. >> reporter: roman roberson had two classes with william. he said today was a normal day until the principal made an announcement. >> first block, ms. davidson came on the announcer and said they found a body, and it matches william mcquain. and everyone was crying. it was a tough day. >> reporter: roberson's mom picked him up after school instead of letting him ride the bus, knowing he would be upset. >> we had noticed that he had been absent for a couple of weeks, you know, the day they issued the amber alert. and he was very upset that day. and we've just been hoping that he would be found alive. >> reporter: she says the mother's murder has been difficult to explain now that william's been found dead, it's impossible. >> we've just prayed a lot. it's just hard. it feels like a piece of innocence lost, you know. they shouldn't have to deal with this. >> reporter: other parents came to take their kids out of school after they heard the news. >> i came to the school. i wanted to be with my kids. and it's just heartbreaking, devastating. >>

. >> well, the robersons told me that after more than 40 years they forgot about the hijacking untilbroke that he had been found living in portugal. >>> the top stories straight ahead, the death toll rising from the tainted batch of cantelopes and should the man who tried to kill president reagan get more freedom? a request tonight coming from an interesting place. [ male announcer ] when men don't choose what's right for their face, they can end up with shaving irritation. ♪ get gillette irritation defense shave gel and gillette fusion proglide razor to help defend against five signs of shaving irritation. ♪ try gillette fusion proglide and the irritation defense line. help defend your skin. ♪ >> i want to check some headlines for you and the death toll is climbing from the listeria outbreak caused by contaminated cantelopes. as many as 17 people have died and 84 people in 19 states have gotten sick. the melons are from a colorado-based jensen farms. the cdc says there could be more people affected since there is a lag time between eating the bad cantaloupes and becoming ill. >>> si