Gasps were audible in a Kitchener courtroom Thursday as the key witness against Michael Ball was cross-examined by Ball’s lawyer in a series of heated exchanges.

At one point, Daniel Warwick told the court that “It doesn’t matter if you tell the truth – not in here.”

Warwick had previously testified that Ball told him he had killed Erin Howlett, and that he helped Ball stuff Howlett’s body into a duffel bag and dump the bag into the Grand River.

Defence lawyer Brennan Smart began his cross-examination by showing a photo of Howlett’s remains, and accusing Warwick – who was never charged in connection with the case – of killing her.

Warwick was never charged in connection with the case, while Ball was charged with murder for allegedly killing Howlett, and committing an indignity to a dead body for what he allegedly did after her death.

“If things go according to plan, you’ll never be accountable for what you did to Erin Howlett’s body,” Smart later said to Warwick.

“That’s right,” Warwick responded.

Smart accused Warwick of lying on three separate occasions, including by saying that he and Ball wrapped Howlett’s body in blankets before putting it in a duffel bag.

Jurors previously heard that there were no blankets found in the bag.

“I thought there were,” Warwick insisted Thursday.

Smart also told jurors that Warwick denied dealing drugs for an ex-boyfriend of Howlett, after which he produced court documents showing that Warwick previously pleaded guilty to trafficking in drugs supplied by the ex-boyfriend.

Court has previously heard that Ball was a drug dealer, with Warwick as his supplier. Warwick said Wednesday that Ball was selling about $5,000 worth of cocaine, crystal meth, marijuana and other drugs per week.

At another point, Smart accused Warwick of creating a version of events relating to Howlett’s death based on what police told him happened to her. Warwick agreed with that summation.

The defence lawyer also referred to police tapes of an interview with Warwick, during which police officers insisted that Ball killed Howlett.

At one point, the recording device was turned off for 20 minutes. When it was turned back on, Warwick said that Ball had told him he killed Howlett.

Smart finished his cross-examination by suggesting that Howlett died of an overdose on drugs provided by Warwick, and that Warwick and another friend disposed of her body.

The trial resumes next Monday.