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This episode of True Crime All the Time examines the 1999 disappearance and murder of Jack Irwin, a 71-year-old Korean War veteran living as a reclusive retiree in a cabin on Mount Baldy, California. The hosts, Mike Ferguson and Mike Gibson, detail how Irwin, who suffered from dystonia and kept a remarkably Spartan lifestyle, was befriended by Marsha Johnson and Judy Geller after they expressed interest in buying his property. Within months, the women had Irwin sign a trust giving them control of his assets, systematically drained his bank accounts of hundreds of thousands of dollars, sold his home, and ultimately burned down his cabin to collect insurance payouts after Irwin vanished. Although Irwin's body was never found, the hosts explain how meticulous police work, wiretapped conversations, and a shocking confession made by Johnson to a psychological associate eventually led to her conviction for first-degree murder.
The episode opens with a DraftKings Casino ad before the hosts welcome listeners.
Mike Ferguson and Mike Gibson greet the audience and thank Patreon supporters.
The hosts preview the story of Jack Irwin, a lonely retiree who vanished in 1999.
The hosts examine how Jack’s trust and the women’s access to his assets may have motivated crime.
Jack vanishes after a trip to Seattle, leading to a missing persons case.
Marcia’s confession, arrests, and the trial of Marcia and Judy are recounted.
Hosts discuss Marcia Johnson’s confession and the mystery surrounding Jack Irwin’s disappearance.
Defense cites Marcia’s mental history and alleged intoxication to explain her actions.
Jury convicts Marcia of murder and related charges, leading to a life sentence without parole.
Judge comments on Irwin’s train ticket, drawing a chilling metaphor about the afterlife.
Hosts reflect on how greed drove the murders and the broader implications for crime.
Final reflections on the case’s unresolved aspects and the moral weight of murder for money.
A Recluse Meets New Buyersstory
Jack Irwin was a retired Korean War veteran living alone in a Mount Baldy cabin when he met Marsha Johnson and Judy Geller in early 1999. The women agreed to buy his cabin, and after seeing his meager lifestyle, Johnson admitted she immediately wondered how she could use him.
Moving Out of the Mountainsdata
Seeking an end to harsh winters, Irwin bought a four-bedroom house in Upland for $160,000 cash, abandoning his decades-long reclusive lifestyle just months before his disappearance.
The Fatal Trust Agreementstrategy
Irwin signed a trust on August 17, 1999, granting Johnson and Geller full title to his property in the event of his death, creating an immediate and fatal motive.
The Mount Baldy Cabin Firestory
Irwin's old cabin burned down in an arson fire while locked and sealed, after which Johnson and Geller collected $170,000 in insurance payouts despite having a purchase contract for only $48,000.
Rapid Draining of Bank Accountsdata
Investigator Maury Weiss discovered that starting the exact day Irwin vanished, Johnson made massive withdrawals, depleting Irwin's accounts down to just $14 within two months.
A Chilling Graphic Confessioninsight
Johnson confessed to psychological associate Dr. Deborah Martin that she shot Irwin in the back of the head, dismembered his body with a chainsaw, and packed the parts like meat.
Stirring the Pot With Warrantsstrategy
Detectives served Johnson and Geller with fake or impending arrest and search warrants for grand theft and arson, successfully panicking them into extensive wiretapped phone conversations.
The Judge's Final Verdictinsight
At sentencing, the judge told Johnson that the jury rejected her Seattle vacation story, concluding instead that Irwin bought a one-way ticket to the afterworld punched by her.
“In the fall of 1999, Marcia contacted a real estate agent about selling Jack's Upland home. The real estate agent cited concerns about where Jack would live when he returned and refused to sell, but offered to help rent the home out.”
“It helps you make sense of why she might have been cursing.”
“Marcia claimed she set the cabin on fire because 'I kept seeing ghosts.'”
“In closing, Stephen Williams argued that there was no body, no gun, no chainsaw, and no physical evidence to convict Marcia.”
“That month, Judy was sentenced to 180 days in jail with five years probation and was ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution.”
“But one of the things it shows me is just how big greed is as a motivator.”
Jack Irwin was a 71-year-old Korean War veteran who lived a quiet, isolated life in a cabin on Mount Baldy, California. In 1999, he befriended Marcia Johnson and Judy Gellert, a couple interested in buying his cabin. The women quickly became close to Jack, eventually moved in with him, and gained access to his finances through a trust that would transfer his assets to them after his death. On September 13, 1999, Jack disappeared after Marcia claimed she dropped him at a train station with $5,000 and a change of clothes for a spontaneous trip to Seattle. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Jack Irwin. His neighbors and longtime friend Sandy Bailey immediately doubted the story, especially after Marcia and Judy stopped cooperating with investigators and began using Jack's money. The investigation eventually revealed that Marcia had made repeated withdrawals from Jack's accounts, bought vehicles, sold his property, and helped collect insurance money after his Mount Baldy cabin was destroyed in an arson fire. You can help support the show at patreon.com/truecrimeallthetime Visit the show's website at truecrimeallthetime.com for contact, merchandise, and donation information An Emash Digital production See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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