People v. George Zack (Murder)
Tried and convicted of murder twice, George Zack sentenced to 25 years-to-life
In January of 1982, the badly beaten body of Theresa Felton was discovered in her car adjacent to her residence at the Dakota Apartments in Ventura. George Zack, a former boyfriend, became a prime suspect when investigators were able to match a bloody heel print from the scene of the crime with boots Zack had owned. When interviewed, Zack claimed he had been in Northern California at the time of the murder, but his story was riddled with falsehood and inconsistencies. Other circumstantial evidence tying Zack to the crime included scratches on Zack’s face and a $10,000 debt to the victim.
Zack was convicted of first-degree murder in the fall of 1982. However, that conviction was reversed because the Court of Appeal concluded it was error to have introduced the victim’s statements which were made several days prior to her death in which she expressed concern that Zack might kill her. At the retrial in 1985, without these statements, Zack was again convicted of first-degree murder. Zack was again returned to prison to serve his sentence of 25 years to life.