Cindy Fine interview #3

Monday, July 28, 2014 – 8:37 a.m.

Cindy Fine was Andy Fine's wife and reported him missing on July 7, 2014.

Detectives Armstrong and Murphy re-interviewed her at her residence.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Cynthia Fine

Detective Armstrong: Thanks for letting us stop by so early, Mrs. Fine.

Cindy Fine: I— it's okay, I just don't, you know, understand why it can't wait. Are you sure I can't get you something?

Detective Armstrong: How about you start by dropping the act?

Cindy Fine: What? I—

Detective Armstrong: You're just a good Christian woman, trying to heal your wayward husband, is that right?

Cindy Fine: No, I— I mean—

Detective Armstrong: Or maybe it's closer to the truth to say you were married to a jerk, and you had enough of his abuse and decided to clean his clock.

Cindy Fine: No! You're wrong. I didn't do anything. I wouldn't hurt him.

Detective Armstrong: Why should we believe you? You've lied to us twice now.

Cindy Fine: Twice? What do you—

Detective Armstrong: You know what we mean.

Cindy Fine: No. No— I don't.

Detective Armstrong: Mrs. Fine, you weren't at home the night your husband was murdered. You were out at Aunt Minnie's.

Cindy Fine: No. I never—

Detective Murphy: You didn't get to Bill and Robyn's at 1:30, you got there closer to 4:00 a.m. They told us.

Detective Armstrong: Mrs. Fine, do you wear size large underwear?

Cindy Fine: No. I mean… that's none of your business.

Detective Armstrong: Keep saying that, and you'll end up in jail.

Cindy Fine: No! No— I didn't. I can't talk about it. Please… I'm sorry… this is so upsetting.

Detective Murphy: Talk about what?

Detective Armstrong: Mrs. Fine, we found a pair of black underwear at the farmhouse.

Detective Murphy: You need to talk to us. We can help you.

Cindy Fine: Please. No. I can't— I can't. It's too— it's private. I can't.

Detective Murphy: Something pretty bad happened out there, right?

Cindy Fine: Please… I… I can't — it wasn't his fault.

Detective Murphy: Just take your time.

Detective Armstrong: Was it Chas Laughlin?

Cindy Fine: What? No. No, it was just me. Me and Andy.

Detective Armstrong: You killed him?

Cindy Fine: No! No— I left him out there. He passed out. He… I— we were out in the field. First, we were… in the house, then he took me out in the field. He told me he was going to kill me.

Detective Armstrong: Mrs. Fine, we need you to start at the beginning and tell us the truth this time.

Cindy Fine: I— he came home and was pretty upset. I couldn't get him to settle down. He was drinking hard. He… had a bottle of whiskey or something. He— I tried to just tell him to calm down — I couldn't get him to listen. I wasn't strong enough. He… um, he said we were going out — he dragged me out in my nightgown. Out to the car — he dragged me outside like that. I… I couldn't stop him. He said we were going to party.

Detective Murphy: What was he so angry about?

Cindy Fine: What? Oh — everything, I guess. He was mad about the watch and he — well, I left him in the bar earlier. He was pretty mad about that. I— he said he was going to show me what it was like to really party. He said Duffy's was just the beginning.

Detective Murphy: And what were you doing? Where was this?

Cindy Fine: This was in the apartment. And then he … he dragged me out to the car. He— I— he… he pulled my hair… He had a gun. I never saw it before, I— he was so mad, waving it around and pointing it at me. He was… I was just so scared. I'm sorry, I just—

Detective Armstrong: You never saw the gun before? You didn't know your own husband had a gun?

Cindy Fine: I— I knew he had it, but… I— I thought it was out at the farm. I thought— I thought he just had the extra bullets at our house. He— he told me, he promised me he wouldn't keep a gun in our house. I'm sorry… I should have known, but I— he— I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…

Detective Murphy: It's okay. Then what happened?

Cindy Fine: He— he drove — I shouldn't have let him drive like that. He drove out to the farm — Aunt Minnie's. I… I couldn't stop him. I was so scared. I should have tried to stop him. And he had the gun the whole time. He was drunk and driving and waving the gun while he was driving, I— he was driving all over the place. I thought for sure we were going to get stopped. He… he said if I tried to run, he was going to shoot me. He— I was just too scared… I was too scared to move — too weak.

Detective Murphy: Then what?

Cindy Fine: We got out to the farm okay. He wanted to go inside. He— dragged me in. I was trying to calm him down, but he wouldn't listen.

Detective Murphy: Was there anyone else there?

Cindy Fine: No. No one else.

Detective Murphy: What happened inside?

Cindy Fine: Please. I've told you everything.

Detective Armstrong: Mrs. Fine, we need you to tell us exactly what happened. We found blood.

Cindy Fine: I— he beat me up pretty bad. You know, at home… I was bleeding. He hit me a couple times inside too. He was real drunk. He couldn't light the lanterns. He was stumbling around. I kept telling him we should go home, but he didn't listen. I… he just hit me again.

Detective Armstrong: What else?

Cindy Fine: He— um, he… he wanted to make out.

Detective Armstrong: Make out?

Cindy Fine: Please— you know. He — I was sitting on the couch, and he came over and… put his hands on me.

Detective Armstrong: Did you try to get away?

Cindy Fine: No. I never fight. I— I could never hurt him. He just— I just prayed for it to be over.

Detective Armstrong: Mrs. Fine, that sounds like rape.

Cindy Fine: No. No— I— he didn't mean to hurt me. He didn't— he couldn't— I was just lying there, and he jumped up and said he heard a noise. He said he was going to kill me. He said someone followed us. I tried to get him to calm down, but he— he had a gun. I was so scared he was going to do something crazy. He took me out on the porch. He was, you know, waving the gun around. Said he would shoot us both if there was someone out there. He thought maybe I had someone follow us.

Detective Armstrong: Did you?

Cindy Fine: No! I said already no. It was just me and him. He was just being crazy, and he— I told him so. I said it was stupid and we should just go home.

Detective Armstrong: Then what?

Cindy Fine: He got mad again. I shouldn't've said that. I should've kept my mouth shut. He was mad, and he said he was going to kill me. He… I can't understand. I can't believe… he hit me, and I fell down. I couldn't breathe very good.

Detective Murphy: What happened next?

Cindy Fine: He — I guess he went in the house while I was lying there. I was too slow. I just… I don't know, it was a moment of weakness. I just lay there and felt like giving up. He went around the side of the house, and then he came back, and he had his whiskey. He— I kept asking could we please go home.

Detective Murphy: What did he say?

Cindy Fine: Please…

Detective Murphy: Cindy, you have to tell us now. If you don't, this will end up very bad for you. What did he say?

Cindy Fine: He had a shovel, and he said he was going to kill me and bury me in the cotton field. That's when— it was so crazy, I… he took me out to the field. He told me to dig a grave like he was going to shoot me after I was done. I— he— I kept praying he would stop. I kept asking him to stop and put down the gun, but he had it pointed at me the whole time. I— I was so scared. That was dumb of me, but I— he was acting so crazy.

Detective Murphy: Did he shoot at you?

Cindy Fine: No. I was digging with the shovel, and he… he just kept watching and yelling at me. He kept drinking. Eventually, he just passed out — you know, from the drinking. I— he was just lying there. I didn't know what to do. I was so scared, I couldn't think. I'm so stupid.

Detective Murphy: What did you do?

Cindy Fine: He was lying there and— well, I just wanted to get away, so I… I ran to the car. I drove off. He was lying there, and that was it. I just drove to Robyn's. I— he was just lying there, I didn't realize… you know… I never saw him again.

Detective Armstrong: So you left him lying in the field, passed out drunk?

Cindy Fine: Yes.

Detective Armstrong: You expect us to believe that?

Cindy Fine: It's the truth!

Detective Armstrong: Mrs. Fine, we're not sure what to believe anymore. This story is completely different from what you said before.

Cindy Fine: Please. It's the truth. I— before I was just— I couldn't tell you. I was trying to— I wanted to honor him. We were married. That was the most important thing in my life. I could never break that trust. He … I thought I could help him. You know everything now. I'm sorry. It's still such a shock.

Detective Armstrong: You weren't too shocked to file a claim on that insurance policy you had. Ten thousand dollars. Not too shabby.

Cindy Fine: What are you saying?

Detective Armstrong: Maybe you were sick of being slapped around, and you knew you'd get your hands on some decent money. Maybe you didn't leave him lying there. Maybe you shot him first.

Cindy Fine: No! Please. Stop saying that. I could never do that. I could never hurt him. I couldn't hurt someone. Never, I just couldn't.

Detective Armstrong: What about the money then?

Cindy Fine: No, I— I mean, I need the money. Without his paycheck, I— I don't make very much. I don't know what I'm going to do. Please. The insurance company isn't paying me. They think I had something to do with it. It's not like that. I didn't do it. I didn't hurt him!

Detective Armstrong: Well, then, who did?

Cindy Fine: No. I don't know. I… left him out there. I thought he would be real mad when he woke up, so I went to Robyn's. I— he didn't have the car. I was worried maybe I should go pick him up. But I— Robyn said not to worry. She said he would be fine. I— I mean, I don't know. I don't know anyone who could… I'm sorry. He— I can't believe someone was such a monster. I can't believe someone would do that.

Detective Armstrong: Yes, well, monsters are all around us, Mrs. Fine.

Detective Murphy: What happened when you got to Robyn's?

Cindy Fine: Bill was pretty mad. He— I hate it when he does that. He starts swearing, and his face turns so mean it scares me. I was so upset. I— Robyn took me to the guest room and helped me — I had to clean up.

Detective Murphy: Then what happened?

Cindy Fine: Then I went to sleep. I was so tired. Then the next morning, I told you, Robyn had a cookout that day. I tried to stay and cheer up, but I couldn't. I needed to go home. I wanted to be home when he came back.

Detective Armstrong: Given what you'd been through, that seems a little suicidal.

Cindy Fine: No. No, you don't understand. I had to be there for him. I had to — everything would be OK when he came home. It was always OK the next day.

Detective Murphy: Really?

Cindy Fine: He — I wanted to be there. It was the only time we could talk. I could try to… help him. Robyn and Bill wanted me to stay, but I was so worried. I was worried all morning, ruining their holiday. Bill even went out to the farm to check, but Andy wasn't there.

Detective Murphy: Why did Bill go out there?

Cindy Fine: Maybe he thought it would help. But then I just worried more. I didn't want Andy to come home without me.

Detective Murphy: What time was that when Bill went out to the farm?

Cindy Fine: Oh gosh, I— it must've been early. We all got up early, and I was… I guess I was kind of upset. I was just so worried. He must've gone out there by 9:00. He was back for sure at 10:00. We were setting up the barbecue.

Detective Murphy: And then what time did you go home?

Cindy Fine: I don't know. Maybe 2:00? I don't remember.

Detective Murphy: Is there anything else you want to tell us? Anything else that was different from what you said before?

Cindy Fine: No. Please. I'm not a liar. I— you have to believe me. I told the truth. I'm sorry about before. He— I just wanted to protect him. I'm sorry. Are you going to arrest me?

Detective Armstrong: No, Mrs. Fine. Not now. But it all comes down to the fact that you've lied to us before, and you may be lying to us now. Is there anything you can say to prove this is really the truth? Anything we might find or anything you could show us to verify your story?

Cindy Fine: No, I— I know I'm telling the truth. You have to believe me. The things I told you, I've never told anyone before. I— it's so shameful. Ask Robyn. I never— she doesn't know any of this. I would only do that because I want to help. I would only tell you because I want to give him peace. He— I need to tell the truth to set him free. Maybe now he's saved. Maybe now he's in a better place. I'm sorry… please, don't you understand I love him?

Detective Armstrong: Is that the best you can do?

Cindy Fine: Please— I want to— I want you to go. You— I don't have to talk if I don't want to.

Detective Armstrong: Not for now. We'll go. But expect to hear from us again, Mrs. Fine.

Interview ended – 9:14 a.m.