Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘Cold Blooded’ of ABC’s ’20/20,’ the viewers are provided with a detailed account of the cold-blooded murder of a highly reputed surgeon of Ketchikan, Alaska — Dr. Eric Garcia. When he was found dead in his home during a welfare check, the entire community went into a state of shock and horror while his loved ones grappled with loss and grief. As the detectives investigated the murder, some dark truths came to light and led them to the killer. Featuring insightful interviews with the loved ones of the medical professional, the episode also delves deep into Eric’s demise, the ensuing investigation and the subsequent trial as well as its aftermath.
Eric Garcia’s Body Was Discovered in His House 10 Days After His Death
Eric Luis Llorens Garcia was a revered surgeon in Ketchikan, a city in the southeastern part of Alaska. However, he wasn’t a native of The Last Frontier. The 58-year-old originally hailed from Guaynabo, a small town in Guaynabo Municipality in Puerto Rica, having been born in the country in October 1958. Though not much is known about his parents, we know that Eric was close to his brother, Saul Garcia, and sister, Lissette Gianonni Garcia Llorens. He was a bright individual with high hopes for the future and decided to pursue a degree in the medical field. To fulfill his dream of becoming a doctor, he enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine and graduated in 1984.
Sometime later, Eric relocated to the US, where he reportedly completed his residency from 1990 to 1993 at the Chicago Medical School/Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. According to reports, he ran his own practice in the towns of McAllen and Eagle Pass in Texas for a while but eventually opted to move to Alaska sometime in the late 90s or early 2000s. Following his move, he made the town of Ketchikan his base and began working as a general surgeon in 2007. He utilized his medical knowledge and put years of experience to good use at Peace Health Ketchikan Medical Center, Wrangell Medical Center, and Petersburg Medical Center.
In an unexpected turn of events, the 58-year-old surgeon’s life came to a sudden halt on March 17, 2017. His body was discovered in his Ketchikan house by the police ten days later. When the autopsy failed to show the cause of his death, a toxicology test was done. It showed that he had died from the consumption of a lethal amount of dose of multiple drugs, including morphine, methadone, diazepam, and lorazepam. Wasting no time, the police soon launched a homicide investigation.
Eric Garcia Was Backstabbed by Someone he Trusted With His Life
Upon putting Eric Garcia’s life under the microscope in an attempt to find clues leading to the perpetrator, the investigators learned about his romantic relationship with a guy named Jordan Joplin. The latter worked as an exotic dancer and had been dating the doctor for several years at the time of his death. As a matter of fact, on the day of the discovery of Dr. Eric Garcia’s remains at his Ketchikan residence, it was Jordan who requested a welfare check on him. He claimed he hadn’t heard from Eric, who was supposed to visit him in Washington. In order to let the authorities inside his house, Jordan traveled to Ketchikan himself, as he had the keys to the property.
As the detectives dug deeper into their relationship, they found out that on March 15, 2017, Jordan had visited Eric in Ketchikan, but not without ulterior motives. They had plans to fly to Las Vegas together, but the dancer poisoned his longtime partner with a lethal dose of morphine, methadone, diazepam, and lorazepam in his house. After killing him, Jordan reportedly stole Eric’s expensive possessions worth thousands of dollars, including expensive watches and gold and silver coins, and loaded them inside three large shipping containers. He then scheduled the containers to reach his Washington residence.
Moreover, when the investigators went through Eric’s electronic bank transfers, they discovered that nearly $40,000 was transferred to Jordan’s account, starting from March 16 to March 30, 2017. Upon searching the suspect’s Washington house for evidence, the police came across the victim’s phone and wallet. In light of all the evidence against him, Jordan was arrested on March 31, 2017, and extradited to Alaska, where he was held in custody for the murder of Eric Garcia.
The Killer Was Brought to Justice For Killing the Surgeon
More than six years after the poisoning death of the surgeon, on May 8, 2023, the trial of Jordan Joplin began. Less than a month later, on June 1, the jury reached a verdict and convicted the then 38-year-old defendant of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, and first-degree theft. On April 9, 2024, he received the maximum possible sentence for the murder as he was sentenced to 99 years in prison, in addition to two years for the theft charge. Eric Garcia’s brother, Saul, addressed the court and opened up about how his death had impacted him and the rest of his family.
He stated, “I felt guilty by not knowing Eric had been suffering from domestic abuse. How did I not not know that? How did I not pick up on it? Why didn’t I call more frequently?” Turning to the convict, he added, “Joplin, you’ve made your decision. You have chosen your fate. I’m here today to seek justice for Eric and collect on all of your failed gambles. To ensure your unconscious wish of becoming imprisoned for life becomes a reality. I’m here for that.”
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