Iowa man tried for the 3rd time in murder of pregnant wife

DAVENPORT, Iowa - An Iowa man accused of killing his pregnant wife is facing his third trial in less than two years, reports CBS affiliate KTVO. Two juries failed to reach a verdict in the case of Seth Techel, 23, who is charged with first degree murder in the death of his wife, Lisa, and non-consensual termination of his unborn child.

Lisa Techel was found dead in her southeastern Iowa home on May 26, 2012. She was reportedly five months pregnant at the time of death.

The suspect's alleged lover, Rachel McFarland, is the prosecutions prime witness. She took the stand Wednesday and testified that Techel was desperate to be with her, and when she was about to move on to another man Techel asked for "two more weeks" to make their relationship work, reports the station.

During trial Wednesday, prosecutors presented sexual texts exchanged between Techel and McFarland. Prosecutors believe that the alleged romantic relationship between the two provides a motive for the murder, according to the station.

Defense attorneys argue that investigators jumped to conclusions after seeing the messages, and pointed out that police ignored a mentally ill neighbor as a suspect. They also claimed that detectives didn't disclose that Lisa Techel had a long-term affair with a married man.

Prosecutor Scott Brown said that Seth Techel was the last person that investigators wanted to be responsible for killing Lisa, the daughter of a sheriff's deputy. Brown said Seth Techel was the only person who had access to the shotgun that he used to "gun her down" in her sleep.

The first trial in the case was in February 2013 and the second took place in November 2013. Both resulted in hung juries, according to KTVO.