Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of murder and assault. Reader discretion is advised.
The upcoming episode of Dateline: Unforgettable, titled “The Devil Was Watching,” will be aired on Oxygen on Thursday, February 8, 2024, at 8 p.m. ET. It revolves around the mysterious disappearance of Tina Sandoval and the 22-year-long quest to find her. Her husband, John Sandoval, was convicted of the second-degree murder of Tina in 2017 during a retrial while he was already serving time for the murder.
On October 19, 1995, Tina Sandoval disappeared after a reported meeting with her estranged husband, John Sandoval. The couple met to resolve some pending debt before they planned on finalizing their divorce after three years of marriage. She reportedly informed her family and friends that if something happened to her, it would likely be caused by John. She even scheduled a call with her sister after meeting with him.
However, she never contacted her sister, after which she was reported missing. Upon reviewing the surveillance footage of John Sandoval’s home, police found that he had returned home at 5:46 a.m. on the morning of October 20, the day after Tina Sandoval was last seen. Authorities also found a wet and muddy shovel in his house. Muddy clothes were also discovered. According to the Weld County District Attorney, the accused was found to have scratches that were seemingly caused by fingernails on his face, neck, chest, and shoulder.
When was John Sandoval convicted of Tina Sandoval’s murder?
Although there was circumstantial evidence to prove that John Sandoval might have had something to do with Tina’s disappearance, the evidence wasn’t sufficient to prove him guilty in court. This was because authorities could not locate Tina Sandoval’s body to establish scientific proof. The case remained unsolved until nearly 15 years later.
On August 5, 2010, after John Sandoval was tried in court for a month, he was found guilty of the first-degree murder of Tina Sandoval. He was sentenced to life in prison. John Sandoval had been serving his sentence when the Colorado Court of Appeals overturned the verdict in 2016 and ordered a retrial.
During this time, 52-year-old John pleaded guilty. He agreed to reveal the location of Tina’s remains in exchange for a reduced sentence of 25 years and an additional five years of parole, NBC News reported. He is currently serving time at the Trinidad Correctional Facility in Colorado.
John Sandoval admitted that he had buried Tina at the Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery. A World War II veteran was reportedly going to be buried in the cemetery on the afternoon of October 20, 1995. John Sandoval went to the gravesite that morning. He dug the gravesite further by nearly 2 feet. Following this, he buried Tina’s body, which was wrapped in layers of industrial-grade plastic. The burial of the war veteran followed. After his admission, authorities finally found Tina Sandoval’s remains 22 years after her disappearance.
“The Devil Was Watching” will be aired on Oxygen on Thursday, February 8, 2024, at 8 p.m. ET. It includes perspectives of Tina Sandoval’s friends and families as well as the investigators who closely worked on the case.
