Her household knew one thing wasn’t proper when Joanna Lewis’ Oct. 6, 2011, dying was rapidly dominated a suicide after a short investigation by Solano County legislation enforcement.
They famous her husband, former pastor Mark Wayne Lewis, had a historical past of home violence towards Joanna. However it wasn’t till 2014, after he was was charged and pleaded no contest to arson following a firebombing of his ex-girlfriend’s home, that authorities agreed to open an investigation into Joanna’s dying.
Now, 14 years after her dying, the Hunter household has gained not less than some measure of acknowledgment in a brand new legislation that took impact on Jan. 1.
Instantly after the signing, Alliance President Casey Gwinn reportedly stated, “Today, we made history in memory of Joanna Hunter.”
The legislation requires first responders and investigators to endure coaching and probably assist to determine staged suicides, which might result in killers going free. It takes benefit of recent analysis that helps investigators perceive when against the law scene has been staged. It additionally helps make sure that investigations into suspicious deaths are dealt with correctly.
Fellowship Baptist Church pastor, Mark Lewis, seems within the courtroom room of Solano County Superior Court docket Choose Peter B. Foor on Tuesday to be arraigned on felony arson costs in connection to the firebombing of an ex-girlfriend’s residence in addition to fraud costs in connection to the funds he used to submit bail.
In a Fb submit, the Alliance for Hope Worldwide — a social service group that works to create communities of security, hope and therapeutic for survivors of home and sexual violence — touted the brand new legislation and a statewide coaching video created with the Sacramento Household Justice Middle and the Sacramento Police Division to coach professionals within the dealing with of suspicious dying instances. Their submit defined that the group “is still awaiting compliance with Joanna’s Law by Solano County but a lawsuit may be necessary.”
Joanna’s mom, Patricia Hunter, a retired native instructor, and brother Joe Hunter (a Sacramento Fireplace captain) are featured within the video urging those that examine such instances to examine for documented historical past of home violence and demand that scenes in such instances be correctly investigated as potential homicides.
Patricia shared a hyperlink to the video on her Fb web page saying, “We are now able to share this with you. It is the result of Joanna’s Law becoming a reality, thanks to so many who have worked to make this happen. We honor you, dear Joanna.”
It’s not the one time that Patricia has spoken out on what her daughter endured. In a Feb. 26, 2014, Reporter story, she remembered the final time she spoke together with her daughter, who she stated had “lied about all the abuse” and hung up the telephone. A month later, Joanna Lewis was lifeless at age 36.
At at assembly of the Vacaville Soroptimist group, she shared that Mark Lewis was convicted of spousal abuse on her daughter within the early 2000s, which then-Superior Court docket Choose Peter Foor confirmed throughout a listening to. Lewis pleaded and served probation for the abuse cost.
Patricia Hunter instructed The Reporter she was uncertain what number of visits through the years her daughter made to the hospital to deal with her accidents. She did know of three, nonetheless, and stated her daughter had grown “increasingly isolated” after her marriage to Lewis in 2000.
For no matter motive, her daughter remained within the relationship with Lewis regardless of the apparent indicators of bodily abuse and likewise, very doubtless, emotional abuse.
Patricia Hunter instructed the Soroptimists, “Sometimes, like in my daughter’s situation, very loving people, very caring people are drawn to people who need help.”
Within the coaching video for SB 989, produced with the assistance of the Sacramento Police Division, the Hunters, Casey Gwinn, president of the Alliance for Hope Worldwide, Gael Strack, CEO of the Alliance for Hope Worldwide, and others notice that the household of the one that dies beneath suspicious circumstance must be interviewed.
In addition they cite 10 elements which will lead investigators to contemplate the dying a murder: 1) The particular person died prematurely or in an premature method; 2) The dying scene seems to end result from a suicide or accident; 3) One associate needed to finish the connection; 4) There was a historical past of being victimized by home violence that included coercive management; 5) The particular person was discovered lifeless in a house or place of residence; 6) The particular person was discovered by a present or earlier associate; 7) There was a historical past of being victimized by home violence that included strangulation or suffocation; 8) The present or earlier associate of the one that died or their youngster was the final to see the particular person alive; 9) The associate had management of the scene earlier than legislation enforcement arrived; and 10) The physique of the particular person was moved, or the scene or different proof was altered ultimately.
Within the video, David Cropp, of the Sacramento Regional Household Justice Middle and a retired sergeant detective with the Sacramento Police Division, suggested first responders to examine for a household historical past of home violence.
The total video may be seen on the Sacramento Regional Household Justice Middle’s YouTube channel.
If you happen to or somebody you realize is battling emotions of melancholy or suicidal ideas, the 988 Suicide & Disaster Lifeline gives free, round the clock help, info and assets for assist. Name or textual content the lifeline at 988, or see the 988lifeline.org web site, the place chat is out there.
Initially Printed: February 2, 2025 at 8:09 AM PST
