Jury Out in Allan Kustok Murder Case

Allan Kustok's lawyer called an Orland Park police detective a liar, mocked the performance of a crime scene reconstructionist and competence of police officers, and questioned the courage of police officers and a hospital security guard.

Prosecutors called Kustok a murderer.

Heated closing arguments in Kustok's trial ended early Monday afternoon. The jury retired to decide his fate shortly before 1 p.m.

Kustok, 63, allegedly shot his wife, Jeanie Kustok, in the face in September 2010. On the morning of her death, Allan Kustok claims to have been woken by a gunshot to find his wife of 34 years dead in bed alongside him.

In their closing arguments, prosecutors Jennifer Gonzalez and Jim Papa questioned Allan Kustok's behavior in the wake of his wife's death.

Instead of calling 911—or anyone else—Allan Kustok picked up the six-shot revolver and fired the five remaining live bullets into an armoire.

He cradled his wife's bloody body for at least 45 minutes, then "wrapped her in a robe, bedsheets, pillowcases, towels—he literally wraps her up like a mummy, like a piece of meat," Papa said.

Once he had his wife wrapped up, Allan Kustok loaded her into his SUV and drove her to the Palos Community Hospital emergency room.

Gonzalez said Allan Kustok waited without calling for help to make sure his wife was dead before driving her body to the hospital.

Kustok's attorney, Rick Beuke, said an Orland Park police detective lied to a pathologist with the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office and a crime scene reconstructionist when he said Allan Kustok told of finding his wife "clutching" the .357 Magnum that killed her.

A video recording the jury did not get to see during the trial showed Allan Kustok telling an Orland Park detective that he did not know whether his dead wife was holding the revolver.

As for the crime scene reconstructionist, Rod Englert, Beuke repeatedly called him the "$150,000 Man" in reference to the fee he charged prosecutors. Beuke also disparaged the work Englert did on the case.

"Rod Englert trying to put Humpty Dumpty together again is starting to fall apart," Beuke said.

Beuke also described the Kustoks as a happy, devoted couple. He criticized prosecutors for calling as witnesses five women who either indulged in affairs with Allan Kustok or were pursued by him. Beuke called it a "desperate attempt to throw trash all over the marriage and relationship."

Gonzalez countered that it was Allan Kustok's adultery put him on the path to killing his wife, and that he took his first step when he began a five-year affair with a neighbor who mistakenly believed she was the Orland Park man's only mistress.

"His choices have been leading him to this chair since at least 2005," Gonzalez said as he pointed at Allan Kustok.

Gonzalez said Allan Kustok was "unhappy at home, unhappy with his mistress."

"He was done, he just didn't know how to cut the tie, the 34-year tie," she said, claiming Allan Kustok was committed to keeping up the appearance as the patriarch of the perfect family.

"The only way out was for him to kill (his wife) and say she accidentally shot herself," Gonzalez said. "Allan Kustok never gave her a chance to live. He never called 911 because he never intended for her to live."

While numerous witness testified to what a wonderful wife, mother and friend Jeanie Kustok was, Gonzalez said, "To Allan Kustok, she was just an anchor."

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