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Survivor Star's Sister's Death Ruled Suicide, Family Demands Justice
15 Dec
Summary
- Survivor alum Joe Hunter believes his sister's death was not a suicide.
- Joanna's Law in California requires domestic violence factors in suspicious deaths.
- Police maintain suicide ruling despite family's persistent claims of foul play.
Survivor 48 alum Joe Hunter is relentlessly pursuing the truth behind his sister Joanna's 2011 death. Despite law enforcement's ruling of suicide, Joe and his mother, Patricia Hunter, are convinced that Joanna's husband, Mark Lewis, was responsible. Lewis, who denies the allegations, has a documented history of domestic violence, including a prior conviction that resulted in Joanna being hospitalized.
Investigative correspondent Natalie Morales explored the case on "48 Hours," highlighting discrepancies in the initial investigation. Key factors, such as Lewis being the one to discover Joanna's body and a history of domestic abuse, were present but not treated as indicators of homicide. The family's advocacy led to the passage of Joanna's Law in California in 2024, requiring law enforcement to consider specific domestic violence factors in suspicious death investigations.
Joanna's death, initially ruled a suicide, remains a painful point of contention for her family. Hunter competed on Survivor 48 with the explicit goal of being a voice for his sister, who had shared his dream of appearing on the show. The family's ongoing quest for justice continues, driven by the belief that Joanna did not take her own life.
