Prosecutors said a former Little Elm woman was pregnant with another man's child when she set a fire that killed her disabled husband so she could collect more than $1 million in insurance money.

"She started three fires in his bedroom to kill him for his money," Denton County Assistant District Attorney Cary Piel told the jury in the trial of Rhonda Orr, who is accused of first-degree felony arson in the May 14, 2003, death of James Orr.

Mr. Piel made his opening remarks Tuesday before Denton County District Court Judge Bruce McFarling.

Mr. Piel said Ms. Orr, 34, stood to receive a total of $1.1 million in life and homeowner insurance policies after the death of her husband. "That was too much for her to let go of, so she killed him," Mr. Piel said.

Mr. Orr, who used a wheelchair because of a childhood injury, was 32 at the time of his death.

Defense attorney Robert Jones raised questions about the credibility of experts who investigated the fire and told the jury that they will hear conflicting testimony about how the fire started in Mr. Orr's bedroom.

"Insurance investigators will tell you they can't establish arson," Mr. Jones said in his opening remarks.

At the time of Mr. Orr's death, the Orrs were separated but living in the same Little Elm house they shared during their four-year marriage.

Next-door neighbor Robert O'Neal said he was awakened by Ms. Orr and her daughter around 3:30 a.m.

"She was screaming that James was locked in the master bedroom," testified Mr. O'Neal, who ran into the house with Ms. Orr but was unable to open the door to the bedroom. He said he could hear Mr. Orr inside. "It was more of a deep groan like he was really in pain," he said.

Mr. O'Neal said he waited outside the house with Ms. Orr until police and firefighters arrived.

Friends of Mr. Orr testified that he was an easygoing, upbeat person who could drive a car but relied on a wheelchair because he was unable to walk without support.

Chris Tunks, who worked with Mr. Orr at Electronic Data Systems, said his friend had asked him to help move him out of his Little Elm house but died three days before he was to move into an apartment.

He said his friend was not depressed and was looking forward to starting a new life.

Both Mr. Tunks and Loretta Caretti, another friend of the couple, testified that Ms. Orr brought her boyfriend to her husband's funeral and that they were offended by her behavior.

They said she and her boyfriend were laughing and acting very affectionate during the memorial service.

"At the wake, she was sitting on her male companion's lap," Ms. Caretti testified.

If convicted, Ms. Orr could face up to life in prison. The trial is scheduled to resume at 9 a.m. today.