A "Survivor" finalist's mission to prove his late sister was murdered
Joe Hunter, a finalist on season 48 of 'Survivor,' competed on the show to honor his late sister Joanna, who was found dead in 2011 under suspicious circumstances. He and his family believe she was murdered by her husband, Pastor Mark Lewis, despite the initial investigation concluding it may have been suicide. Now, Joe is using his platform to push for a reexamination of the case and seek justice for his sister.
- ▪Joanna Hunter was found dead in her bedroom closet in Vacaville, California, on October 6, 2011, with a bathrobe sash used as a noose.
- ▪Her husband, Mark Lewis, claimed she showed no signs of depression or prior mental health issues, and had no history of suicide attempts.
- ▪A note reading 'Take care of dogs' was found in an open suitcase at the scene, but no signs of struggle were reported by law enforcement.
- ▪Joe Hunter and his mother, Patricia Hunter, immediately suspected Mark Lewis of murder and have long questioned the official narrative.
- ▪Joe Hunter says he knew instantly that his sister had been killed and believes her death was not a suicide.
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48 Hours Joe Hunter competed on "Survivor" to honor his late sister. Now he's on a mission to prove she was murdered. .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-48-hours.jpg'); } By Natalie Morales, Natalie Morales "48 Hours" correspondent Natalie Morales is a "48 Hours" correspondent based in Los Angeles. Read Full Bio Natalie Morales, Mary Murphy, Mead Stone Updated on: May 16, 2026 / 9:55 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google This story originally aired on Dec. 13, 2025.On a beach in Fiji competing on "Survivor," the reality show that, like "48 Hours," airs on CBS, Joe Hunter's grief over the death of his sister Joanna came out in full force.JOE HUNTER ("Survivor" season 48): I miss you so much. I just miss you so much.
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