 --> 00:34:43,719 Speaker 1: in front of that door. You're gonna get shot. Don't 602 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:45,880 Speaker 1: talk to her any kind of way. She may be 603 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:49,000 Speaker 1: a prostitute, but she's got good information and she can 604 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:50,000 Speaker 1: keep you safe. 605 00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:52,040 Speaker 2: That's right. They're people too. 606 00:34:52,280 --> 00:34:54,800 Speaker 1: They are people. Oh my gosh, some of the best people. 607 00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:57,799 Speaker 1: I mean, they have had a difficult road, or they 608 00:34:57,840 --> 00:34:59,160 Speaker 1: wouldn't be doing what they're doing. 609 00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:03,279 Speaker 2: Oh, there's not I don't think there's any prostitute. Well, 610 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:07,000 Speaker 2: I would say very few prostitutes that want to be 611 00:35:07,120 --> 00:35:10,640 Speaker 2: doing that correct, right, they do what they have to do. 612 00:35:11,239 --> 00:35:14,720 Speaker 2: I'm not. I'm not justifying either to support a drug habit, 613 00:35:15,080 --> 00:35:18,040 Speaker 2: either to support themselves or their children, whatever it is. 614 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:21,040 Speaker 2: But there's still people. They still have the right to 615 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:23,480 Speaker 2: complain about shit. They still have the right to not 616 00:35:23,640 --> 00:35:25,840 Speaker 2: like you. They still have the right to, you know, 617 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:29,799 Speaker 2: think that you're a total asshole, right because think about this. 618 00:35:30,760 --> 00:35:34,040 Speaker 2: You may be a prostitute, but this cop that's talking 619 00:35:34,080 --> 00:35:36,920 Speaker 2: to her on the street is probably the biggest asshole 620 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:41,839 Speaker 2: to everybody that knows him. Now, who's the worst person here? 621 00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:44,400 Speaker 2: Who would you who would you want to be around 622 00:35:44,440 --> 00:35:46,000 Speaker 2: if you really broke it down? 623 00:35:46,600 --> 00:35:50,239 Speaker 1: And I'll tell you, Like, just so people understand, when 624 00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:53,440 Speaker 1: the Olympic Park bombing happen, who did we go get 625 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:58,200 Speaker 1: information from? Have y'all seen a car? Has anybody said anything? 626 00:35:58,440 --> 00:36:02,520 Speaker 1: Has anybody wanted you to do something unusual that frightened you? 627 00:36:03,120 --> 00:36:06,879 Speaker 1: They literally had the polls of the street. 628 00:36:07,400 --> 00:36:11,360 Speaker 2: One hundred percent, like some of my best informants. Listen, 629 00:36:12,000 --> 00:36:15,920 Speaker 2: you know, I don't condone that, but I don't I 630 00:36:15,920 --> 00:36:18,919 Speaker 2: don't judge them for it either, But I would say 631 00:36:18,920 --> 00:36:22,920 Speaker 2: a good percentage of my homicides were solved because of 632 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:27,839 Speaker 2: prostitutes and drug addicts. That's right, you know, and they 633 00:36:27,920 --> 00:36:31,440 Speaker 2: have information. And again it goes back to how you 634 00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:34,120 Speaker 2: speak to them. You know, if you meet them in 635 00:36:34,160 --> 00:36:37,000 Speaker 2: the middle and understand and are empathetic to who they 636 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:39,479 Speaker 2: are as human beings and whatever struggles they're going through, 637 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:42,759 Speaker 2: they really want to help. But what they don't want 638 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:46,280 Speaker 2: to be is disrespected. They don't want to be treated, 639 00:36:46,960 --> 00:36:49,680 Speaker 2: you know, like second class citizens. They want to be 640 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:53,920 Speaker 2: talked to with respect, right, with dignity and empathy. 641 00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:57,440 Speaker 1: Everybody wants the same thing. Yeah, I want somebody to 642 00:36:57,480 --> 00:37:01,120 Speaker 1: hear me, get it, tell me they're sorry, tell me 643 00:37:01,160 --> 00:37:04,000 Speaker 1: I did something great. I mean, that's all. That's it. 644 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:07,680 Speaker 1: It ain't hard'all. Well, listen, I could talk to you 645 00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:10,440 Speaker 1: all day, all night, and all the next day. I 646 00:37:10,600 --> 00:37:14,759 Speaker 1: just adore you, I respect you. I just appreciate who 647 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:18,000 Speaker 1: you are and who you have been, not just for 648 00:37:18,080 --> 00:37:20,560 Speaker 1: my children, but all my children. 649 00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:22,960 Speaker 2: Well, that means so much. I can't tell you how 650 00:37:23,040 --> 00:37:25,080 Speaker 2: much that means to men. The fact that I know 651 00:37:25,160 --> 00:37:28,080 Speaker 2: your kids as long as I've known them and follow 652 00:37:28,160 --> 00:37:31,279 Speaker 2: them and your success their success tells you like I'm 653 00:37:31,360 --> 00:37:33,440 Speaker 2: family too. I feel like you're part of my family. 654 00:37:33,640 --> 00:37:37,040 Speaker 1: Oh, straight up family, no doubt, no doubt. 655 00:37:37,719 --> 00:37:40,320 Speaker 2: I'm very just glad to know you and like again, 656 00:37:40,520 --> 00:37:42,840 Speaker 2: like you know, I get asked to do quite a 657 00:37:42,880 --> 00:37:45,560 Speaker 2: few podcasts. I don't always do them, Like you know, 658 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:47,880 Speaker 2: if I don't know who you are, and or if 659 00:37:47,920 --> 00:37:49,600 Speaker 2: I listen and I just don't feel like you're somebody 660 00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:52,319 Speaker 2: that aligns with me, I'm not going to do it. 661 00:37:52,719 --> 00:37:54,800 Speaker 2: This was a no brainer. I'm like, what are you 662 00:37:54,920 --> 00:37:57,000 Speaker 2: kidding me? Like what can we do it right now? 663 00:37:57,120 --> 00:37:59,400 Speaker 2: Like I don't care what I'm doing, Let's tumble the phone. 664 00:37:59,520 --> 00:38:00,280 Speaker 2: I'm ready to. 665 00:38:00,640 --> 00:38:03,480 Speaker 1: Well, it ain't gonna be the last one. So listen, y'all. 666 00:38:03,719 --> 00:38:07,879 Speaker 1: July twenty first, at six o'clock, do not miss murder 667 00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:10,280 Speaker 1: Man Fence. Thank you so much. 668 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:12,480 Speaker 2: It's my absolute pleasure. 669 00:38:12,520 --> 00:38:15,560 Speaker 1: Shay y'all. I'm going to end Zone seven the way 670 00:38:15,560 --> 00:38:20,719 Speaker 1: that I always do with a quote. Criminal investigation is 671 00:38:20,760 --> 00:38:27,600 Speaker 1: a team concept. Everybody has a role to play. Sergeant 672 00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:35,000 Speaker 1: Joe Jackalone, NYPD retired. I'm Cheryl McCollum, and this is 673 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:35,720 Speaker 1: Zone seven.