OK here we go. If you have the same problem I had here is the problem and the fix. there is a keeper spring inside the latch that from my low understanding helps the lock unlock. if the spring breaks the door will not unlock, you will also experience the interior door handle being hard to pull if this is your problem.
If this is so, with the door panel off, and the window rolled all the way up. with a mirror look behind the window track nearest the latch. there is a yellow block of plastic that can't be seen looking in with our bulbous heads.
lift up on the yellow block (it doesn't take much pressure and it doesn't move very far like maybe 1/8 inch) this block will release the pin that locks the latch thus keeping the door locked. while holding the yellow block up, pull on the interior handle. if the keeper spring is your problem the door will open like it just came of the show room floor. There are a couple of fixes for this. one has you reinstall the sping in the latch from the end of the door, there is a picture in a thread about door handles about this. the other if your spring is missing would be to connect a very weak spring to the yellow block and put light upward tension on the yellow block behind the window track. both work fine I couldn't find the keeper spring so I used the yellow block method, and it works perfectly.
David