News that Michael Ball was testifying brought a larger crowd than usual to the gallery at his murder trial Wednesday.

Lawyers, police officers and family members of both Ball and Erin Howlett – the woman he is accused of killing – were among the dozens of people in the Kitchener courtroom where the trial is being held.

Although admitting that there are events from the first half of 2013 that he cannot recall, he said repeatedly that he did not kill Howlett.

Jurors have heard that Ball and Howlett met at a drug deal in April 2013.

By early June, their relationship was deteriorating. Ball has claimed that he found sexual messages from other men on Howlett’s phone.

Howlett disappeared near the end of June, and her remains were found in a duffel bag in the Grand River in early July.

Ball has described his life during that period as a “blur,” with frequent alcohol and drug use.

Earlier in the trial, jurors were told of a number of conversations in which Ball expressed anger at what he saw as Howlett cheating on him. On at least two occasions, court has heard, he remarked that he would buy a duffel bag “for Erin’s body.”

Testifying Wednesday, the 24-year-old said that he was often drunk during that time period, and had no recollection of making those remarks.

Ball said that the last time he saw Howlett was on the afternoon of June 27, 2013 – the same day she disappeared.

He testified that the two were at his apartment, where they did cocaine and Howlett paid Ball for more drugs.

“After she finished her drink and cocaine, she left,” he said.

Ball said he left the apartment not long after, to help a friend move, returned home around 8:30 p.m., and left two hours later to drive around Waterloo Region and deal drugs.

During that last outing, he says, he was accompanied by Daniel Warwick – a man who has testified that he helped Ball dump Howlett’s body into the Grand River.

Warwick also told the court that he and Ball cut Ball’s mattress into pieces after disposing of the body, which had previously been resting there.

Ball denied that Wednesday, saying he still has the mattress in question. Jurors were shown a photo that Ball described as being his mattress, from the day after Howlett disappeared.

Cross-examination of Ball continues Thursday.