Nathalie Morales has worked in news for over 25 years, but she believes in the story of Survivor alum Joe Hunter and his sister, Janeis perhaps one of the most important true crime stories she has ever covered.
The story of Joe, 46, and Joanna is now the subject of an upcoming episode of 48 hourstitled “Joe Hunter’s Mission,” for which Morales, 53, is the lead correspondent.
“It’s really about emotion,” she says Us every week exclusively. “I think it’s probably one of the most important true crime stories I’ve ever done.”
Joanna died in 2011 at the age of 36 in her California home and police ruled it a suicide. Apparently, there was every reason to do so. Her husband, Marc Lewisclaimed to have found her body without any signs of a struggle and without evidence indicating that Joanna had committed suicide.
But Joe and his family never believed that’s what happened. Lewis had a history of domestic violence, and inconsistencies quickly emerged that cast doubt on investigators’ findings. The case has since been reinvestigated several times, but Joanna’s official cause of death has remained the same. Lewis, who denies killing her, has never faced charges in connection with the case.
“[Joe] I just talked about feeling like he let his sister down, that he was [on Survivor] to be her voice,” said Morales, 53. “He was competing for her, trying to do something to honor her memory and really bring attention and awareness to survivors of domestic violence and what they go through.”
The Hunter family has done more than raise awareness, which is another reason Morales has become so passionate about the story. Joe and his mother, Patricia, led the charge to help pass Joanna’s Law in California, which Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law in 2024.
The law requires law enforcement to consider 10 factors related to any suspicious death involving a history of domestic violence before closing the investigation. Factors include a partner wanting to end the relationship, the deceased being found by their partner, and that partner being the last person to see them alive.
Lifetime’s docuseries, The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson, shared new details about Nicole Brown Simpson’s life before examining her tumultuous relationship with OJ Simpson. The first two installments of the four-part documentary series, which premiered on Saturday, June 1, featured interviews with Nicole’s star friends, such as Kris Jenner and Faye Resnick, and members […]
Joanna’s death checked all 10 boxes but was never investigated as a potential homicide.
“The responding officer took photos of the scene, put the equipment in a bag. [alleged suicide] note and everything that was found,” Morales explained. “But they didn’t take a DNA sample at that time. They did not document the scene.
That meant crucial evidence that could shed light on Joanna’s death, including a rope that a doctor questioned. 48 hours which would have been the murder weapon, has now disappeared.
“I had never heard of the term hidden homicides before talking about this case,” Morales said. “The more I started to invest in [this case]plus it made me aware of all the past stories I’ve done and where, you know, “has this been researched enough?” Was the investigation carried out as it should have been? »
Greg Doherty/Getty Images Filming the new Lifetime movie Gaslit By My Husband was both a difficult and therapeutic experience for Jana Kramer. “I told the head of Lifetime that I really wanted to do something in the area of domestic violence and be able to shed light on it,” Kramer, 40, said Monday. […]
“Joe Hunter’s Mission” doesn’t just delve into the case itself, but tells the story of Joanna’s relationship with Lewis, in which she claims she was physically assaulted on multiple occasions, with Lewis pleading guilty to domestic violence over a decade prior. She also tried to end the relationship, but continually found herself drawn to it.
Lewis has not publicly addressed Joanna’s previous abuse allegations and declined to speak to 48 hours.
“So many people suffer in silence when it comes to domestic violence,” Morales said. “Too often people are so afraid or afraid to talk about their experiences, afraid to leave, afraid of being judged. »
Joe Hunter’s “Mission” 48 hours premieres on CBS on Saturday, December 13 at 10 p.m. ET and streams on Paramount+.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential assistance.
