Transcript
Narrator (0:00)
Because Ketchikan, Alaska, is so remote, the easiest way to get things to and from the town is often by boat. Huge barges and ships carry freight back and forth between Alaska and Washington state, making their way over the waters of the Pacific ocean. For more than 30 years, Craig Beyer was part of this enormous shipping operation.
Craig Beyer (0:25)
Back in 2017, I was the manager of ABF Freight System Incorporated terminal here in Tacoma, Washington.
Narrator (0:33)
As an employee at a freight carrier, Craig was used to getting calls from customers concerned about their shipments. And in March 2017, he got one of those worried calls, this time from one Jordan Joplin.
Kristen Coles Nelson (0:49)
I'm kind of in this really weird dilemma right now. I got three cubes up to Ketchikan.
Narrator (0:57)
Jordan said he had filled three shipping containers in Ketchikan and asked them to be sent to his home in Washington. He wanted an update from Craig on where the shipment was.
Craig Beyer (1:10)
And so I explained, as far as I can see, it's on the water. Should be here in so many days. Didn't think anything about it except when I was talking with him, he was urgent that he needed to get it. Once it arrived, he was going to be leaving the country.
Narrator (1:27)
Jordan Joplin called the shipping company many more times.
Kristen Coles Nelson (1:32)
I'm not trying to be just, like, super ridiculously stressed out because, I mean, I'm leaving for 42 days, you know, out of the country.
Narrator (1:42)
At first, Jordan seemed to be just another impatient customer. But in the midst of Jordan's calls, Craig Baier in Tacoma heard from someone else who wanted information about Jordan Joplin's shipment.
Craig Beyer (1:55)
I get a call from the Ketchikan police department. It's very unusual to get a call from the police department.
Narrator (2:04)
The Ketchikan police were reaching out because they had uncovered a paper trail linked to Jordan Joplin, the man who had been calling Craig about his shipment. They had reason to suspect that Jordan had stolen up to half a million dollars worth of valuables from Dr. Eric Garcia. Police had met Jordan when he'd shown up from out of town the day Dr. Garcia's body was found. They knew Jordan had keys to Dr. Garcia's house and truck, and they knew Jordan had made all those welfare check calls in the days leading up to the discovery of Dr. Garcia's body. Since then, using receipts and surveillance footage, investigators had learned that on March 16, Jordan Joplin had gone to Walmart and bought dozens of plastic bins, and that the next day, he loaded up those bins into shipping containers. Sergeant Eric Mattson said the freight receipt listed £4,400 more than two tons of cargo.