WHEN A HUSBAND'S WIFE AND CHILD VANISH, THE NIGHTMARE HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN ON "48 HOURS MYSTERY: 'DARK SIDE OF THE MESA,'" SATURDAY, OCT. 9

Jennifer Blagg and her six-year-old daughter, Amy, suddenly disappear in Nov. 2001 and their close-knit community of Grand Junction, Colo., doesn't know what to think. Michael Blagg, husband and father, comes home from work to find a bloody bed and an empty jewel box, but no Jennifer and Amy. And, although the Blaggs' marriage seems to be perfect, authorities find out otherwise. Many suspicions and allegations surround Blagg, but only a few facts point to his possible involvement in their disappearance and/or murder. Correspondent Susan Spencer reports for the 48 HOURS MYSTERY: "Dark Side of the Mesa," which will be broadcast Saturday, Oct. 9 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Blagg pleads with the community to help find his wife and child, but months go by without any resolution. The Mesa County Sheriff's Office comes to believe that the portrait Blagg painted of a perfect marriage was not true. In fact, when investigators learn Blagg and his wife argued over his addiction to hard-core pornography, Blagg becomes the prime suspect.

When a search of the county landfill produces Jennifer's remains, the district attorney immediately charges Blagg with first degree murder.

By the time the case goes to trial in March of 2004, the prosecution's challenge is to get a jury to believe that Blagg killed his wife in cold blood for no apparent reason. For the defense, the difficulty would be to make sure the publicity that had inflamed much of the community wouldn't prejudice the jury.

The trial leaves many troubling questions still unresolved and therefore it may forever be a mystery as to why Jennifer died. Abby has never been found.

48 HOURS MYSTERY: "Dark Side of the Mesa" is produced by Peter Henderson and Marty Zied. The senior producer is Katie Boyle and the executive producer is Susan Zirinsky.