Naman Shrestha
The episode titled ‘Murder on Mt. Baldy’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Cabin in the Woods’ sheds light on the disappearance and murder case of Jack Irwin, a Korean War veteran with a disability. When he suddenly disappeared from the face of the earth in 1999, it sent shockwaves across the entire community as he was known to have a positive relationship with everyone around him. As the investigators delved deeper into the case, a twisted plot came to light, pointing them toward the suspects. Since the episode also features interviews with the victims’ loved ones and the officials linked to the investigation, it provides the viewers with a detailed account of the case and its aftermath.
Jack Irwin Disappeared From His Upland Condominium in 1999
Jack Irwin was born on May 3, 1928, in a supposedly supportive and loving household. From his early childhood, one of his dreams was to serve his country, which he did when he partook in the Korean War alongside hundreds of other soldiers. Having faced many ups and downs in life, Jack decided to give in to his desire for solitude after retirement. So, in the early 1980s, he moved into a small cabin he owned on Mount Baldy, California. Soon, his old age caught up to him, and he developed a disability. Leading a reclusive life, he reportedly had only essential possessions in his cabin, including a bed, a chair, and a television.
Since he was a kind and helpful person, Jack’s neighbors never hesitated to help him out every once in a while by bringing him food and mending his clothes. Despite having more than $70,000 in his savings account, he hardly spent a dime on anything. After contemplating moving to the town of Upland, California to get away from the harsh winters in isolation, he purchased a two-story house for $159,000 in February 1999. He paid for the place in cash and made his cabin available for purchase. However, a few months later, the 71-year-old Army veteran disappeared from his new Upland property on September 13, 1999. A missing persons report was filed, but the police later learned that he was murdered and dismembered. However, his remains still remain undiscovered.
A Couple of New Friends Unleashed a Brutal Fate Upon Jack Irwin
As the detectives investigated Jack Irwin’s sudden vanishing from Upland, California, they learned about the two women he had befriended a few months prior to his disappearance — Judy Gellert and Marcia Johnson. They reportedly showed interest in purchasing his cabin on Mount Baldy but, at the time, lacked cash. Given his kind nature, he allowed them to pay the mortgage on the cabin. Not only did Judy and Marcia convince him to sign over his financial assets to them, but they also made him sign an agreement that would make them the owner of the cabin when he passed away. While they stayed at his Upland condominium in the beginning, Jack also granted them access to his bank accounts.
A few months into giving the cabin to the women on rent, Jack reportedly told some of his friends they had stopped making payments and that it was not sitting well with him. When September came, he disappeared, and it was Marcia who reported him missing on October 3, 1999, claiming he had gone to visit the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington, but never returned. While the police were deep into the investigation, Jack’s friends suspected the two women might have had a hand in his disappearance because of their extravagant expenses. Before he went missing, Jack reportedly had over $200,000 in his bank account. A few months later, in January 2000, his bank balance was down to $14.
Upon digging deeper into Marcia and Judy, the detectives found out they had sold his Upland apartment, purchased a luxurious property in San Diego, burned the Mount Baldy cabin to the ground in August 2000 to receive the insurance money, and emptied his bank accounts. In light of it all, the police brought Marcia in for questioning and interrogated her. During the interview, she confessed to shooting Jack Irwin in the back of his head and dismembering his body with a chainsaw before disposing of the remains in a remote site on Mount Baldy. She claimed the reason she killed him was that he criticized Judy and had exposed himself to her. Right after her confession, she was arrested and taken into custody.
Judy Gellert Now Leads a Private Life, While Marcia Johnson is Serving Her Sentence at a California Prison Today
Judy Gellert pleaded guilty to one count of receiving stolen property and agreed to testify against Marcia Johnson in exchange for a reduced sentence. During the trial, Marcia recanted her confession while the prosecutors presented evidence against the two women. The defense claimed that her confession and specific descriptions were her deluded thoughts triggered by bipolar disorder and alcohol abuse. However, on November 2, 2004, the jury returned with a guilty verdict for 44-year-old Marcia Johnson and convicted her of 26 counts, including first-degree murder of Jack Irwin, grand theft, insurance fraud, arson, and elder abuse.
More than a month later, on December 15, 2004, Marcia was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. On the other hand, Judy Gellert received a 180-day imprisonment sentence, five years probation, and a fine of $150,000 in restitution. As of today, Marcia is incarcerated at the California Institution for Women in the city of Chino, California. As far as Judy Gellert’s whereabouts are concerned, she seemingly kept her personal life away from the prying eyes of the media and continues to do so.
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