In this episode of Only Murders on the Harbor, we explore the mysterious death of Deputy Sheriff Carlton Mason Stearns, a cold case that has puzzled Grays Harbor County for nearly a century.

Born in 1894 in Deer Lodge, Tennessee, Stearns grew up facing tragedy and loss, including the early deaths of several half-sisters. By his teens, he was working in Hoquiam sawmills, later holding jobs in printing, retail, and trucking. In 1914, he married Edna McNamara and settled in Tacoma, building a life and family while rising through local law enforcement ranks.

By 1931, Stearns was Chief Criminal Deputy in Grays Harbor County, involved in enforcing Prohibition-era liquor laws and investigating local crimes. On a March night in 1936, he was sent to the remote Copalis Beach to check on thefts and burglaries at vacation homes. Hours la ...