WAUSAU, WI (WSAU-WAOW) — Twelve jurors and three alternates have been seated as the murder trial of Cindy Schulz-Juedes has begun in Wausau.
Online court records indicate that the jury was officially seated on Tuesday, followed by opening arguments for both sides. Marathon County District Attorney Theresa Westzsteon gave opening statements for the prosecution saying Schulz-Juedes committed the crime to get after more than $1 million in land and life insurance money.
Margaret Juedes, the 101-year-old mother of Ken, was the first person to testify in the case, taking the stand at 3:18 PM. WAOW TV reports that she said she had a good relationship with Cindy until her son died- saying she had difficulty communicating with her from that point on.
The defense team claims that the couple was in love and Cindy’s windfall was part of the marriage. They also claim that five other men connected to the sale of a race track carried out the crime over the sale of the property and to keep ken quiet about alledged drug activity.
Margaret added that she’s begged Schulz-Juedes to return the hunting lands she came into possession of following Ken’s death to no avail.
Proceedings were adjourned shortly before 4:30.
The trial is scheduled to run through November 12th.
Schulz-Juedes is accused of killing her ex-husband Ken Juedes in 2006. Schulz-Juedes was long considered to be a suspect in the case but wasn’t formally charged until recently.
