Pianka testifies in own murder trial: 'I loved him'

With soft and heavily-accented answers, the woman Phoenix police say murdered her husband testified Tuesday in her own second-degree murder trial.

Grace Pianka told the jury her husband, 41-year-old Adam Kostewicz, was a bright, funny and intelligent man.

"I loved him," Pianka testified. "He wasn't perfect, no one's perfect, but he was a great guy,"

Police say that Pianka, 51, shot and killed Kostewicz on April 15, 2006, in the couple's Ahwatukee Foothills home after learning he was having an affair.

Pianka said Kostewicz was alive the night of April 15 when he came home and she realized he was having an affair, but she said he wouldn't talk about it.

"I was completely in shock. You just don't know; cry or scream or vomit."

Pianka said Kostewicz was alive when she drove away -- with no destination in mind -- eventually ending up in Bagdad, Ariz., where authorities say she attempted suicide using aspirin.

Much was made of Pianka's first statements to police, while recovering in the Yavapai Medical Center, where she kept asking police where her husband was and if he was alright.

Under questioning by her defense attorneys, Pianka explained that she assumed Kostewicz would have come to Prescott and was in the hospital waiting to see her.

But Deputy County Attorney Cleve Lynch insisted that Pianka knew Kostewicz was shot, but didn't know if he was dead, which is why she kept asking.

Lynche's last question was why -- after police told her Kostewicz was dead -- she never asked how he died.

The defense has insisted from the beginning that it was the "other woman," Virginia McIntyre, who killed her lover, to somehow financially gain from Kostewicz's $806,000 life insurance policy.

McIntyre was subpoenaed to testify for the prosecution as a material witness, but left the state and investigators have not been able to locate her.

The defense plans to wrap up its case Wednesday, with closing arguments set for Thursday in Maricopa County Superior Court in downtown Phoenix.

More Pianka Trial coverage:

Pianka testifies in own murder trial: 'I loved him' (8/12)

Prosecution rests in murder case Tuesday morning (8/12)

Jury in Pianka case finally hears from witness -- on tape (8/11)

Audio: 9-1-1 call (8/8)

Audio: Pianka interview with police (8/8)

Prosecution in Pianka trial wraps up case without witness (8/7)

Key witness in Pianka trial not expected to testify (8/6)

'Other woman' in Pianka murder trial fails to show (8/4)

Judge issues warrant for key witness in Pianka trial (8/4)

Murder case slowly unfolds (7/31)

Key witness refuses to appear at murder trial (7/31)

Local woman's murder trial underway (7/29)

Wife's murder trial to begin Tuesday (7/28)

Murder trial set to open Tuesday (7/25)

Foothills murder trial ready to begin (7/21)