It took many visits to see him in prison to try to understand what had happened after he admitted arson and vandalism on Scott and Kylee Guy's property.
Later, she choked back tears and told the trial what she said to him.
"I said to him, 'I can't believe that you felt so upset and cross about things and not being able to tell me about it ...' And I just thought between a husband and wife that's what you do and the other person is there for you."
After his arrest, Mrs Macdonald told TV3 she confronted her husband but stood by him. "I said, 'tell me'. He said, 'I swear to you, I swear. I did not do it'."