Emily Fazzino's sister testifies at the Alex Fazzino murder trial

It was an emotional morning in the Winneshiek County courtroom Thursday as Ammie Dighton, the sister of the late Emily Fazzino, testified in the Alex Fazzino murder trial.

Prosecutors asked Dighton about events leading up to January 29th, 2012, when Emily Fazzino's body was found in a bathtub at her home in Boone.  She told the court that Emily told her the week before that she "wanted to get away from Alex."  She said the Fazzinos had been fighting "on a consistent basis."

Prosecutors claim Alex Fazzino murdered her wife so he would not lose his money, his job and his kids.  Defense attorneys claim Emily Fazzino was abusing prescription drugs and died as a result of a suicide.

Ammie Dighton told the court Thursday that she had been at a wrestling meet in Ames with Emily on the Sunday of Emily's death and didn't see any signs of prescription drug abuse.  When Ammie Dighton talked with Alex Fazzino at the wresting meet, she agreed that Alex told her his wife "has a problem."

Ammie Dighton testified that she was barred from the Fazzino's bathroom following Emily Fazzino's death and that Alex Fazzino never came to the hospital after Emily's body was taken there.  But under cross examination, it came out that the police had banned everyone from the bathroom and that police were also questioning Alex Fazzino while Emily's body was at the hospital.

Under further cross examination, Ammie Dighton repeated that she had never seen evidence of drug abuse by Emily.  Defense attorneys are using the defense that drug abuse led to Emily's death--and plan to call witnesses to the stand next week when the defense makes its case.