The Truth According To Jon
Inside the Unfiltered Phone Call with John Gertin
This episode presents an unedited phone conversation with John Gertin, the man who says he was the last person to see Florence Ocpialak alive. He recounts picking Florence up outside a bar, bringing her to his large tent, calming her during a volatile night, and later waking to find she had zipped the tent and left. Under bedding he later found Florence’s phone and shoes. Across the tense, winding call he insists he never harmed her while also admitting regret for not checking on her in the morning.
Community Rumors and Harassment After a Nome Beach Disappearance
Gertin describes how local gossip escalated into dangerous harassment: fake social profiles, forged arrest paperwork sent to his wife overseas, death threats, assaults, and job loss after rumors labeled him a serial offender. He explains how online speculation morphed into real-world consequences that affected his employment and relationships, and how he felt isolated despite cooperating with authorities.
Investigation Details, physical evidence, and unanswered questions
The call details the FBI’s three-week presence, search tactics including dogs and camera checks, and a photo of a black flatbed truck that investigators highlighted. Gertin recounts being questioned about the truck and describes other tent neighbors, a diver/barrel rumor he insists he only repeated secondhand, and his own fears that Florence might have walked into the ocean. He stresses that the FBI interviewed him and, according to him, cleared him of foul play, while many community members remain unconvinced.
What the Live Polygraph Announcement Means for the Case
In a surprising move, Gertin agrees to take a live polygraph test broadcasted without edits. The episode explains the logistics: a scheduled live session to ask difficult questions under professional conditions, intended to provide immediate transparency and confront lingering doubts. The show frames this event as an unusual form of public accountability that aims to offer listeners direct evidence of his responses in real time.
Throughout the episode, themes of grief, addiction, and regret appear alongside procedural details: lost family members who left him isolated, his admissions of past substance struggles, and his assertion that he taught women self-defense. The narrative invites listeners to weigh personal testimony, community rumor, and the limited forensic trail — a phone, shoes, surveillance leads, and conflicting witness memories — all of which leave the central mystery unresolved.
Ultimately, the episode functions as both a witness account and a public experiment in accountability: a contentious firsthand narrative followed by a planned live polygraph meant to test the story in front of an audience. For anyone following Florence Ocpialak’s disappearance, this episode offers new claims, renewed questions, and a live moment that could shift public perception.
Key points
- Listen to John Gertin’s unfiltered phone call describing Florence Ocpialak’s last known tent interaction.
- Note that Florence’s phone and shoes were found under bedding in Gertin’s tent the afternoon after she left.
- Remember the FBI conducted a multiweek investigation and questioned Gertin about a black truck.
- Recognize the impact of forged documents and online harassment on Gertin’s family and employment.
- Consider both drowning and foul play as viable theories given limited physical evidence.
- Understand that Gertin admits substance struggles but denies perpetrating any violent crime.
- Tune into the live polygraph event to hear real-time questioning and responses from Gertin.
FAQ
Who is speaking in the unfiltered phone call?
John Gertin, the man who says he was the last person to see Florence Ocpialak, is the speaker in the phone call.
Did law enforcement investigate Gertin after Florence disappeared?
Yes; Gertin says the FBI conducted a multiweek investigation and questioned him about evidence and a vehicle.
What physical items connected to Florence were found in the tent?
Gertin reports that Florence’s phone and shoes were later discovered under the bedding in his tent.
When and where is the announced live polygraph scheduled to occur?
The live polygraph was scheduled to stream on Instagram Live via the Up and Vanished account at the announced date and time.
