Michael Ball said he wanted to kill Erin Howlett and bought a large duffel bag to hide her body in, an acquaintance testified Tuesday at Ball’s murder trial.
Much of the day’s testimony came from Ryan Jacobs, who told the court that he had first met Ball in June 2013.
Jacobs testified that he, Ball and Ball’s cousin Chase Renaud were together in Ball’s basement apartment one day that month when Ball began talking about Howlett.
“He thought she was cheating on him, stealing money and drugs,” Jacobs said.
“He said he was enranged and felt he wanted to kill her.”
Ball also told Jacobs and Renaud that he had bought “the biggest duffel bag he could find” and said the bag was “for Erin’s body,” Jacobs testified.
Weeks later, Howlett’s body was found in the Grand River in a duffel bag.
During cross-examination, Jacobs admitted that Ball was drunk during that alleged conversation and he later seemed to have changed his mind about wanting Howlett dead.
Renaud also testified about the conversation, telling the court that he assumed Ball was being sarcastic.
The last witness to testify was Det. Const. David Vandermeulen, a forensic investigator with Waterloo Regional Police.
Jurors were shown photographs of Howlett’s body inside the duffel bag, along with five rocks that had been placed in the bag.
Ball, 24, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and committing an indignity to a dead body.
His trial continues Wednesday, with Vandermeulen returning to the stand.
