Real Detectives Don’t Quit: Lessons from Vince Velazquez

Detective Vince Velazquez is a retired Atlanta Police Department homicide investigator with more than 20 years of service. He spent 16 of those years in APD’s elite Homicide Unit, where he helped bring closure to hundreds of families. He’s also the real-life inspiration behind the hit true crime series ATL Homicide. Today, Vince is a speaker, mentor, and advocate for justice who continues to teach, investigate, and fight for victims.

Follow Vince Velazquez on Instagram: @vincevelazquez and don’t miss The Murder Mind Show—Vince’s newest true crime series—premiering July 21st at 6:00 PM ET on YouTube.  

👉 Subscribe now: The Murder Mind Show

In this episode of Zone 7, CSI Sheryl McCollum welcomes one of her favorite people on the planet—retired APD Homicide Detective Vince Velazquez. Known for his signature blend of grit, empathy, and straight talk, Vince opens up about what it takes to earn trust on the streets, the lessons from his early jobs (butcher shop included), and the real-life experiences behind ATL Homicide. He and Sheryl dig into long-term cases like the murder of Nacole Smith, the emotional weight of bearing witness to other people’s worst days, and why his new YouTube series The Murder Mind Show is more than just storytelling—it’s a mission. Full of real-life case stories, hard-won wisdom, and no-nonsense truth, this episode is a masterclass in perseverance, purpose, and showing up with heart.

 

Show Notes: 

• (0:00) Welcome to Zone 7 with Vince Velazquez
• (3:30) Respect, effort, and presence—no matter the role
• (8:30) Human connection isn’t optional—it is the job.
• (16:45) Murder Mind: Turning real crime into real change
• (21:00) Nacole Smith’s case: a vow to never let go
• (27:00) What separates a good detective from a great one?
• (29:45 ) “If you want to soar with eagles, don’t hang out with ducks.” 
• (34:45) Empathy, dignity, and the detective's creed
• (37:00) “Criminal investigation is a team concept—everyone has a role to play.” — Sgt. Joe Giacalone (Ret.), NYPD

 

Thanks for listening to another episode! If Zone 7 is part of your weekly routine, show us some love with a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more folks find the show—and helps us keep telling these stories.

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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 a CSI for a metro Atlanta Police Department. She 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, a collaboration between universities and colleges that brings researchers, practitioners, students and the criminal justice community together to advance techniques in solving cold cases and assist families and law enforcement with solvability factors for unsolved homicides, missing persons, and kidnapping cases.   

Social Links: 

• Email: [email protected] 

• Twitter: @ColdCaseTips 

• Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum 

• Instagram: @officialzone7podcast 

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