Highway of Tears murders probed by CBS '48 hours'

The unsolved murders on B.C.'s Highway of Tears will be the subject of a special episode of the top-rated U.S. investigative TV show "48 Hours" on Saturday.

The documentary will focus on the 18 women who were murdered or mysteriously disappeared along highways in northern and central B.C. since the 1960s.

Their story formed part of Commisioner Wally Oppal's Missing Women Inquiry, but is not well-known south of the border, according to producer Paul LaRosa.

"It's almost a new story for people down here, and I think they'll be taken with it, be very surprised by it."

LaRosa said the production team was struck by the pain endured by the victims' families — but also the beauty of the surrounding landscape, and tried to showcase both.

"What I thought also is how beautiful everything around us was, and the dichotomy between the natural landscape and what we were doing there, you know, how horrible it was. And I thought this place has a beauty but it's, in a way, it's a terrible beauty by the killers who have been roaming around." 

LaRosa said he believes the documentary will bring new perspective to the story — even to audiences already familiar with the stories.

"And I'm hoping [for] new information and tips to the investigators up there."

The documentary airs on CBS Saturday at 10:00 p.m. PT.