Day after day, case after case, Tom Smith returned to the job with a clear sense of purpose: protect, respond, and stand with the people beside him. On this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum talks with the retired NYPD detective about the path that led him from patrol work to the Joint Terrorism Task Force and ultimately, to a lifetime of service recognized at the national level. Tom shares how his father shaped his calling, how partnership becomes its own lifeline, and how a series of events during one 12-hour shift in the Bronx has stayed with him ever since.

Highlights:

• (0:00) Sheryl welcomes listeners to Zone 7 and introduces guest Tom Smith
• (1:15) Tom shares how his father's NYPD career inspired his own path
• (5:00) Reconnecting with Detective Ralph, the most decorated detective in NYPD history
• (7:00) A single shift: rooftop rescue, shooting scene, infant CPR, and a fallen officer
• (12:15) Deployment to Afghanistan on a kidnapping case
• (14:45) The emotional burden carried by spouses and families
• (18:30) Choosing the right partner and building trust that saves lives
• (30:15) Tom reflects on being inducted to the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame
• (33:45) Table 15: friendship, laughter, and shared history
• (40:00) Continuing tradition and community beyond the job
• (41:15) Closing reflections on service, loyalty, and legacy

Guest Bio:

Tom Smith is a retired NYPD detective and 2024 National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame inductee. Over 30 years of service, he worked in patrol, narcotics, and robbery investigations and spent 17 years working with the FBI/NYPD on the Joint Terrorism Task Force, including an overseas deployment to Afghanistan. Tom co-hosts the podcast Gold Shields, lectures on criminal justice and terrorism and provides investigative commentary for national media outlets.

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Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an Emmy Award-winning CSI, a writer for CrimeOnline, forensic and crime scene expert for Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, and co-author of the textbook Cold Case: Pathways to Justice. She is the founder and director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, a national collaboration that advances techniques for solving cold cases and assists families and law enforcement with unsolved homicides, missing persons, and kidnappings.

Social Links:

• Email: coldcase2004@gmail.com
• Twitter: @ColdCaseTips
• Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum
• Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

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At first, it looked like age catching up with former police chief Rick Young: confusion, fatigue, a flutter in the chest. No one suspected that the woman he had trusted for decades was quietly planning his death. This week on Pathology with Dr. Priya, a Zone 7 series, Sheryl McCollum and Dr. Priya Banerjee discuss the case of Marcy Oglesby, who, over several months, secretly mixed over-the-counter eye drops into Young's food and drinks. When his body was later discovered inside a storage unit, toxicology revealed lethal levels of tetrahydrozoline, the active ingredient in common eye drops. Dr. Priya explains how this drug attacks the cardiovascular system, why it is almost undetectable without targeted testing, and what makes poisonings like this so difficult to identify until it's far too late.

Highlights

• (0:00) Welcome to Pathology with Dr. Priya: A Zone 7 series—Sheryl McCollum introduces the Marcy Oglesby case and the death of retired Police Chief Richard “Rick” Young
• (0:45) How Oglesby slowly poisoned her partner with tetrahydrozoline-laced food and drinks
• (2:15) Dr. Priya explains why eye-drop poisonings are rare and absent from most toxicology panels
• (6:00) Early symptoms: numbness, confusion, fluctuating blood pressure, and blue lips
• (8:00) Why doctors might miss the signs of tetrahydrozoline poisoning and attribute symptoms to age or heart disease
• (10:00) The estimated lethal dose and how even a small mouthful can cause heart-block death
• (13:45) Trust, dependency, and opportunity: the dynamics that let the poisoning continue undetected
• (20:30) What Rick Young likely endured in his final days: chest pain, dizziness, and slow suffocation
• (25:45) Closing reflections and Dr. Priya’s reminder that every case is a lesson

About the Hosts

Dr. Priya Banerjee is a board-certified forensic pathologist with extensive experience in death investigation, clinical forensics, and courtroom testimony. A graduate of Johns Hopkins, she served for over a decade as Rhode Island’s state medical examiner and now runs a private forensic pathology practice. Her work includes military deaths, NSA cases, and high-profile investigations. Dr. Priya has also been featured as a forensic expert on platforms such as CrimeOnline and Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. She is a dedicated educator, animal lover, and proud mom.

Website: anchorforensicpathology.com
Twitter/X: @Autopsy_MD

Sheryl McCollum is an Emmy Award–winning CSI, a writer for CrimeOnline, and the Forensic and Crime Scene Expert for Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. She works as a CSI for a metro Atlanta Police Department and is the co-author of the textbook Cold Case: Pathways to Justice. Sheryl is also the founder and director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute (CCIRI), a nationally recognized nonprofit that brings together universities, law enforcement, and experts to help solve unsolved homicides, missing persons cases, and kidnappings.

Email: coldcase2004@gmail.com
Twitter/X: @ColdCaseTips
Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum
Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

📣 If this episode gave you new insight into forensic toxicology and the hidden dangers of common substances, share it with a friend and leave a review. Your support helps others discover the science, the stories, and the heart behind Pathology with Dr. Priya | A Zone 7 Series.

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