Testimony Continues In Tulsa High-Rise Death Trial

A Tulsa police detective told the jury that the high-rise apartment where Joshua Hilberling fell to his death in 2011 was immaculate and showed no signs of a domestic dispute or struggle -- other than a broken window.

Detective Justin Ritter testified Thursday in the second-degree murder trial for 21-year-old Amber Hilberling, who is accused of pushing her husband from their 25th floor high-rise apartment.

Amber Hilberling rejected a plea deal offered by prosecutors last week, opting to go to trial instead. She faces 10 years to life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder.

3/13/13 Related Story: Jury Hears From Witnesses In Downtown Tulsa High-Rise Death

Prosecutors played a video in which Amber Hilberling, following Joshua's death, was shown sitting in an interview room waiting for police.

"I'm a horrible person," she said to her grandmother. "I pushed my husband and made him fall out the window."

She then said that Joshua was "messing with the TV and I pushed him."

She kept repeating over and over that she couldn't stop seeing Joshua fall to his death.

"This isn't happening," she said. "Josh is dead. His bones were sticking out all over his body. His whole body was broken... This is gonna turn into a nightmare. I don't deserve to pray. Who am I gonna pray to? Josh? Josh hates me. I'm not ever gonna be able to meet him in heaven anymore. I killed him...

"I wonder if he knew he was gonna die?" she said. "I wonder if he said a prayer or cursed my name."

Amber Hilberling asked her grandmother if her in-laws knew about their son's death, then added: "They were right. They kept saying if we stay together, I'm gonna kill him."

In opening statements, a defense attorney called the death a "tragic accident" and said Amber Hilberling will testify that she was acting in self-defense.

But a prison inmate testified that Amber Hilberling told her in prison that she caught her husband off guard and killed him.

Amber Hilberling's attorney pointed out that the woman had at least 20 felony convictions involving lying.

Jurors also watched a police crime scene video showing Joshua Hilberling's body.

The medical examiner testified about all the broken bones and internal injuries the man suffered in the fall. He said he couldn't say whether the man came out the window facing outward or inward.

Determining that detail has been a running theme in the testimony.

Two witnesses testified Wednesday they saw Joshua Hilberling come out the window face-first and upright.

That contradicted other statements.

A police detective testified Wednesday that Amber Hilberling told him the victim went out the window backward after being pushed.

And a maintenance worker took the stand and said Amber Hilberling talked to him immediately following the incident. He said he heard a short scuffle, heard glass breaking and ran into the room.

This is the second day of testimony. Jury selection began Monday and the trial began on Wednesday.

News On 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright is in the courtroom and will have more on the trial at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.