Chris McDonough - Law Enforcement Relations

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Chris Mcdonough Director of Law Enforcement Relations​Homicide Detective (ret.)

Chris McDonough is a nationally renowned homicide investigator with a distinguished career spanning over four decades. He has appeared as a guest on prominent programs such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Phil, CourtTV, Nancy Grace, Dateline NBC, CBS’s 48 Hours, and BBC broadcasts, as well as numerous other television and radio platforms. Recognized as an authority on death investigations, interviewing techniques, and criminal behavior analysis, McDonough has made significant contributions to law enforcement and public safety.Since beginning his career in 1982, McDonough spent nearly 25 years with the Oceanside Police Department in Southern California, including 13 years as a homicide detective. He has investigated and resolved hundreds of homicide cases and provided expert consultation on some of the nation’s most high-profile child homicide and kidnapping investigations, including the JonBenét Ramsey case, the Elizabeth Smart abduction, the Leticia Hernandez murder, the Matthew Cecchi killing, and the West Memphis Three interview of Christopher Morgan.

His expertise in predator behavior—particularly among those who target children—has led him to conduct interviews with notorious serial child killers on death row, such as Wesley Allen Dodd and Brandon Wilson. His interview with Wilson, convicted of murdering Matthew Cecchi in a public restroom in Oceanside, California, sparked the nationwide family restroom movement.​McDonough’s impact extends beyond investigations. Appointed through the U.S. President’s “Operation Lady Justice” initiative, he has trained members of the Native American Homicide Task Force as part of the Cold Case Foundation. He has also lectured at universities on criminal behavior and victimology and co-authored Who Killed Stephanie Crowe: Anatomy of a Murder. Known for his exceptional ability to analyze both the behavioral and forensic elements of criminal cases, McDonough has trained homicide investigators nationwide in death investigation and criminal investigative analysis.In 1995, McDonough identified the rise of the “White Collar Predator”—an intellectually sophisticated sexual deviant empowered by the internet—a concept that has since shaped modern criminal profiling. Beyond his investigative work, he has served as the longest-standing board member of The Greatest Save, the country’s oldest child safety program and a recognized charity of Major League Baseball since 1992.With a career marked by dedication, innovation, and expertise, Chris McDonough continues to be a leading figure in the fields of homicide investigation and child safety advocacy. If you have questions regarding your agency/department working with Cold Case Foundation, please contact us by filling out the form below. If you have question regarding training or if you'd like to submit a case, please click on the button below. We look forward to hearing from you!

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• Home
  • The Cold Case Foundation Mission
  • Behind the Brand
  • Videos
• THE TEAM
  • EXECUTIVE TEAM >
    • Gregory M. Cooper - Executive Director
    • Dean Jackson - Deputy Executive Director
    • John E. Douglas - Chairman Emeritus
  • Executive Support Team >
    • Francine Bardole - Director of Forensic Sciences
    • Dana Boss - Analyst Supervisor
    • Dr. Lawrence J. Simon - Director of Research
    • AJ Jackson - Marketing Director, Creative Director
    • Chris McDonough - Law Enforcement Relations
    • James Patrick - Director of Intelligence
    • Robert E. Taylor, Jr. - Director of Training
    • Cathie Vallas-McKinzie - Investigative Analyst, Triage Team Supervisor
    • James L. Vance - Communication Specialist
    • Shawn Walker - Training Coordinator
  • INVESTIGATIVE TEAM
  • Triage Team
  • FORENSIC TEAM
  • Investigative Support Services
• Law Enforcement
  • Case Study
  • Volunteer Application
  • Funding & Resources
  • Victimization
• Training
  • Civilian Training
• Prevention
  • Stress Reduction >
    • Suicide Prevention
    • Terminology
  • Resources
• Memorial
• Our Network
  • Grief & Hope
  • Contribute
  • Testimonials
• Partners
• The Vault
• Contact
  • MEDIA INQUIRIES