Atlanta attorney Claud “Tex” McIver was financially strapped and was outspending his monthly income when he fatally shot his wife, a former co-worker of her’s testified Tuesday.

McIver was so consumed with the state of his finances that he told Ken Rickert, general counsel U.S. Enterprises where Diane McIver was president, that his law firm “was cutting him back.” McIver said he was only bringing in $10,000 to $12,000 a month, but his 75-acre ranch was costing him $20,000 to $25,000 a month to maintain, Rickert testified Tuesday.