Cold Blooded: Mystery in Alaska – Episode: "You'll Probably Kill Me"

Podcast: Cold Blooded: Mystery in Alaska
Host: ABC News (Chris Connolly)
Date: August 19, 2025
Episode Theme:
This episode chronicles the dramatic investigation into the death of Dr. Eric Garcia in remote Ketchikan, Alaska. Initially considered to be a heart attack or suicide, the discovery of a suspicious shipment, stolen valuables, and a tangled web of lies points toward something much darker—murder, theft, and a hidden relationship. The chain of events stretches from the desolate Alaskan coast to the shipping yards of Seattle and the quiet neighborhoods of Washington state, unraveling the secrets of Jordan Joplin, a figure with dubious ties and possible sinister intentions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Suspicious Shipment (00:00 – 11:40)

• Introduction to Craig Beyer:
  Craig manages a freight terminal in Tacoma, WA, and describes regular shipping operations between Alaska and Washington.
  “Back in 2017, I was the manager of ABF Freight System Incorporated terminal here in Tacoma, Washington.” (00:25, Craig Beyer)

• Jordan Joplin’s Urgent Calls:
  Jordan repeatedly calls Craig about his incoming shipment from Ketchikan, urging rapid delivery and claiming he’s about to leave the country.
  “I'm leaving for 42 days, you know, out of the country.” (01:32, Kristen Coles Nelson, reading Joplin’s message)

• Police Involvement:
  The Ketchikan Police reach out about Jordan’s shipment; they suspect he may have stolen up to $500,000 of Dr. Garcia’s valuables and want to intercept the cargo before it reaches Joplin.
  “I get a call from the Ketchikan police department. It's very unusual…” (01:55, Craig Beyer)

• Scale of the Shipment:
  Investigators note the extraordinary size and contents, suggesting an entire household’s worth of property is being moved covertly.
  “We're talking a vehicle amount of weight that was placed in three shipping containers.” (03:07, Sgt. Eric Matson)

2. The Breakthrough: Opening the Shipping Containers (06:30 – 10:45)

• Police Interception in Seattle:
  Ketchikan police officers collaborate with local law enforcement to secure the containers upon arrival in Seattle.

• Shocking Contents Revealed:
  Officers are stunned to discover Dr. Garcia’s personal belongings, extensive collections, and luxury valuables packed in the shipment:

  • Gold nuggets, coins, luxury watches (valued at ~$50,000), 911 bottles of high-end alcohol (appraised at $330,000), electronics, passports, cash, and even the power box for Garcia’s home alarm.
  • Evidence also shows the disabling of the home’s alarm system.
    “His entire life.” (07:23, Officer Devin Miller)
    “Twenty full size boxes of alcohol.” (08:06, Officer Devin Miller)

3. The Sting: Luring Jordan Joplin and His Arrest (10:45 – 14:40)

• Police Set-Up:
  Officers create a ruse: Craig Beyer calls Jordan and tells him there’s a paperwork issue with the shipment, luring him to the Seattle yard.

• Arrest on Site:
  Police arrest Joplin when he arrives, using the opportunity to secure his phone and car. Jordan tries various excuses and feigns distress after the arrest.
  “He immediately said he didn’t have time for this...” (13:29, Officer Devin Miller)
  “He started complaining... said his son was missing... then complained about his shoulder... during transport he pretended to pass out...” (14:05, Officer Devin Miller)

4. The Blindside: Kristen Coles Nelson’s Story (18:45 – 32:58)

• Kristen’s Perspective:
  Kristen, Jordan’s fiancée, believed Jordan was simply close friends with Dr. Garcia, who supposedly had terminal cancer. She describes their relationship, Jordan’s income as a grower, massage therapist, and stripper, and the gifts they received from Dr. Garcia.

  • Jordan orchestrates stories, including claiming Garcia’s cancer and gifting expensive items.
    “Eric knew that I loved coffee… so he gave Jordan the old [espresso machine] to give to me.” (22:40, Kristen Coles Nelson)

• The Day of the Raid:
  Police descend on Kristen’s home, searching for evidence. She’s shocked to learn Dr. Garcia never had cancer, and Jordan had manipulated multiple women (cheating with an ex, whom she learns more about after speaking with her post-raid). “My world turned upside down and inside out. I couldn’t believe that someone had done this and that I trusted them.” (26:48, Kristen Coles Nelson)

• Seized Evidence:
  Items from Dr. Garcia’s house (wallet, keys, credit cards, cell phone in a Faraday bag) are found. Police become aware of the secretly romantic and possibly exploitative relationship between Jordan and Dr. Garcia through letters and cards.

  • The Haunting Valentine’s Card:
    “You are my first and only love of my life. I will never let you down. Not kidding. You will probably kill me.”
    (30:08, Officer Mike Purcell reading Dr. Garcia’s card to Jordan)

5. Uncovering the Truth: The Secret Relationship & The Overdose (28:14 – 36:47)

• Secret Romance Unveiled:
  Police discover romantic letters and cards; evidence points to Jordan and Dr. Garcia as being in a secret long-term relationship.

  • The relationship is hidden from both Kristen and Ketchikan friends.
  • “I think he played a very long, long con with Dr. Garcia, unfortunately.” (33:36, Officer Devin Miller)

• Financial Exploitation:
  Between March 16 and 30, Jordan transfers $30,000+ from Dr. Garcia’s accounts.

• Video Evidence:
  Investigators unlock Jordan’s phone, finding a disturbing eight-second video:

  • Jordan films Dr. Garcia dying on the couch, struggling for breath after a morphine overdose; he makes no attempt to help.
  • “Watching that video, I knew that Dr. Garcia was dying at that moment. He was gasping for air. He was trying to cling to life.” (35:33, Sgt. Eric Matson)
  • The video implicates Jordan at the scene, but doesn’t directly prove murder.

• Lingering Questions:
  The episode ends with police still uncertain: was it murder or suicide? They continue digging into Jordan’s manipulations and relationship with Dr. Garcia.

  • “We're still trying to figure out what this death is. Is it a suicide? Is it a murder? What is it?” (34:03, Sgt. Eric Matson)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Size of the Heist:
  “It was overwhelming. It was a lot. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen.”
  (07:40, Sgt. Eric Matson)

• On Jordan’s Skills as a Manipulator:
  “I realized that he was really good at lying to people and had no problem doing it and kept his lies straight and continually kept us separate. I can’t believe I let him fool me.”
  (31:28, Kristen Coles Nelson)

• On the Eerie Card:
  “You’ll probably kill me. To me, it was eerie just reading that.”
  (30:29, Officer Mike Purcell)

• The Video Discovery:
  “That video was actually of Dr. Garcia laying on the couch in almost an identical position as when the officers located him on March 27th.”
  (34:42, Sgt. Eric Matson)

• On Dr. Garcia’s Character:
  “All I kept thinking was that Dr. Garcia had to have been a wonderful human being, because that’s who Jordan targeted.”
  (37:22, Kristen Coles Nelson)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Jordan’s suspicious shipping request: 00:49–02:04
• Police involvement, suspicion, and shipping logistics: 02:04–05:34
• Opening containers, inventory of stolen goods: 06:31–10:45
• The setup and arrest of Jordan Joplin: 10:45–14:40
• Kristen’s perspective and raid on her home: 18:45–27:11
• Secret relationship, cards, and deception revealed: 28:14–32:58
• Financial theft and the crucial death video: 33:36–36:47
• Open questions and emotional aftermath: 36:47–End

Episode Summary

This gripping episode of "Cold Blooded: Mystery in Alaska" draws listeners into the detailed investigation of a suspicious death and massive theft. What begins as the story of a remote Alaskan town’s beloved doctor dying under apparently straightforward circumstances unravels into a tale of manipulation, deception, secret romance, and chilling opportunism. The investigative team’s journey from Ketchikan’s quiet streets to the frenetic shipyards of Seattle reveals not only a colossal theft, but the tragic unraveling of trust between Dr. Garcia, Jordan Joplin, and the innocent people drawn into their orbit. The evidence—a trove of stolen valuables, romantic cards, and a haunting final video—adds up to a case where the truth is murky, and the motives may be darker than anyone in Ketchikan could have imagined.