dresser. so then, i'm like, where would she be without her purse? 'cause that wasn't usual. so that's when i had called keith. >> reporter: "keith" was keith mcphillips, her mom's fiance. he was just leaving work, told veronica he was thinking of stopping for coffee with a friend on his way home. then veronica told him about tara, that her purse was home, but she wasn't. >> what did you think when she told you that? >> well, just something wasn't right. because if tara was gonna go somewhere, i knew she wouldn't leave her stuff or her car. she woulda said, "i won't be here when the kids get here." that's how responsible she was. >> sure. >> reporter: keith canceled the coffee plan, drove straight home. >> as soon as i got home, it just didn't look right. there was all kinds of tracks on the floor and i said, "what are these marks on the floor?" and she said, "i don't know." >> tracks? >> muddy footprints. >> reporter: muddy footprints in the living room and master bedroom. and something else something only those who lived there would know.