Investigators said David Tronnes killed Shanti Cooper-Tronnes in April. He was charged in connection with her murder four months later.
"David: You killed this woman," a detective said.
Tronnes told investigators he last saw Cooper-Tronnes when he left their home at about 9 a.m. He said he did yardwork and went for a walk before finding his wife dead in the shower at about 3:15 p.m.
"You're saying, still, nothing happened between the two of you?" the detective said.
"Absolutely not," Tronnes said.
He said he pulled his wife out of the shower to perform chest compressions, but investigators said his story didn't add up.
The medical examiner's office determined Cooper-Tronnes had been beaten and strangled. Police said most things were dry when they arrived.
"Her clothing should have been soaking wet. Her hair should have been soaking wet. The floor should have been soaking wet," the detective said.
Tronnes suggested that the stress of the situation might have clouded his recollection.
"Maybe it was extremely stressful to walk in and see your wife in that condition, and if I miscalculated marginally the amount of water that was there, " he said, trailing off.
Detectives said during the interview that they knew Cooper-Tronnes was a strong woman who was the financial provider and who told Tronnes what to do.
In the video, investigators asked Tronnes about what he stood to gain by killing her, mentioning their home and a $250,000 life insurance policy.
They pointed out that they didn't see him shed tears.
"You know you fake-cried for about seven or eight hours today," the detective said. "Not one tear came out of your eyes -- not one."
Tronnes maintains his innocence. He is being held at the Orange County Jail.
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