Ana Trujillo is charged with murder in the death of 59-year-old Alf Stefan Andersson, a University of Houston professor and researcher. Authorities allege Trujillo sat on top of Andersson and struck him at least 25 times in the face and head with the shoe during an argument at his condominium last June. Trujillo's attorney has told jurors his client was defending herself.
On the third day of Trujillo's trial, prosecutors played a video recording of police detectives' interrogation of the 45-year-old woman that took place hours after the killing.
In the video, Trujillo told detectives that the couple returned to Andersson's condominium following a night of drinking and the two began arguing after Andersson said he was jealous that another man had bought her a drink that evening.
She told detectives she was just going to see her family in Waco the next day, but that Andersson became angry because he thought she was going to leave him.
"And his face got red ... and he became infuriated," Trujillo said. "And then he came toward me, (and said) 'You are not going to leave me, ever.'"
Trujillo said Andersson grabbed her and the two started wrestling in a hallway. She said she got away but Andersson chased her down and got on top of her, preventing her from breathing. She said Andersson was growling at her.
"I was begging him to let me go," she said.
Trujillo told detectives Andersson then lost his balance and she was able to get on top of him.
"He grabbed me. I was hitting him with the shoe, telling him, 'Please stop,'" she said.
Trujillo said she hit Andersson because she knew "he was going to get up and he was going to hurt me."
Trujillo said she hit Andersson "a couple of times" and then he grabbed her hand and she lost the shoe.
"At first I didn't know there was blood coming out of him," she said. "He didn't even seem like he was hurt."
Earlier in the video, Trujillo told detectives Andersson would drink heavily and was mentally abusive. She said Andersson had been like many male friends she had who wanted to "marry me" and turn their friendship into romance. Trujillo said she eventually grew to care for Andersson but resisted having sex with him because it was like "sleeping with my grandfather."
She told detectives Andersson would do well for a while but then would relapse into self-destructive behavior.
"It got too much for me," she said.
The trial is expected to last at least a week. If convicted, Trujillo faces up to life in prison.
Pooja Lodhia will have more on this story this afternoon on ABC-13 Eyewitness News. Find Pooja on Facebook at PoojaLodhia-Reporter or on Twitter at @impoojalodhia
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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