Survivor's Joe Hunter opens up about what his sister Joanna truly hoped to accomplish on 48 Hours

Survivor star Joe Hunter opened up about his late sister, Joanna's tragic demise, while in conversation with CBS's 48 Hours on December 14, 2025.

He talked about how he wanted to spread awareness about his sister's death. While the cause of her death was said to be a suicide by the officials, Joe refused to believe that.

Joe claims that his sister's then-husband killed her and "staged" her body to look like a suicide. CBS News Los Angeles' correspondent Natalie Morales shared more about the effects since Joe appeared on Survivor.

On the other hand, Joe talked about what his sister Joanna truly hoped to achieve.

"I think that what she really wanted to do was get into public speaking, try to reach as many lives, motivate people to do things. That's been the mission, right? Be Joanna's voice," shard Joe.

---

Survivor's Joe Hunter opens up about what happened with his sister Joanna, his mission to spread awareness, and more

The host noted that Joe had his sister Joanne's name tattooed on his arm. In response, Joe noted that they all wore "Be Joanna's voice" and "Abuse is not love" bracelets.

Joe said that he wanted everyone to see it and bring it up in a conversation. His goal was to always remind himself and others that love did not mean abuse.

"The goal is always to remind myself and others that love is not abuse. And that Joanna needs to be heard, and hopefully that will happen," said Joe.

During his time on Survivor, he confessed to the cameras that he missed his sister. He also shared an apology, stating, he couldn't protect her from that monster (her husband).

For the fans who might not know, on October 6, 2011, Joanna's husband, Mark Lewis, found her in their bedroom closet. During the 911 call, when the dispatcher asked him, he said that he had no clue what had happened.

While her death was said to be a suicide, Survivor star Joe believed otherwise.

"I know in my heart that Mark killed my sister and that he staged it to look like she hung herself," said Joe.

Additionally, there has been a history of restraining orders and abuse. Joanna had reported Mark "grabbing" her neck and choking her during separate incidents. Earlier in 1996, she was also hospitalized after she suffered from a "severely sprained neck."

For the incident, Mark was sentenced to spend 36 months in prison. Captain Jackson Harris from the Solano County Sheriff's Office noted that Joanna's death was a suicide.

"There is no evidence on her body that another person used force to have killed her," he said.

Since everything that had happened, Survivor star started his mission. It was to prove everyone wrong and get his sister justice.

CBS News Los Angeles' Natalie Morales shared more about Joe and his participation on Survivor. She noted that because of Joe's awareness spreading, it had impacted a low on what happened to his sister. The correspondent also shared more about the new law that was passed since what had happened with Joanna.

"Joe Hunter has had a tremendous impact on raising awareness about his sister's death in the case with the hope of raising awareness about domestic violence and...as well as helping pass a law in the state of California called Joanna's law."

She added:

"And that law, actually, helps law enforcement with a checklist of flags to look for when they are responding to cases of reported suicides, accidental deaths, or overdoses to look for a history of domestic violence."

---

Keep reading Soap Central to learn more about the upcoming season of Survivor and Joe Hunter.