Ep 10. Cindy George And John Zaffino
- TV-PG
- November 14, 2019
- 43 min
Cindy George and John Zaffino were a seemingly typical couple living in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. But beneath the surface, their relationship was plagued by jealousy, infidelity, and violence. On February 4, 2015, their volatile dynamic came to a tragic end when Cindy was found brutally murdered in the couple's home.
In this episode of Snapped: Killer Couples, viewers are given an inside look at the toxic relationship between Cindy and John. Through interviews with friends, family members, and law enforcement officials, a complex portrait of their troubled partnership emerges.
Cindy was a free-spirited, artistic woman who had struggled with addiction and had been married twice before meeting John. John, on the other hand, was a successful businessman with a history of controlling and abusive behavior. The two began dating in 2011 and their relationship quickly became tumultuous.
Despite repeated instances of physical violence and emotional abuse, Cindy remained devoted to John, believing that he was her soulmate. She even took up his interest in bodybuilding and began obsessively working out alongside him. However, John's possessiveness only grew and Cindy became increasingly isolated from friends and family.
In January of 2015, the couple's conflict came to a head when John was caught cheating on Cindy with a mutual friend. In a rage, Cindy destroyed John's belongings and vowed to leave him. He responded by threatening to kill her and bury her body in the backyard.
On the night of February 4th, Cindy's lifeless body was discovered by her daughter. She had been strangled and her throat had been slit. John quickly became the prime suspect, but he maintained his innocence and blamed the murder on an unknown intruder.
As the investigation continued, however, evidence began to mount against John. His DNA was found under Cindy's fingernails and a bloody knife was discovered in his car. He was eventually arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
In interviews with detectives, John continued to deny any involvement in Cindy's death and even claimed that he loved her. However, the evidence against him was overwhelming and he was ultimately convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Snapped: Killer Couples season 12 episode 10 provides a chilling look at a relationship gone terribly wrong. Cindy and John's story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of toxic partnerships and the importance of seeking help when faced with abuse. Viewers will be left wondering how things could have ended differently if only Cindy had been able to escape John's grip.