Allan Kustok bowed his head when the word "guilty" was read. The jury began deliberating around 1:15 p.m. Tuesday afternoon after hearing closing arguments in the case. They announced they'd reached a verdict around 2:45 p.m.
On the morning of September 29, 2010, Allan Kustok shot his wife of 34 years in the left cheek while she was sleeping in their Orland Park home. Instead of calling 911, Kustok waited a period of time, wrapped his wife of 34 years in bedding and drove her to the hospital. The defense argued that Kustok did not call 911 because he knew she was already dead.
"I know my sister would never shoot herself. She never would have left her kids or she never would have left our mother, who was alive at the time," said John Runko, Jeanie Kustok's brother, after the verdict was read.
In closing arguments, prosecutor Jennifer Gonzalez told the jury Allan Kustok was done his wife and he didn't know how to walk away, so, he killed her. Kustok claimed Jeanie shot herself with a .357 magnum revolver he bought her for their anniversary, a story the jury found hard to believe. Prosecutors said that the lack of gunshot residue on Jeanie Kustok's hands, blood on Allan Kustok's eyeglasses and clothing at the time of the murder, as well as the path of the bullet all proved that Allan Kustok was guilty.
Earlier in the trial, prosecutors painted an unhappy marriage in which the defendant had affairs. They argued Kustok fatally shot his wife as she slept in their suburban Orland Park home in September 2010. The defense argued Jeanie Kustok committed suicide. Allan Kustok never took the stand in his defense.
The Kustok family was very close, yet daughter Sarah Kustok supported her father throughout the trial and took the stand for the defense on Monday. She said it was inconceivable her father would kill her mother, but also doesn't believe her mother would commit suicide. Her brother Zak Kustok did not support their father, and only appeared at court when his wife was a witness for the prosecution.
"I know my sister would never shoot herself. She never would have left her kids or she never would have left our mother, who was alive at the time," said John Runko, Jeanie Kustok's brother, after the verdict was read.
"I know this has been a very difficult time for the family, and my heart goes out to the children, to both Sarah and Zak, because in essence they've lost both of their parents. It's a nightmare that any child would have to endure, to lose one parent at the hands of another," said Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez.
Allan Kustok's sister Sharon Brooks spoke to Eyewitness News off-camera. She said: "The jury has spoken. Two families are destoyed. We deeply love Jeanie."
Allan Kustok will be sentenced on April 17. He faces 45 years to life in prison.
