Tiffany Hartley Calls for More Border Control

Nearly four weeks after David Hartley was gunned down while jet-skiing near the Mexican border, his family is on a campaign to ensure he didn't die in vain.

CBS News correspondent Don Teague reports Hartley was allegedly murdered on Falcon Lake by members of a Mexican drug cartel.

Now, his wife, Tiffany, is trying to start over.

Last week, she packed up the McAllen, Texas house she shared with David and moved back to her home state of Colorado, leaving without her husband's body, which has never been found.

David Hartley's death has been more than heartbreaking for his parents and Tiffany in the days immediately following his shooting. They publicly pleaded with Mexican authorities to search for his body.

Pam Hartley, David's mother, said at the time, "Please, negotiate this. We want David home."

Mexico finally responded by launching an extensive search, even using military helicopters. But the effort was suspended when the lead investigator was himself murdered and beheaded by drug cartel enforcers.

Tiffany told reporters recently, "I don't want David's death to go in vain. I want to honor him and live the life that he would be proud of."

Tiffany says she'll work to raise awareness about the violence along the Mexican border.

She said, "I want America and our government, everyone to just kind of open your eyes to what's going on the border. I mean, we all focus on what's going on across the ocean, but we're not focusing on what's going on here."

On "The Early Show" David Hartley's father, Dennis, and his sister, Nikki Hartley, echoed Tiffany's words.

Nikki said, "I know it a frustrating point regarding my brother now, but I'd like to see them acknowledge what's going on down on the border. Acknowledge the drug wars that are going on over there and how it's affecting the security of the United States citizens."

She continued, "(We want) just for Americans to take time to educate themselves on what's going on. Start demanding that, you know, something's done so we can provide the support the Border Patrol needs, so we can provide the support to the people living on the border, so this doesn't happen to somebody else. I don't want any other family to have to go through this, and I think there's a lot of families that are going through this that we haven't heard of. A lot of it is just not ever made aware to the public."

Dennis said he's frustrated.

"It's just been dragging on for so long," he said, "And trying to get answers, you know, from anybody, the Mexican government or, you know, our authorities -- it's been very difficult. We understand that there's a difficult situation down there, and you know, they are doing the best they can."

"Early Show" co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez remarked, "The Mexicans, though, have pretty much quit looking for David's body after the lead investigator was murdered and beheaded. They gave in to those threats. Have you resigned yourself, Nikki, to never finding David's body? To never knowing exactly what happened to your brother?"

Nikki responded, "I've always got hope. And of course, that's always strong in my heart, that I'd like him to come home, but I know the chances of that happening probably aren't in our favor. But, of course, it's something I hope for every day."

Teague pointed out that, this year, at least 50 Americans have been murdered in Mexico.