A former Colorado funeral home owner who helped her ex-husband hide nearly 200 decomposing bodies in a building is asking for leniency ahead of her sentencing in federal court.

Patrick Frazee is charged with murder in the death of 29-year-old Kelsey Berreth, whose disappearance nearly a year ago drew national attention. Steigerwald told jurors Lee invented a story to protect herself and did not claim that Frazee beat Berreth with a bat until after she finalized a plea deal with prosecutors. Frazees defense has also highlighted the lack of a body, motive and murder weapon during the trial. Prosecutor Beth Reed told jurors that evidence corroborates Lees testimony. If convicted of first-degree murder, he would be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.