Joe Hunter

We've tried to reach you many ways.

Hello, sir.

With Lewis inside the house, we approached his father-in-law in the garage.

I'm just wondering if you have any concerns about your daughter's own safety, given his past history with domestic violence.

His late wife was found hanging to death.

Yes.

Did you know his late wife Joanna Hunter?

Did you go to the church?

And I know this is a difficult situation, but we just want to make sure.

I appreciate that, but I hope you understand there are a lot of questions still that the Hunter family would like to have answers to.

And so I'm here simply doing my job, giving your son-in-law a chance to answer some questions.

Mark Lewis was moving on with his new family while his previous one was aching for answers.

Yeah.

The hunters, so accustomed to grief, were thrilled when Senate Bill 989, Joanna's Law, became California state law on January 1st, 2025, passing unanimously.

Joanna's law requires investigators responding to reported suicides, drug overdoses, or fatal accidents to check for a history of domestic violence.

Casey Gwynn and Gail Strack, who helped write Joanna's Law, are using her case to spotlight the connection between suspicious deaths and domestic violence.

At this conference in Denver, they're guiding law enforcement officers on how to identify those 10 red flags that could reveal hidden homicides.

48 Hours has learned the California Department of Justice has agreed to review the Solano County DA's decision not to bring criminal charges related to Joanna's death.

The hunters hope that will move the case forward.

I look at it this way.