The woman accused of plotting with her ex-lover to kill her husband has taken the stand in her own defense.

Sabrina Limon said Thursday her life and her marriage to Robert Limon changed after they became swingers, and “the dynamics of our sacred bond” changed. She claims she tried several times to repair her relationship with her husband and even wanted to try marriage counseling, but he instead broke her phone and demanded she stop the affair.

Limon also described how she started falling for admitted gunman Jonathan Hearn after meeting him at Costco, but she eventually felt manipulated by him and claims he used religion and his intelligence to do it.

The family of Sabrina Limon also took the stand in her defense. Her children said Jonathan Hearn had tried to be their dad, with her daughter adding he was “not a nice person” and yelled at them during trips. Julie Cordova said her sister was extremely upset after Robert Limon’s death and claimed Kelly Benatene, a friend of the couple who has testified against Sabrina Limon, was after his life insurance money.

Hearn confessed to shooting Robert Limon point-blank at his Tehachapi rail yard job in 2014 and has named her as the co-conspirator.

Kelli Pierce