Suvechha Sarkar
The early morning of February 1984 began like any other day in Pontiac, Michigan. However, things took a dark turn when the 24-year-old mother, Cindy Louise Thompson, was found dead in her rental home. It would later take almost 9 years for the investigators to find the killer, revealing a tale of jealousy, betrayal, and heartbreak. Investigation Discovery’s ‘Betrayed: Kiss of Death’ delves deeper into the case, along with investigation details. It also features interviews with her friends and the officials who made sure justice was served.
Cindy Thompson Was Pregnant When She Was Killed in Her House
Cindy Louise Thompson was born on December 9, 1957, and arrived as a bundle of joy in her parents’ lives. She grew up in a loving household in Pontiac, in Oakland County, Michigan, alongside her older sister, Loraine Beydoun. Her sister described her as someone with “good manners” who was liked by everyone she met. While in high school, Cindy thought she had met the love of her life, Mark Davis. Although they began dating, their relationship didn’t last long, and Mark began seeing another woman, Carol Sanders (now Carol Ege). Eventually, on a New Year’s Eve, Cindy met Ken Woodward, and they soon became closer. Shortly after, they tied the knot and welcomed their two children into the world. However, according to the show, problems began to arise as Ken suspected Cindy still loved Mark.
After six years of marriage in 1982, Cindy and Ken got a divorce. Since she didn’t have a home or a job, Ken reportedly got custody of their kids. She returned to Pontiac and moved in with her best friend, Cheryl Hooker. Their mutual friend, Barbara Lambert, helped her get a job as a waitress at a local diner. In the Spring of 1982, Cindy once again crossed paths with Mark, and they reconnected. According to Loraine on the show, he told Cindy he was single. However, he was actually still living with Carol. By December, Cindy had bought a watch and a shirt for Mark. By 1983, Cindy became pregnant with his child. In December of the same year, Barbara offered Cindy a rental house she co-owned with her ex-husband in Pontiac.
According to official records, Mark planned to move in with Cindy. However, everything changed on February 22, 1984. He arrived at Cindy’s home around 4:30 am to 5 am and discovered her lying in a pool of blood in the upstairs bedroom. When he went to call 911, he found the phone cords had been cut. He rushed to Cheryl’s house to alert the authorities. When officials arrived, they found Cindy dead, with blood spatter on the walls. Although detectives found a bloody towel in the kitchen, there were no signs of forced entry. The autopsy revealed that she sustained severe blunt force trauma to the head, likely from a hammer, and multiple stab wounds. Her cause of death was determined to be multiple sharp and blunt force injuries. She had a distinct mark on her face, which was initially ruled as livor mortis. During the time of her death, Cindy was seven months pregnant.
The Killer’s Jealousy From a Love Triangle Potentially Led to the Murder
Officials first questioned Mark because he was present at the scene. He informed them that he was out drinking earlier in the day before going home to Carol in the evening. He continued that he reportedly drank some more and played video games. He said that later, he decided to check up on Cindy, but when he arrived, he made the gruesome discovery. After speaking with the neighbors, officials discovered that one of them had heard her pull up her driveway around 8:45 or 9:00 pm. Shortly after, the neighbor heard another car pull in, stay there for several minutes, and then pull away. Investigation soon revealed that Mark’s mother, Nancy, wasn’t happy with his relationship with Cindy. According to some witness statements in the records, Nancy arrived with Carol at a party where Cindy and Mark were present.
Nancy reportedly confronted Cindy and asked her to stay away from Mark. Furthermore, according to court records, several witnesses testified that they had heard Carol express her desire to kill Cindy and even alleged she tried to hire people to murder her. When Carol was questioned, she claimed that although she did not like Cindy, she did not kill her. She claimed she came home from work and allegedly went to bed early. She also informed the detectives that her friend, Carol Parker, had been crashing at her place for one week before the murder. Although the friend and Mark confirmed her statements, Carol Parker mentioned that after she had fallen asleep in the early hours, Mark might have gone out. When he returned, he had reportedly mentioned that he could get arrested for first-degree murder.
When Mark was again questioned, he denied any involvement with the crime. The case gradually went cold until June 1992, when it was reopened. Mark was reinterrogated, and he admitted that he had assumed that Carol was in bed on February 21, 1984. After he passed a polygraph test, investigators focused on the bitelike mark on Cindy’s face, which was earlier ruled as livor mortis. After consultation with an expert, her remains were exhumed in 1993 to inspect the mark. Following that, officials took dental impressions from the possible suspects, and it turned out to be a match to Carol. When she was brought in, she denied killing Cindy. However, they found a hammer and a knife in a storage locker in her possession. Ultimately, she was arrested on April 26, 1993, and charged with one count of open murder.
Carol Ege Has Been Brought to Justice and is Serving Her Time in Prison Today
The trial of Carol for the murder of Cindy began in December 1993. The prosecution reportedly focused on the bite mark evidence and how the dental impression turned out to be a match to the defendant. They claimed that since Cindy was carrying Mark’s child, it led Carol to become jealous and plot the murder of her and her unborn baby. They also reportedly introduced several witness testimonies where they testified that Carol had attempted to hire people and solicited others to harm Cindy. According to the prosecution in the court records, those actions were evidence of premeditation and consciousness of guilt.
On the other hand, the defense reportedly claimed that she could not have been at the crime scene because several witnesses placed her at her own residence. Furthermore, the defense reportedly questioned the witnesses’ credibility. They also focused on impeaching the prosecution witnesses, who were friends of Mark or Cindy. They also challenged the bite mark theory and claimed it was livor mortis. Ultimately, Carol was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder in January 1994 and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The Appellate Court affirmed the conviction and the judgment on September 17, 1996, and the Supreme Court denied leave to appeal.
However, in July 2005, the District Court granted a conditional writ of habeas corpus. The court reportedly found problems with the bite mark expert testimony that was admitted at the trial. The court ordered that, unless the state provided a new fair trial, Carol should be granted relief. It led to the retrial in October 2007, and the jury again convicted her of first-degree premeditated murder. She was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole on November 28, 2007. On August 25, 2009, the Appellate Court again affirmed her 2007 judgment. Carol is currently incarcerated at the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
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