Former beauty queen and Akron socialite Cynthia George's life seemed charmed. She met and married wealthy restaurateur Ed George in 1984, raised seven healthy children, and lived in a sprawling 8000-foot mansion. Locally, the wealthy couple wielded power and exuded glamor. In 2000, Cynthia came in fourth in the Mrs. Ohio beauty pageant. But behind her glamorous exterior, Cynthia hid a secret second life. Her secrets would be opened for the world to see when 44-year-old Jeff Zack was shot and killed by a man on a motorcycle in June, 2001. The police investigating Jeff's murder discovered that he had been Cynthia George's lover, and was the father of one of her children - which could be a motive for Cynthia's husband to want Jeff dead. Still, there was no physical evidence to tie either of the Georges to the crime. Police got their break when a woman called police and said she believed her ex-husband, John Zaffino, had killed Jeff. Police were stunned - it seemed their investigation had been completely off base. They turned their attention to Zaffino and discovered he had bought a gun and a motorcycle just weeks before Jeff's murder. But the investigation soon led detectives right back where they started: Cynthia George. Cynthia had also been having an affair with Zaffino, and had told Zaffino that Jeff was abusing her. She had given Zaffino the money used to buy the gun and motorcycle. Police arrested both Cynthia and Zaffino and charged them with Jeff's murder. During Zaffino's trial - and as she awaited her own trial -- Cynthia continued to write him letters. Cynthia's attorneys convinced Cynthia to have her case tried before a judge instead of a jury. Ed George stood loyally by his wife and testified on her behalf. But the judge found her guilty of complicity in the murder and sentenced her to life in prison. A year later, the District Court of Appeals overturned the decision, claiming the state failed to provide the evidence to support the judge's decision. Cynthia was released from prison in March, 2007.
—Anonymous