The After Show: Cold Blooded

Summary

20/20 After Show: Cold Blooded – Detailed Summary

Podcast Information:

• Title: 20/20
• Host/Author: ABC News
• Episode: The After Show: Cold Blooded
• Release Date: August 11, 2025
• Description: Unforgettable true crime mysteries, exclusive newsmaker interviews, hard-hitting investigative reports, and in-depth coverage of high-profile stories. Accessible throughout the week with the official 20/20 After Show, the True Crime Vault, and spotlighting true crime originals.

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Introduction

In "The After Show: Cold Blooded," hosts Debra Roberts and Chris Connelly delve into the perplexing case of Dr. Eric Garcia, a beloved surgeon from Ketchikan, Alaska. This episode uncovers the intricate layers of Garcia's life, his sudden disappearance, and the shocking revelations that followed his untimely death.

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The Disappearance and Discovery of Dr. Eric Garcia

The episode opens with the unsettling disappearance of Dr. Eric Garcia in March 2017. Garcia, a respected surgeon in the small town of Ketchikan, Alaska, vanished without a trace, prompting his concerned parents to alert the authorities after ten days of no communication.

Debra Roberts introduces the case:

“A beloved doctor goes missing, then is found dead. A man that people said had no enemies. But it turns out he had a lot of secrets.”
[00:37]

Upon investigation, police found Garcia dead on his couch with no immediate signs of foul play or forced entry. However, the scenario grew more mysterious as officers discovered that hundreds of thousands of dollars in valuables were missing from his home.

Chris Connelly highlights the peculiarity:

“There was nothing left. Nothing left. Who could have gotten into the house so easily and stolen from Dr. Garcia so brazenly?”
[02:41]

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Background on Dr. Eric Garcia and Ketchikan

Dr. Garcia was more than just a surgeon; he was an integral part of the Ketchikan community. Originally from Puerto Rico, Garcia trained in Chicago and worked as a surgeon on the Rio Grande before relocating to Alaska. His affinity for Ketchikan grew after discovering it during a cruise, leading him to settle in the town known for its breathtaking natural beauty and bustling cruise ship activity.

Debra Roberts paints a vivid picture of Ketchikan:

“Population of Ketchikan is about 8,000 or so, but that comes with an asterisk because between the months of April and October, Ketchikan is a cruise ship mecca.”
[04:56]

Garcia was beloved by residents and patients alike, earning the affectionate title of a "fatherly figure" in the community. His kindness and compassion left a lasting impact, as evidenced by memorial tributes like the tree planted in his honor at the local hospital.

Chris Connelly reflects on community sentiments:

“People wanted you to know what a special human being Dr. Eric Garcia was.”
[05:36]

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The Investigation Unfolds

The investigation into Garcia’s death unveiled a web of deception and hidden facets of his life. Initial observations suggested possible foul play, especially given the missing valuables and unusual placement of items like a barbecue grill and absent smoke detectors in his home.

Debra Roberts questions the nature of Garcia’s death:

“Is it a suicide? Is it a murder? What is it?”
[02:52]

Authorities delved deep into Garcia's financial records, uncovering a series of wire transfers to an individual named Logan Cruz, who was later identified as Jordan Joplin, a friend from Washington State. This revelation pointed to potential motives rooted in Garcia’s personal relationships and financial dealings.

Chris Connelly explains the financial mystery:

“Garcia had made wire transfers to several people, including someone named Logan Cruz. Where is all this money going to?”
[13:18]

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Unveiling Logan Cruz / Jordan Joplin

Logan Cruz, whose real name is Jordan Joplin, emerged as a key figure in the investigation. His enigmatic presence and connection to Garcia raised numerous questions. Authorities struggled to piece together the nature of their relationship and the true identity behind the alias Logan Cruz.

Debra Roberts reveals the dual identity:

“My real name is Jordan Joplin, but everybody calls me Livkin.”
[13:27]

The dual identities and the mystery surrounding Joplin added layers of complexity to the case, suggesting that Garcia's life was intertwined with secrets he kept hidden from the tight-knit community of Ketchikan.

Chris Connelly summarizes the intrigue:

“The way their two very different worlds intersected and the way the police began to unravel the secrets and the mysteries underneath their relationship was incredibly compelling.”
[14:39]

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Community Impact and Personal Reflections

The death of Dr. Garcia sent shockwaves through Ketchikan. As a small community where everyone knows each other, the revelation that a cherished member harbored secrets was both unsettling and tragic. Interviews with Garcia's family and friends revealed a man who, despite his outward positivity and love for the community, struggled with profound loneliness.

Saul Garcia, Dr. Eric Garcia’s brother, shared his perspective:

“I just felt the loneliness that must have been part of his life there.”
[11:36]

This dichotomy between Garcia’s public persona and private struggles highlighted the often-hidden complexities within individuals, even those who appear to be pillars of their community.

Debra Roberts reflects on the narrative:

“Dr. Garcia definitely had secrets, and I think a lot of people may have known that no one ever pushed the envelope.”
[12:07]

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Podcast Insights and Storytelling

In the latter part of the episode, Debra Roberts and Chris Connelly discuss the transition from reporting to podcasting. Connelly emphasizes the immersive and detailed nature of podcast storytelling, which allows listeners to delve deeper into the complexities of the case.

Chris Connelly on podcasting benefits:

“You hear these voices and they really stick in your head and we get to pay a kind attention to detail and to take you really deep inside everything that the police were trying to find out.”
[10:00]

He also touches upon the emotional weight of uncovering secrets and the haunting realization that someone so beloved could harbor such darkness.

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Conclusion and Further Listening

"The After Show: Cold Blooded" provides a comprehensive look into the mysterious death of Dr. Eric Garcia, blending investigative journalism with personal narratives to paint a compelling portrait of a man and the community he left behind. The episode not only explores the factual aspects of the case but also delves into the emotional and psychological dimensions that make true crime stories resonate deeply with audiences.

Listeners intrigued by this story can further explore the six-part podcast series, "Cold Blooded Mystery in Alaska," which expands on the reporting and offers an in-depth examination of the case.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Debra Roberts:

  • “A story that couldn't have more twists and turns.” [00:37]
  • “Is it a suicide? Is it a murder? What is it?” [02:52]
  • “Dr. Garcia definitely had secrets, and I think a lot of people may have known that no one ever pushed the envelope.” [12:07]

• Chris Connelly:

  • “There was nothing left. Nothing left. Who could have gotten into the house so easily and stolen from Dr. Garcia so brazenly?” [02:41]
  • “Garcia had made wire transfers to several people, including someone named Logan Cruz. Where is all this money going to?” [13:18]
  • “The way their two very different worlds intersected and the way the police began to unravel the secrets and the mysteries underneath their relationship was incredibly compelling.” [14:39]

• Saul Garcia:

  • “I just felt the loneliness that must have been part of his life there.” [11:36]

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Credits

• Producers: Amira Williams and Sasha Aslanian
• Contributors: Joseph Rhee, Chris Connelly, Karen Shifman, Amanda Carr, Brian Mazersky, and Alex Barenfeld of 20/20
• Theme Music: Evan Viola
• Executive Producer: Janice Johnston
• Director of Podcasting: Josh Cohen, ABC Audio
• Operations Director: Michelle Margulis
• Executive Producer: Laura Mayer
• Additional Support: Progressive Insurance, Smashbox Studios, and other sponsors as mentioned in the transcript.

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This comprehensive summary captures the essence of "The After Show: Cold Blooded" episode, providing listeners with an engaging overview of the case, the investigative journey, and the personal stories intertwined within the true crime narrative.

Transcript

[Debra Roberts]

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[Chris Connelly]

I'm gonna put on a parka.

[Debra Roberts]

Hi, everybody, it's Debra Roberts. And on Today's episode of 20 20, the After show, we're gonna talk about a story that couldn't have more twists and turns. A beloved doctor goes missing, then is found dead. A man that people said had no enemies. But it turns out he had a lot of secrets. ABC News contributor Chris Connelly takes us from Alaska to washing put the puzzle pieces all together. And what he ends up with is a stunning surprise, even to the doctor's closest friends. Chris reported on this for 2020's episode called Cold Blooded, which you can stream again under season 47, episode 1. Chris also hosts now a new podcast series which expands on his reporting from this episode of 2020. The podcast series Cold Blooded Mystery in Alaska is available now and you can listen right here in our podcast feed. Let's take a listen to the trailer.

[Chris Connelly]

City dispatch. How can I help you? In March 2017, police in Ketchikan, Alaska, got a worried call.

[Debra Roberts]

Nobody's heard from him. His parents? Yeah, ten days it's been.

[Chris Connelly]

It was about a beloved surgeon, one of just two in town named Eric Garcia.

[Debra Roberts]

And I haven't heard from him, so I'm getting worried.

[Chris Connelly]

Dr. Garcia lived in a big house on a hill overlooking Ketchikan, a town of 8,000 best known as the starting point for Alaskan cruises. When police officers arrived to check on the doctor, they found him dead on a couch. There were no signs of foul play or forced entry. But the more officers searched the house, the more they realized things seemed very off. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in valuables were missing. It's all gone. There was nothing. Nothing left. Who could have gotten into the house so easily and stolen from Dr. Garcia so brazenly?

[Debra Roberts]

Dr. Garcia definitely had secrets.

[Chris Connelly]

And how did Dr. Garcia end up alone and dead in his big house on a hill?

[Debra Roberts]

Is it a suicide?

[Chris Connelly]

Is it a murder? What is it? To find out what happen, investigators would have to go far beyond Ketchikan, far beyond Alaska. They'd have to Untangle a web of deception.

[Debra Roberts]

It sure seemed like anytime Eric was anywhere near this character, something hokey would be going on with his finances. And it just didn't sit right. His zest, his positivity, I mean, it was intoxicating. And then he used that to manipulate. I can't believe I let him fool me.

[Chris Connelly]

From ABC Audio In 2020, cold blooded mystery in Alaska. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

[Debra Roberts]

So to talk more about this, joining me now is my pal, Chris Connolly. Hey, Chris.

[Chris Connelly]

Hey, Deborah. How are you?

[Debra Roberts]

I'm good, I'm good. This is an incredible tale. I mean, the murder. And I remember the story so clearly. And viewers who saw it will remember it, but some of our listeners may not have heard of it. So the murder of Dr. Eric Garc in March of 2017 took his small town of Ketchikan, Alaska, by surprise. A beloved doctor. I mean, talk to us a little bit about this small town and how this story landed on your radar.

[Chris Connelly]

Well, I mean, the thing that's so powerful is exactly as you say. Dr. Eric Garcia was so beloved in this town of ketchikan, town of 8,000, the first stop for cruise ships on their way up from Vancouver or Seattle. And the great thing about doing this as a podcast is we get into exactly all the twists and turns out in this incredible story and the nature of this amazing town, the history of Ketchikan and why it was so special. Dr. Garcia discovered it while he was on a cruise himself. And although he was from Puerto Rico and had trained in Chicago and was working as a surgeon on the Rio Grande on the border between Mexico and Texas, he fell in love with the place.

[Debra Roberts]

And Chris, you talked to us about the town in the 2020 episode as well. Here's a clip.

[Chris Connelly]

Population of ketchikan is about 8,000 or so, but that comes with an asterisk because between the months of April and October, Ketchikan is a cruise ship mecca. As many as 15,000 passengers disembark from these massive boats every single day. What is it like when it's busy here? Wall to wall, folks stumbling over each other. It's good for our economy.

[Debra Roberts]

They want to see whales, they want to see eagles, they want to see bears, all of which we have.

[Chris Connelly]

Of course, people come here a lot.

[Debra Roberts]

To catch the fish. We're known for being what we call the salmon capital of the world.

[Chris Connelly]

He just felt like this was a place he could be really happy. And you could not go to this wonderful town of Ketchikan, which we did and not meet people who wanted to tell you what a wonderful person Dr. Eric Garcia was. People who had worked with him, people who had been treated by him, people who had just gotten to know him in the town. They wanted you to know what a special human being Dr. Eric Garcia was.

[Debra Roberts]

And we heard from some of them in the 2020 episode. Let's take a Listen. I had a numerous amount of people calling me his daughter, which I always wore as a badge of honor because he was, you know, such a fatherly figure in so many aspects.

[Chris Connelly]

To me, I felt like if I felt pain, this man was going to feel the same pain. His death was heartbreaking to them. In Ketchikan, the love and affection for Dr. Garcia lives on in so many ways. We heard from everyone in Ketchikan how they like to remember your brother, Dr. Eric Garcia. How would you like us to remember him? I think Eric's legacy is about compassion and caring, but he helped so many people along the way. With medicine or just being friends with people and connecting with them. At the hospital where he worked, a memorial tree planted during a beautiful ceremony. A lasting tribute to someone who was once an outsider but was embraced by the townsfolk here as one of their own.

[Debra Roberts]

Dr. Eric Garcia was clearly beloved, which is why what happened next was so shocking for Ketchikan residents. When, when we come back, we'll dig into the investigation into Dr. Garcia's death. Make your next vacation unforgettable on Royal Caribbean's newest ship, Star of the Seas. It's everything you've loved about every family vacation you've ever been on with mind blowing thrills at the largest water park at sea. Seven onboard pools for every level of chill. More than 40 ways to dine and drink and even more to enjoy at our award winning private island. Perfect day at Cococay. This is the new Star of the Seas. Click or tap the banner to find out more.

[Chris Connelly]

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[Debra Roberts]

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[Chris Connelly]

And the mysteries that it seemed to unravel were, you know, were very compelling for them and I think are compelling for everybody who hears this story.

[Debra Roberts]

Yeah, a small, tight knit community, which, you know, we discover so often in these stories that we report. Oftentimes they're small communities and everybody knows everybody. And of course, it's juxtaposed against this beautiful setting. Well, this story, as I said, had so many surprises that we decided it was ripe to hear so much more. And it's a six part podcast series. And, you know, I've jumped into the world of podcasts and now you get a chance to do this. And how do you think that helps you in trying to tell the story and to offer kind of a different version of storytelling?

[Chris Connelly]

As you know, Deborah, we have a fantastic podcast team and they have taught me a lot about how podcasts work on the side of narrating them. So I've been putty in their hands. Just like I'm so grateful for the people who do such a great job on our stories for 2020. But the storytelling is really fascinating and incredibly compelling. You hear these voices and they really stick in your head and we get to pay a kind attention to detail and to take you really deep inside everything that the police were trying to find out and the slow dawning realizations that something terribly amiss was going on. It's really powerful stuff and it's great to get to be a part of it.

[Debra Roberts]

Yeah. And you said the voices, and that's what really resonates in these podcasts because you really do hear these voices. And you spoke with Dr. Garcia's brother Saul and others who were close to him too, and sharing their memories. And some of them, of course, were surprised. I mean, they learned things about him that they, they didn't know. And you revealed that to us.

[Chris Connelly]

You know, that part of the world, the great, you know, up north and stuff, is famous for its compelling tales, I guess, right. Going back, you know, to the days of the Yukon and stuff. And this is another one of those very powerful tales. And as much as Dr. Garcia was very much beloved in this town by his patients and by his co workers, his brother Saul confirmed to us just the sense of loneliness that I think he felt, his brother must have felt. He sat in his brother's house after his brother's death, and he felt like he could sense the loneliness that must have been part of his life there.

[Debra Roberts]

There's no lights outside.

[Chris Connelly]

It's so quiet. And inside that house, I just felt the loneliness that, you know, even though I'm married and everything, I just could not imagine him living in there, being so lonely. Even being there for 20, 30 minutes, it was horrible. And that loneliness and the secrets that being so lonely might have engendered, as popular as he was in this community, is a lot of what our story is about.

[Debra Roberts]

Dr. Garcia definitely had secrets, and I think a lot of people may have known that no one ever pushed the envelope.

[Chris Connelly]

Makes for a very compelling and haunting tale.

[Debra Roberts]

Yeah, I think so, too. Well, one of the biggest secrets uncovered in the investigation involved a man by the name of, quote, Logan Cruz. He was later identified as Jordan Joplin, a friend who lived in Washington state. And police had to dig deep to find out not only Logan Cruz, but who this man's real identity was and his connection to Dr. Garcia.

[Chris Connelly]

The probe into Dr. Eric Garcia's mysterious death, it's become a criminal investigation. Amid the toxicology results, the missing valuables, that strangely placed barbecue grill, and the absent smoke detectors, it's looking like someone might have had a hand in Dr. Garcia's death. In my gut, this death wasn't what it was. As it had appeared to unravel that mystery. Cops dig deep and they're looking into every aspect of Garcia's life, including his financial records. We want bank records to show where.

[Debra Roberts]

He'S got accounts and what banks.

[Chris Connelly]

And they make a startling discovery.

[Debra Roberts]

Garcia had made wire transfers to several people, including someone named Logan Cruz. Where is all this money going to?

[Chris Connelly]

Who is Logan Cruz? Turns out police have a pretty good idea of who Logan Cruz is. Nobody's heard from him yet.

[Debra Roberts]

And what's your name? My name? My name's Logan. Oh. My real name is Jordan Joplin, but everybody calls me Livkin. Sorry.

[Chris Connelly]

The caller uses two different names, and we didn't find out till later what that was about. Some of Dr. Garcia's friends had met Jordan Joplin, aka Logan Cruz, but still, he was a bit of an enigma to the people on the scene that day when Garcia's body was discovered. There are two fascinating people at the heart of this tale. There's Dr. Garcia and there is Logan Cruz, aka Jordan Joplin. And we learned a great deal about Dr. Garcia when we were in Alaska, and we learned a great deal about Jordan Joplin when we were in Washington state. And the way their two very different worlds intersected and the way the police began to unravel the secrets and the mysteries underneath their relationship was incredibly compelling. And the things that people told us, you know, really stick in your mind. And I'm glad we're able to share so many of them on the podcast.

[Debra Roberts]

Yeah, yeah, this story is so layered. Murder, secrets, small town, all those things that you really just kind of make for fascinating, fascinating listening. Well, Chris, it's a pleasure to chat with you again. I'm looking forward to your podcast. It's called Cold Blooded Mystery in Alaska. It's a six part series and you'll be able to find it right here in the 2020 podcast feed. Thanks a lot, Chris.

[Chris Connelly]

Deborah, thank you so much. Appreciate it.

[Debra Roberts]

Always a pleasure. The 2020 After show is produced by Amira Williams and Sasha Aslanian with Joseph Rhee, Chris Connolly, Karen Shifman, Amanda Carr, Brian Mazersky and Alex Barenfeld of 20 20. Theme music by Evan Viola. Janice Johnston is the executive producer of 2020. Josh Cohen is the director of podcasting at ABC Audio. Michelle Margulis is the operations director. Laura Mayer is the executive producer. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. It's Brad Milkey, host of ABC's Daily News podcast. Start here. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, Monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations.