Blaine Alexander

always pushing herself as far and as fast as she could go she had this sort of jump to her walk almost a lilt as if she were bouncing through her day very happy she was a brilliant person she wanted to do the best she could in everything she did what did she mean to you guys everything

She was a girl in a hurry, but her family would need patience and perseverance if they would ever find justice.

Thursday night is party night in Athens, Georgia, just like it was 25 years ago.

But on Thursday night, January 18, 2001, Tara Baker wasn't bar hopping.

She was studying.

This was her first year at UGA's law school, and she was buckled down at the law library with her friend Katie Lonstein.

They worked for a couple of hours.

because that was her grand plan.

And she told me to call when I got home, because she always worried about me when I walked home.

Katie made it home safely, but she forgot to call.

So Tara called me at about 9.40, 9.45, and she said, Ma'am, you did not call me.

And I said, I know, I'm so sorry, Tara.

I'm home, I'm fine, everything's okay.

Then Tara went home herself around 10.

Katie's sure of it because her friend always stuck to her plan.

For Tara, this was home, a little place on Fawn Drive on the outskirts of Athens.

Rain clouds were gathering the next morning as the call came into Firehouse 5.

That little house on Fawn Drive was on fire.

Firefighters arrived on the scene, kicked in the door and found a living room full of smoke.

What do you see when you come over here?