A relationship that included physical and verbal abuse was detailed Monday as the ex-girlfriend of Mark Smich was cross-examined at the murder trial of Smich and Dellen Millard.

The two friends are accused of killing Hamilton resident Tim Bosma. Both have pleaded not guilty.

The sole witness heard from Monday was Marlena Meneses, who was dating and living with Smich at the time of his arrest in May 2013.

Jurors heard that Meneses was having “problems at home” when she first met Smich.

Millard’s lawyer questioned Meneses at some length about her relationship with Smich, which she agreed was “horrific” at times.

Jurors heard that Smich called her names, sometimes in front of other people, and hit her.

Meneses admitted that she sold drugs for Smich, knowingly using faulty scales to rip off Smich’s customers at his urging.

At the end of Monday’s testimony, Millard’s lawyer outlined several occasions on which Smich denied having any involvement in Bosma’s death.

Meneses agreed that she learned of developments in the case, like the use of a gun and an incinerator, through the media rather than through her boyfriend.

She also agreed that she was willing to put up with “lies, deception and manipulation” because of her love for Smich.

The trial has previously heard testimony indicating that Smich was involved in an attempt to remove a toolbox – believed to contain a gun – from Millard’s home following Millard’s arrest.

Jurors heard Monday that Smich’s first instinct was to sell the gun, while Meneses urged him to simply get rid of it.

Meneses agreed that she did not want Smich to go to the police about anything involving Millard, because it was “better to not know the truth.”

When Smich was arrested in late May, Meneses was also placed in handcuffs.

She spoke to police for several hours, and made a video recording in which she urged Smich to “just tell the truth.”

Meneses has previously testified that Smich and Millard wanted to celebrate a successful “mission” the morning after Bosma disappeared.

Court heard Monday that it wasn’t until five days before taking the witness stand that Meneses mentioned that detail to police.