A former Albuquerque police officer accused of staging his wife's suicide has denied allegations that he killed her.
When Levi Chavez's attorney asked him Wednesday if he shot his wife in the mouth with his department-issued gun, as prosecutors have alleged, Chavez replied: "Absolutely not."
Chavez did acknowledged cheating on 26-year-old Tera Chavez throughout their marriage.
He said he blamed himself for his wife's death and felt it was, "God saying, 'this is all your fault.'"
Chavez took the stand as the defense began wrapping up a monthlong murder trial that has included testimony from four of Chavez's former mistresses. They include a woman who Chavez says he spent the night with the night his wife died and a fellow officer and now-wife who became engaged to Chavez two months after Tera Chavez's death.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.