PHOENIX, AZ — A man accused of murdering his estranged wife and fleeing to India, is now on trial for her death. Avtar Grewal was extradited to the U.S. in 2011.
He's accused of killing Navneet Kaur in 2007. The two were in an arranged marriage, but had a long distance relationship. The prosecution says Kaur wanted a divorce, so Grewal visited her at her Ahwatukee home so they could talk about it.
"I told her that I wanted her to stay at my house because I was worried something bad was going to happen to her," a co-worker who testified Monday said.
But she says Kaur didn't accept that invitation. When Kaur didn't show up to work the next day, two co-workers drove to her house, where they discovered a trail of blood and the furniture turned over. Police later found Kaur's body in a bathtub full of water.
"He took his hands, wrapped them around her throat and choked her," Prosecutor Juan Martinez said.
Martinez, who's known for leading the case against Jodi Arias, is now leading this case. He says after Grewal killed Kaur, he wrote a note admitting to the murder.
The defense says while there was a fight between the two, Kaur's death was not pre-meditated.
"The next thing he knows, she's falling to the ground, hitting her head on the table," Defense Attorney Jeffrey Kirchler said.
"He doesn't know what to do. He writes that note, because he wants everyone to hate him. So he writes that note and tries to commit suicide."
The trial is expected to last three months.
