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As per an ABC News press release dated June 4, 2025, an all-new two-hour instalment of 20/20 will air Friday, June 6, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. EDT on ABC. According to the press release, 20/20 correspondent JuJu Chang investigates the 2010 disappearance of Bonnie Woodward, a 47-year-old mother of four from Alton, Illinois, who vanished after her shift at a nursing home.
Witnesses said they saw her get into a silver Chevrolet with a man of unknown identity, and only afterwards was her red truck discovered abandoned. Weeks earlier, Bonnie’s 18-year-old stepdaughter, Heather, had run away but was eventually cleared by authorities, according to the press release.
According to an October 1, 2020, article by The Alton Telegraph, Roger Carroll was convicted in March 2020 for Bonnie Woodward’s murder, for which he received a 65-year sentence after new evidence emerged from his son Nathan’s testimony.
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The 20/20 episode features exclusive interviews with family members, investigative officers, legal counsel, and local journalists who retraced the decade-long path from cold case to conviction. By presenting eyewitness accounts and trial insights, this week’s 20/20 episode resolves lingering questions about a complex missing-person investigation in Illinois.
Exploring Bonnie Woodward’s disappearance ahead of 20/20 episode
On Friday, June 6, 20/20 will air a new episode examining how Bonnie Woodward, a resident of Alton, Illinois, vanished in 2010. Known for her reliable routine of checking in with family, Bonnie failed to contact loved ones after finishing her shift in Eunice Smith Nursing Home.
A few days earlier, her 18-year-old stepdaughter, Heather, had run away. Initially, a suspect due to her sudden absence, she was cleared by law enforcement later on.
Early investigation and cold case status
According to an AP News report dated March 8, 2020, local authorities suspected Roger Carroll as his fingerprints were found on Bonnie’s truck. However, insufficient evidence despite a search of his property prevented charges from being filed at that time.
According to a June 3, 2025, report by The Alton Telegraph, Bonnie’s stepdaughter, Heather, surfaced unharmed days later and was later found living under the protection of a teacher before moving in with the Carrolls, whom she knew through church. She said that Roger controlled her communications, forbidding her from using phones or computers while she stayed at his home.
As per a RiverBender report dated October 1, 2020, Bonnie’s case went cold until 2018, when Nathan, Roger’s son, a minor during the initial incident in 2016 but now an adult, testified that he had witnessed his father killing Bonnie and disposing of her body on a burn pile soaked in gasoline.
As per The Aston Telegraph report dated March 12, 2020, Assistant State’s Attorney Crystal Uhe described how Roger murdered Bonnie to the jury in her opening statement.
“He shot her dead, loaded her into a front-loader like a pile of garbage and dumped her into a creek,” she said.
As per the outlet, Nathan’s testimony led to the recovery of the murder weapon and bone fragment evidence. These were then used to press charges against Roger.
Legal proceedings and trial highlights
As per a March 13, 2020, article by The Alton Telegraph, Roger Carroll faced charges of first-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping. Prosecutors presented testimony from Heather Woodward, who described living under Roger’s control and being instructed not to inform the police of her location.
The outlet reported that Detective Mike O’Neill of the Alton Police Department confirmed finding a Stoeger Cougar 9mm revolver at Carroll’s residence, later identified as the murder weapon by Nathan. During the trial, Roger’s ex-wife Monica testified that Roger told her he was “a monster” and abused her, which prompted her to cooperate with investigators.
As per the outlet, prosecutors presented to the jury fingerprint evidence linking Roger to Bonnie’s truck and cellphone records showing Heather’s restricted communication. After four hours of jury deliberation, Roger Carroll was convicted of Bonnie Woodward’s murder and received a 65-year sentence.
As per The Alton Telegraph report dated June 3, 2025, Judge Eric Pistorius carried out the sentencing.
“This was a meticulously planned, senseless death,” he said.
Family impact and case resolution
As per The Alton Telegraph report dated June 3, 2025, Rosewood Gray, Bonnie’s brother commented on the crime.
“My sister didn’t deserve this; she would give the shirt off her back for anyone, and this man killed her for some lies some girl told.”
Upon hearing the verdict. Bonnie’s son, Joseph Poole, delivered an impact statement describing missed family milestones.
“Roger Carroll doesn’t deserve to spend one more day enjoying the freedom I defended while in the Army,” he said.
With new evidence and firsthand accounts, 20/20 will present a comprehensive review of law enforcement’s ten-year pursuit, the role of Heather Woodward as both suspect and witness, and the community’s response to a prolonged missing-person investigation.
By combining exclusive interviews with case documents, 20/20, the episode underscores how persistent testimony and forensic breakthroughs transformed a cold case into a closed conviction.
