True Crime Bullsh** — S7 Prep: Stephen Michael Mason

Host: Josh Hallmark
Release Date: August 21, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Josh Hallmark delves into the mysterious 2006 disappearance of Stephen Michael Mason (“Mike”), a survivalist and veteran from Sequim, Washington, whose background and final days strikingly parallel those of serial killer Israel Keyes. Hallmark meticulously explores the muddled timeline, conflicting witness statements, the significance of caches in both men's lives, and Keyes’ movements during the week of Mason’s disappearance, probing the likelihood of a connection between Mason’s fate and Keyes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Caches — Keyes’ and Mason’s Shared Practices

• Josh begins by playing selections from Keyes' recorded interviews, revealing Keyes' typical method of hiding caches in numerous locations, including Washington State.
  • Keyes: “The idea with caches is to have something everywhere, wherever.” (02:14)
• Both Keyes and Mason were survivalists, outdoorsmen, and widely known for caching supplies — though Mike for less “nefarious” purposes. Their common backgrounds (Eastern Washington roots, time in Sequim/Port Angeles, tumultuous relationships, and alcoholism) set the stage for the case’s complexity.

2. Details of the Disappearance & Timeline Issues

Summary of Events (28:14 - 42:30)

• Mike and his wife, Berwin, go camping to celebrate her birthday on June 20, 2006. They argue; Berwin leaves after 12:45pm (by her account) and possibly breaks Mike’s truck window trying to get keys.
• Over subsequent days, six different witnesses allegedly see Mike at varying times, but no two witnesses see him together or at the same time — making the timeline murky.
• Mike’s caches and belongings are later found scattered throughout the woods, but his two guns and some personal effects remain missing.
• There’s a final unconfirmed sighting on June 30, while a major search is underway, casting doubt on the accuracy of some witness reports.

Notable Quotes

• Josh Hallmark: “The overwhelming feeling I had...was one of surprise. I was surprised this case didn't get much media attention. It's incredibly complex and, for lack of a better word, fascinating.” (05:29)
• Hallmark on confusion: “Almost everyone involved had been drinking, and of the six major witnesses, no one ever saw Mike at the same time.” (05:29)

3. Witness Statements Breakdown

Berwin Mason (Mike’s wife)

• Gave inconsistent timelines due to extreme intoxication during interviews.
• Changed her story about when she last saw Mike and when she broke into the truck.
  • “She was so drunk during this interview that she couldn't stand up straight.” (21:02)
• Expressed concern Mike wasn’t suicidal and recalled him making bracelets at camp — which were never found.

Tom (Friend)

• Claims Mike dropped off Berwin’s purse and Bronco at his house around 5:30am on either June 21 or 22.
• Last saw Mike heading back to the woods with a shotgun.

The Lutes (Camping Couple)

• Met Mike (as “Mike Kennedy”) on June 21; report their camp was ransacked and a chair stolen.
• Mike claims his truck was broken into.
• Provided time-stamped photos of Mike and his secondary camp.

Jerry (Acquaintance)

• Saw Mike at the campground on June 23. Mike mentioned someone picking him up at 9am, but thereafter, he was never seen again.

Crystal (Outpost worker)

• Claims to have seen Mike on June 30 at the camp bridge, but didn’t report it until two weeks later and her sighting conflicts with a massive ongoing search.

Timeline Summary

• June 20: Mike and Berwin arrive, argue, she leaves the campground.
• June 21-23: Multiple irregular sightings by various people, timeline differences around the whereabouts of Mike’s Bronco and camp equipment.
• June 28–30: Reported missing, large search efforts, unconfirmed final sighting.
• Keyes’ whereabouts during these days are suspicious, with gaps in his official timeline.

4. The Jacket and Its Significance (44:14)

• Police recovered a wet jacket with odd contents (someone else’s fishing license, contact info for “Randy,” shotgun and .22 ammo, miscellaneous items, a list of names including famous athletes, and Mike’s father’s belt buckle).
• No one recognized the jacket as Mike’s, and the items inside only deepened the mystery.

5. Potential Motive and Connections to Israel Keyes

• Overlap in lifestyle and habits: Keyes and Mason shared backgrounds, were both frequent at the same VFW, used caches, and were known among the same circles.
• Location MO: Keyes abducted people from areas just like the one where Mason vanished — remote campgrounds, federal land, and near secret survivalist locations.
  • “Two Forks Campground has been described by both police and locals as a secret campground used by vets and survivalists, of which Keyes was both. It's located approximately one mile upstream from where Keyes went shooting.” (51:30)
• Timeline gaps: Keyes was unaccounted for the days Mike likely disappeared. His explanations (e.g., picking up an ATV at a place that doesn’t exist) were lies.
  • “There's a gap in his timeline starting on June 25 and ending on July 10...” (51:30)
• Unrecovered evidence: Mike’s guns were never found; Keyes admitted in interviews to stealing and caching guns from victims.
  • Keyes: “Burglaries. I usually just jewelry and guns. Small guns.” (56:44)
• Boat Oddities: Keyes’ boat, used in murders, broke down the day after Mike was last seen; it was never repaired or used again, and he told the FBI there might be blood or bone in the motor.
• The Port Angeles Cache: Keyes claimed this cache was “relevant to a Washington state crime” but feigned amnesia about its location, unlike other caches.
• Victim Profile Match: Mike was of smaller stature (Keyes’ preference), was alone after Berwin left, and his guns were missing—aligning with Keyes’ known MOs.

6. Unanswered Questions and Hallmark’s Theories

• Why did Mike use aliases (introduced as “Mike Kennedy” to the Lutes)?
• No one knows the significance of the names scrawled on the paper found in the jacket.
• Mike never bought a pack mule as discussed with Randy, indicating further unresolved business.
• Mike’s bracelets, allegedly made for family during his last days, were never recovered.
• Hallmark finds significant the “coincidences” between Keyes’ suspicious behavior/timeline and Mason’s disappearance but is careful to point out the lack of “actual evidence” directly tying Keyes.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Josh Hallmark:

  • “In a lot of ways, Keyes and Mike Mason were very similar. And the timeline of Mason's disappearance is as murky as the timeline of Keyes himself, particularly that particular week.” (05:29)
  • “There are certainly a lot of coincidences at play here beyond what we know about Keyes MO at this stage of his murders.” (51:30)
  • “This cache, which was admittedly relevant to crimes he didn't want to discuss. This cache, which was buried in an area he lived in for six years. And that to me means a couple of things: The cache was in an area relative to one of his crimes and/or the cache contained evidence from one of his crimes.” (57:54)

• Keyes, on guns:

  • “Burglaries. I usually just jewelry and guns. Small guns.” (56:44)
  • “No, I didn't get rid of them because I was worried about them getting tracked…” (57:05)

• Vinay (Mutual Friend):

  • “If [Berwin] was going to kill Mike, she would have done it 25 years ago.” (47:50)

Critical Timestamps

| Segment | Topic | |---|---| |02:14–05:11| Caches and hunting as sources for ideas (Keyes’ methods and parallels to Mason)| |05:29–10:00| Introduction to Mike Mason, why the case is overlooked, the shared VFW connection| |28:14–42:30| Detailed law enforcement and witness timeline, breakdowns of inconsistencies| |44:14–47:50| Jacket on riverbank, interviews with “Randy” and “Troy,” and Vinay’s commentaries| |50:30–54:45| Keyes’ movements, the boat on Lake Ozette, the suspicious timeline gaps| |54:45–58:00| The VFW, similarities in habits, abduction settings, guns, and caches| |61:00–62:49| Summary reflections, missing evidence, unresolved mysteries|

Conclusion

This episode builds a striking circumstantial case around the possibility that Israel Keyes may have been involved in Mike Mason's disappearance, highlighting extensive lifestyle and timeline overlaps, failures of memory and reporting by various actors, and a tapestry of clues that may never fully resolve. Hallmark stays true to his investigative style, meticulously following up on every thread, yet maintaining a disciplined skepticism about where the evidence actually leads.

For listeners unfamiliar with the case, this episode offers:

• A hauntingly detailed account of Mason’s last days
• An expert breakdown of procedural missteps and conflicting reports
• Examination of how the habits and timelines of both Mason and Keyes create a chilling overlap
• A nuanced look at how easy it is for a disappearance to slip between the cracks—even one saturated with secrets, survivalism, and violence