A controversial case in New Mexico has reached its conclusion, and as is often the case in such matters, half of the participants walked away in utter disgust. On Tuesday, former Albuquerque policeman Levi Chavez was acquitted of charges that alleged he had staged the murder of his wife Tera Chavez to look like a suicide.

The allegations came from a theory posed by the prosecution that he had killed his wife because of her knowledge that he was planning to use his position as a police officer to commit insurance fraud. Evidence of those claims, however, was not allowed to be presented during the trial.

What did come out during the month-long court case were the numerous affairs that Chavez, 32, had taken part in since first starting his relationship with Tera, 26, back in high school. Towards that end, Chavez was filled with guilt over his actions.

"I'm very embarrassed about it," Chavez said, then later added. "I took her for granted." He would also go on to say later that "to say I blamed myself is an understatement. Guilt doesn't even begin to describe it."

But, the prosecution was not able to prove that Chavez killed his wife. The former policeman remained very emotional throughout much of the trial, crying and showing grief over the loss of his wife and for how he treated her. He maintained that he found her dead from an apparently self-inlflicted gunshot wound.

What has been perhaps most irksome during the trial was Chavez's actions after his wife's death. Just two months after he found her lying on the ground in a pool of her own blood, Chavez had already gotten remarried, this time to another police officer. As for what his plans are now that the ordeal is over, he has not given any long-term answers.

"I'm going to go to church, pray my Rosary and thank my Virgin Mary," Chavez said after the not guilty verdict was read. His attorney was also asked what his client might do, but kept mum on the subject. "He's got several plans in the works. I don't feel like speaking for his future."

Tera Chavez's family was despondent over the verdict. They were adamant that Levi was the one who had killed their daughter and were quickly hurried out of the court after his innocence was proclaimed. Tera's father noted that he did not believe justice had been served.

"There never was a case against Levi Chavez," said Chavez's attorney, David Serna. "This was a made up pile of lies from the beginning and it took the jury approximately 10 hours to find that out." 

The city of Albuquerque has already paid the family of Tera Chavez $230,000 in a civil case. Levi Chavez also may now face a wrongful death lawsuit from the family for his role in her suicide.