what happened to bonnie craig that september day, screamed karen, was murder. >> i think my mom felt very responsible. >> like i caused this. >> i caused this, you know? they killed bonnie because of something i did. >> was her child's death revenge? >>> in the autumn of 1994 a suffocating grief descended in anchorage, alaska, and settled on the home of 18-year-old bonnie craig. it was a very bad night. >> it was tough. it was really tough. >> i guess you just don't know what to do after that. how to channel your emotions. >> we were all devastated. >> reporter: once she arrived home, bonnie's mother karen jumped into action, had to find the truth about bonnie's death. and seemed equipped to do so. she was an anchorage reserve police officer, and before that, a local tv reporter. >> reporter: she told her media friends it was murder, the troopers didn't know what they were doing. >> reporter: she gave a slew of interviews, included samantha in this one. >> she wouldn't have taken a ride, not from a stranger for sure. >> there was nothing accidental about it. >> reporter: but initially