Bob Sands

That summer, reporting came through that KTOK newsroom about a 28-year-old union organizer making noise about safety conditions at a local nuclear facility.

That summer, reporting came through that KTOK newsroom about a 28-year-old union organizer making noise about safety conditions at a local nuclear facility.

Karen was a rank-and-file worker, one of only a few women who worked in that plant. And yet, here she was, standing up to her employer, Kerr McGee, an atomic energy giant.

Karen was a rank-and-file worker, one of only a few women who worked in that plant. And yet, here she was, standing up to her employer, Kerr McGee, an atomic energy giant.

And so when news of Karen's death broke in November of 74, when that bell dinged on the wire, I paid really close attention.

And so when news of Karen's death broke in November of 74, when that bell dinged on the wire, I paid really close attention.

Over the years, we kept a close eye on the Silkwood case, and for a time, so did the rest of the country.

Over the years, we kept a close eye on the Silkwood case, and for a time, so did the rest of the country.

Well, there were also investigations by several news outlets, and Karen's story got lots more attention in 1983 with the release of the Hollywood movie Silkwood. Based on her life, Meryl Streep, starred as Karen, actually got Streep an Oscar nomination.

Well, there were also investigations by several news outlets, and Karen's story got lots more attention in 1983 with the release of the Hollywood movie Silkwood. Based on her life, Meryl Streep, starred as Karen, actually got Streep an Oscar nomination.

Mike and I held on to Silkwood over the years as we covered countless other stories.

Mike and I held on to Silkwood over the years as we covered countless other stories.

There was war reporting overseas, and the Oklahoma City bombing, which shook our home state and the country. We covered that for NBC.

There was war reporting overseas, and the Oklahoma City bombing, which shook our home state and the country. We covered that for NBC.

And then a couple of years ago, we decided to try and pick back up with Silkwood, do the job we would have loved to have taken on as cub reporters 50 years ago.

And then a couple of years ago, we decided to try and pick back up with Silkwood, do the job we would have loved to have taken on as cub reporters 50 years ago.

To us, there seemed to be more to Karen's story, and we weren't the only ones who suspected it. It's a widely held belief Karen Silkwood died for what she knew. So what had Karen uncovered? Who had she upset? Why did her car hit that concrete wall? Was there a second vehicle involved?

To us, there seemed to be more to Karen's story, and we weren't the only ones who suspected it. It's a widely held belief Karen Silkwood died for what she knew. So what had Karen uncovered? Who had she upset? Why did her car hit that concrete wall? Was there a second vehicle involved?

There are fewer and fewer people alive to share what they know from the night Karen died. Many of the people who worked with Karen in the plant are dead.

There are fewer and fewer people alive to share what they know from the night Karen died. Many of the people who worked with Karen in the plant are dead.