Closing arguments at the trial of the two men accused of killing Tim Bosma began Tuesday, with the lawyer for Dellen Millard claiming that neither his client nor co-accused Mark Smich meant to kill the Hamilton resident.

Instead, Ravin Pillay argued, the two men only planned to steal his truck – a robbery which quickly escalated into something else when Smich pulled out a gun.

Millard and Smich have both pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.

Through their actions after Bosma’s death and Smich’s testimony on the stand, the two friends have each claimed that the other one was solely responsible for the killing.

Bosma disappeared on May 6, 2013, after taking two men for a test drive of a truck he was selling.

All versions of the events in that night presented in court agree on Smich and Millard being those two men, and the trio leaving together in Bosma’s truck.

Different accounts emerge from there.

The Crown has claimed that Bosma was shot moments after the truck left his home, likely in a nearby field.

Millard’s lawyer says the shooting actually occurred on Highway 403, with Smich pulling out a gun in a bid to scare Bosma – only for it to fire after Bosma reached for it.

“Mark Smich lied to you. He shot Bosma,” Pillay said, questioning why none of Bosma’s neighbours reported hearing a gunshot if he was killed in that area.

The Crown has claimed that Millard and Smich planned to kill somebody and steal their vehicle for about a year before Bosma’s death.

Smich has said that he was never involved in planning anything other than a truck heist – a claim Pillay agreed with at the start of his address.

“There was no intention to kill for a truck,” he said.

Pillay argued that Smich was in desperate need of money, and questioned why Millard would have talked to other friends about his plans to steal a truck if he was also planning to kill its owner, knowing that information would point back to him.

Millard’s lawyer also pointed to evidence that Millard left his tattoos visible and used his middle name as a fake name, suggesting those actions mean he wasn’t planning a murder.

He also noted that Millard never shut off his phone as he moved around after Bosma’s death – and that he had scheduled a number of meetings and events for the following week.

“Why would Millard schedule a business meeting if he knew he was plotting a murder three days beforehand?” he asked.

“He didn’t anticipate this. He didn’t see any of this coming.”

Pillay contrasted the night of Bosma’s disappearance to past instances in which Millard had planned thefts, saying those cases showed an attention to detail that was lacking in the events of Bosma’s death.

He directed further accusations at Smich by questioning his handling of the gun used to kill Bosma.

Jurors have heard that Smich first tried to sell the gun, then buried it, and no longer remembers where it was buried.

Pillay claimed that this was done to avoid incriminating evidence.

“You simply don’t bury evidence that can prove your innocence,” he said.

“You bury evidence that can sink you. That’s what Mr. Smich has done.”

The trial resumes Wednesday with the closing argument from Smich’s lawyer, Thomas Dungey.