Kustok Found Guilty Of Murdering Wife
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (CBS) -- Jurors have found an Orland Park businessman guilty of killing his wife 3 ½ years ago.
Allan Kustok, 63, is convicted of murdering his wife Anita "Jeanie" Kustok on Sept. 29, 2010. Prosecutors have said Kustok shot his wife as she laid in bed, and that he'd had multiple extramarital affairs before killing his wife.
Jeanie Kustok's brother John Runko was pleased with a quick verdict.
"It's kind of bittersweet that we lost a great sister and nobody wins in this but I am just glad that justice was served," said Runko.
Kustok Found Guilty Of Murdering Wife
Sarah Kustok, the daughter of Jeanie and,Allan left the courthouse without comment. She supported her father.
Prosecutors say the jurors told them afterward they did not believe the defense argument that Jeanie Kustok asked for a .357 Magnum for any reason, let alone an anniversary present and the ballistics and angle of the shot indicated murder to them.
Kustok faces 45 years to life in prison.
WBBM Newsradio's Mike Krauser reports Assistant Cook County State's Attorney James Papa came out swinging during closing arguments in Bridgeview on Tuesday, standing over the defense table and pointing repeatedly at Kustok as he told jurors blood spatter evidence proves he pulled the trigger, not his wife as the defense has claimed.
At one point, Papa said "Jeanie Kustok's blood is screaming from the grave, 'He killed me.'"
Papa talked about what he called the "elephant in the room," Kustok's mistresses, and the circumstantial evidence he said was as clear as someone waking up and seeing snow on the ground, and surmising it snowed overnight.
Seeking to explain the defense's claim Jeanie Kustok committed suicide, defense attorney Rick Beuke said Allan Kustok did not immediately call 911 after hearing the fatal gunshot, because "he can't handle the truth."
Instead of calling 911 after his wife's death, Kustok held her body for more than 45 minutes before wrapped her in bedding, and taking her to the hospital.
Beuke told jurors "there can't be any book that describes what the hell you're supposed to do."
He also claimed a police officer was lying when he said Allan Kustok told him the gun that killed Jeanie was in her right hand after she had been shot in the left side of her face.
Beuke also ripped into the prosecution's expert witness on crime scene recreation, saying he was trying to put Humpty Dumpty back together, and it was falling apart.
