ROLLING MEADOWS - The bench trial of a Bloomington real estate agent accused of killing her friend and business partner in 2005 could conclude today with two defense witnesses and closing arguments.

Diana Thames, now 50, has been in the Cook County jail since her arrest in the stabbing death of 46-year-old Cindy Wolosick. The two women owned a company that rehabbed properties in Bloomington for resale.

Wolosick was a speech and language pathologist at a Palatine school.

The final phase of the trial was delayed this week because of family issues of Cook County Judge John Scotillo, who will determine the verdict.

The state's witnesses during the two-week trial focused on the theory that the company was in serious financial straits and arguments between the partners over money became violent.

At the time of Wolosick's death, Thames was staying in Wolosick's condo in Palatine after the pair returned from a trip to Mexico with friends.

Thames called police early on Aug. 12, 2005, saying she found her friend's bloody body in bed. "My friend has been hurt real bad," Thames told dispatchers.

Thames went to the Palatine Police Department to answer questions after police arrived at the condo, but statements she made to police were not allowed at her trial. Scotillo ruled last summer that police denied Thomas' constitutional rights by refusing to allow her access to a lawyer during questioning.

Among the state's witnesses was an investor who left a message on Wolosick's answering machine complaining that he was getting "the runaround" about return of his money.

The defense argued that police failed to thoroughly investigate the murder, instead honing in on Thames as the only suspect.

Medical experts called by defense attorney Kathleen Zellner disputed state assertions about Wolosick's time of death and the force Thames could have exerted during the attack that left the victim with more than 60 stab wounds.

The defense also pointed out that police failed to seek testing of any DNA samples from males who may have been connected to Wolosick.

Thames did not testify during the bench trial.