here, in this tiny, sweet farming town called macedonia, iowa. >> i think there's only around 250 people that live there now. it's very -- it's just home. >> reporter: home to cari. cari farver. and where she was raised by her step-father mark and her mother nancy, who would stick with cari through it all. but of course, they'd always known there was something different about cari. >> she felt like she wanted to do her own thing. and sometimes that -- >> that doesn't always go well? >> always go well, yeah. >> reporter: thing is, cari was smart. super smart. school was easy. but then, so were boys. >> guys were just drawn to her. >> and she liked it. >> yeah. she did. >> hello cari! >> reporter: but there was something else about cari, said her friend holly drummond. brainy, yes, but she sometimes made dubious choices.