Fire on the Water: The Investor Murders of Craig, Alaska

In September 1982, the quiet fishing town of Craig became the scene of one of the most horrifying and enduring unsolved mass murders in Alaskan history. When smoke was spotted rising from the commercial fishing vessel Investor, rescuers rushed toward the burning boat hoping to save those onboard. Instead, they uncovered a devastating crime scene. The victims included skipper Mark Coulthurst, his pregnant wife Irene, their two young children, and four teenage crew members. Investigators later determined the victims had been murdered before the vessel was deliberately set on fire in an apparent attempt to destroy the evidence.In this episode of Stuttering in Silence, Gavin and Matt dive into the complete timeline of the Investor murders—from the successful salmon fishing season and the family's final evening in port to the discovery of the burning vessel and the massive investigation that followed. They examine the evidence, the arrest and eventual acquittal of a suspect, and why, more than four decades later, no one has ever been convicted for the killings.