pain in little cottonwood, california will during the surreal minutes and hours and days after karen duenas> the best way i can explain my mom is she was of pure of heart is the best way to do -- to say it. >> reporter: the whole big family karen's family as well as mark's, parents, brothers sisters, gathered to support each other and mourn and struggle with the question that hung in the air -- who did this. but the word on the street was there was of no-- there was no question at all. >> we immediately heard outlandish rumors. you're going, i don't know where they're getting this. >> reporter: the boys heard them, too. rumors the detectives knew the killer was mark to which the family said -- >> ridiculous. i know there's no way possible he could have done it. >> my parents were best friends from as long as i could remember. >> reporter: but it that was true then why would detectives be so suspicious of a man married to his high school sweetheart for almost 33 years? a man without so much as a track ticket on his record let alone a violent act? it's true that when wives are murdered husban