Someone Knows Something (CBC) Season 10, Episode 2: "Papier Maché" Host: David Ridgen Release Date: March 16, 2026

Main Theme

This episode continues the investigation into the disappearance of Jacqueline Furlund Smith in Costa Rica on August 17, 2021. Host David Ridgen conducts an in-depth interview with her husband, Sebastian Furlund, seeking to move past rumors and accusations to focus on facts, relationships, timelines, and perspectives from both Sebastian and those involved in the case. The episode explores mental health struggles, marital conflict, the complexity of truth in cold cases, and gaps in the police investigation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Arriving at Sebastian’s Home (01:00 - 03:25)

• David Ridgen arrives at the home Jackie shared with Sebastian in Costa Rica and is greeted warily by Lorraine and then Sebastian.
• Sebastian, aware of public suspicion, quickly states:

  "I know that if I say no to the interview, you're just gonna bullshit something...your intention is to make money, right? So obviously you're gonna make me look bad." (03:25, Sebastian)

• Ridgen sets the tone: aiming to cut through rumor and focus on verifiable facts.

2. Sebastian on Public Suspicion and Mental Health (04:48 - 06:40)

• Sebastian addresses the public narrative, noting Jackie's mental health issues and social media accusations against him.
• He expresses frustration:

  "People just want to have like a guilty person and they just want to accuse me because yes, I'm the person who was with her." (05:03, Sebastian)

• He emphasizes that much of the negative commentary comes from people who never knew either of them.

3. Sebastian and Jackie: Relationship History & Stressors (06:40 - 09:14)

• They'd been together nearly 11 years; initially happy, things fell apart after job losses, financial instability, and moving from Canada to Costa Rica.
• Sebastian describes both of them experiencing significant mental health challenges—his (PTSD from military service), hers (episodes worsened by stress).

  "She was someone who needed stability and my job could not really offer that to her...Moving into a different country...I thought would be less stressful...but my plan completely backfired." (08:07, 09:14, Sebastian)

4. Violent Episodes and Marital Conflict (09:26 - 11:14)

• Sebastian claims he was abused by Jackie, describing physical violence and injuries:

  "She used to smash my head on the ceramic tile and stuff like that. She was an athlete. She was strong...there's a lot of [men], they just don't speak up." (09:56, Sebastian)

• He admits he never reported injuries to authorities but claims others saw bruises or had photographic evidence.
• He recalls calling Jackie's parents as her outbursts intensified, which further worsened the situation.

5. Last Known Day: August 17, 2021 (14:03 - 25:30)

Timeline as Reconstructed from Messages and Accounts:

• Jackie had a physiotherapist appointment with Tatiana in Tamarindo before lunch.
• Sebastian usually accompanied her but had a phone appointment with his psychologist in Canada that day.
• Jackie became agitated after her physiotherapy visit—sending Sebastian a series of distressed, paranoid, and suicidal texts.

  "I'm ready to die. Goodbye. That's 12:20. There is no help for me." (18:00, Jackie text) "I deserve to commit suicide. I'm a horrible person who needs to be punished." (12:21, Jackie text)

• Sebastian recounts driving around Tamarindo searching for her (estimated departure ~1pm, arrival ~2pm); did not visit the physio clinic, believing he would get no info due to privacy.
• Tatiana confirms the session was tense, Jackie left angrily after expressing pain with a needle, and that Sebastian never contacted her nor did police.

  "She was aggressive in the way she talked to me. She doesn't do any, don't touch me or push me...she just told me, I want to finish the session. I don't feel well, please. And we're finished. And she just. She gone." (24:52, Tatiana)

6. Evening of Disappearance – Conflicting Accounts and the "Papier Maché" Incident (29:14 - 34:58)

• Sebastian returns to the house near dinner time, describes Jackie as still upset. Claims to have left again to eat out to avoid conflict.
• Multiple versions exist about whether he ate with Jackie or alone; conflicting memories from others (friends, Jackie's parents).
• Upon his return, Sebastian describes an altercation: Jackie throws toilet paper at him (hence, "papier maché"), then punches him in the mouth while he’s in the shower.

  "She started to take toilet paper and like throw it at me in the shower...Then she, she would not stop. She got towards me and punched me in the mouth and my four like top teeth like, like went through my lip..." (31:25, Sebastian)

• He claims she leaves the house soon after, leaving behind her engagement ring and phone.

7. Neighborhood Witness and Sightings (37:44 - 40:54)

• Despite public suspicion, Sebastian references a neighbor who allegedly saw Jackie leave the house between 7 and 9pm with a small bag, dressed as Sebastian described.
• Sebastian says she’d previously left for short periods; sometimes left her ring but not her phone.

8. Credit Card Use and Alleged Sightings (42:34 - 44:55)

• Purchases were made on Jackie’s credit card at Walmart (~4:33pm) and a surf shop (~6–6:50pm). Store clerks recognized her and mention she was seen with a man, but cannot confirm specifics.
• Jackie's parents are skeptical Jackie made these purchases; the signature didn't match, and they believe someone else used her card.

9. Mutual Accusations – Abuse and Gaslighting (46:08 - 49:29)

• David reveals texts and stories suggesting their mutual violence and volatility.
• Jackie confided in her sister about Sebastian pushing or knocking her down, and feeling gaslit.

  "Jackie told us that he was a narcissist and gaslighting her...she was a pretty bright lady there. And like I say, she had that struggle with anger issues there sometimes." (49:02, Gordon/Colleen)

• Sebastian maintains he never escalated conflicts, only pushed to remove himself from situations, but admits that at least one such incident occurred.

10. Lack of Police Follow-Up (24:44, 42:47)

• Multiple witnesses (the physiotherapist, surf shop staff) say police never contacted or interviewed them.
• OIJ investigator Ulysses Guevara confirms handling the case but declines comment due to agency policy.
• David plans to contact higher OIJ and RCMP officials.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On public suspicion:
  "People just want to have like a guilty person...they just want to accuse me because...I was with her." (05:03, Sebastian)

• On violence in the marriage:
  "She used to smash my head on the ceramic tile and stuff like that...But as a man, what do you do? You just let yourself being beat up." (09:56, Sebastian)

• On mental health & suicidal ideation:
  "I was basically staying alive because I think my parents deserve better...if I did not have my parents and a few friends...I would have used a propane tank probably before calling the cops." (35:14, Sebastian)

• On the day’s emotional texts:
  "I'm ready to die. Goodbye." (18:00, Jackie text) "I deserve to commit suicide. I'm a horrible person who needs to be punished." (12:21, Jackie text)

• On police investigation gaps:
  "Did police come and talk to you? ... Never ever." (24:44, Tatiana, physiotherapist)

• On conflicting timelines and versions:
  "What Sebastian tells me is different from what others say he told them about what happened when he first got home..." (30:08, David)

Important Timestamps

• 03:25 — Sebastian confronts the nature of press coverage and suspicion.
• 07:39 — Sebastian discusses own PTSD and rationale for relocating to Costa Rica.
• 14:07 — Sebastian recounts the day's timeline.
• 17:28–18:38 — Jackie's distressed text messages read aloud.
• 24:00–24:44 — Physiotherapist Tatiana’s recollection of appointment and lack of police follow-up.
• 31:25 — The "papier maché" toilet paper/shower incident and resulting altercation.
• 35:14 — Sebastian discusses his suicidal state following Jackie’s disappearance.
• 42:34 — Discussion of suspicious credit card activity after Jackie disappeared.
• 46:08–49:29 — Accounts of mutual abuse, and gaslighting allegations, from both parents and partner.

Tone and Atmosphere

The episode maintains a somber, investigative tone, with deep empathy but also a journalistic focus on corroborating evidence and personal testimony. David Ridgen weaves personal interviews, direct quotations, and critical analysis into a measured narrative designed to expose the texture and contradictions within the case, while giving voice to the pain and uncertainty of all parties—without shying away from complexity or ambiguity.

Summary

Episode 2, "Papier Maché," delves into the critical events surrounding Jackie’s disappearance, as described by her husband Sebastian and cross-examined via text records, witness statements, and family contributions. It exposes deep marital turmoil, the toll of mental illness, and the difficulties of achieving certainty in a cold case rife with personal biases and incomplete investigations. The episode ends with Ridgen planning to push further into witness interviews, police records, and conflicting accounts in the hopes of bringing the facts—and perhaps Jackie herself—into clearer view.