>> reporter: but edythe didn't know the worst of it.her close friend denita hadn't died in a tragic accident. police discovered denita had been murdered, shot at almost point blank range. >> it's clearly intentional. >> reporter: and shot in the back of the head. >> dead center. >> reporter: this was an execution. >> exactly. >> reporter: meanwhile denita's mother sharon had arrived from charlotte, still unaware of what had happened. >> where's my baby? and is she all right? >> reporter: now police had to break the horrible news about her oldest daughter. >> and so that's when they explained that denita was found and she had been shot. and she was dead. and at that point my life just changed completely. >> reporter: nothing prepares you for that, does it? >> uh-uh. because i'm wondering who, why, who would want to do this, it hy just doesn't make sense. >> reporter: why would anyone want to kill the popular and lovely denita? when we come back -- >> he told me he saw a female that was about 5'10". >> reporter: police hear from a witness

>> reporter: but edythe didn't know the worst of it.her close friend denita hadn't died in a tragic accident. police discovered denita had been murdered, shot at almost point blank range. >> it's clearly intentional. >> reporter: and shot in the back of the head. >> dead center.te >> reporter: this was an execution.ce >> exactly.n. >> reporter: meanwhile denita's mother sharon had arrived from charlotte, still unaware of what had happened. >> where's my baby? and is she all right?'s >> reporter: now police had to break the horrible news about her oldest daughter. >> and so that's when they explained that denita was found and she had been shot. and she was dead. and at that point my life just changed completely. >> reporter: nothing prepares you for that, does it? >> uh-uh.fo because i'm wondering who, why, who would want to do this, it just doesn't make sense.d >>> coming up -- police hear from a witness who saw something odd. and suspicious. >> he says, let me call the police. and then she pulls off and takes off out of the complex. s