The Michael Ball trial could be drawing to a close as the defence presented its closing arguments on Monday.

The 27-year-old Kitchener man is accused of killing 28-year-old Erin Howlett in the summer of 2013.

On Monday, Ball’s lawyer asked the jury to acquit their client, saying the Crown’s key witness is not credible.

The jury heard from Daniel Warwick during the trial. He says he helped Ball get rid of Howlett’s body. The defence says Warwick is a liar.

The Crown’s alleges that Michael Ball choked Erin Howlett to death in a jealous fit.

Warwick told the jury he and Ball sold drugs together, testifying that he helped Ball put Howlett’s body in a duffel bag. He says he and Ball dumped it in the Grand River together.

During Monday’s closing arguments, Ball’s defence told the jury not to trust Warwick’s evidence, saying, “He’s an admitted liar.”

The defence noted that Warwick told court he couldn’t remember what Howlett was wearing when they got rid of the body. They also pointed to how Warwick continued hanging out with Ball as if nothing had happened.

“If you were playing a game of truth, you wouldn’t want to be standing near Danny Warwick,” the defence told the jury. “And without accepting Danny Warwick’s evidence, you must acquit Michael Ball.”

The defence also told the jury that the Crown’s claim that Howlett’s death was planned and deliberate does not make sense, saying Howlett and Ball were no longer dating and barely spent time with each other in the days leading to her death.

The jury heard from Crown witnesses that Ball became upset with Howlett in early June, testifying that Ball caught her cheating on him and stealing drugs.

The Crown presented phone records around from around June 4, 2013 that showed Ball texted and told friends how he wanted to tie her up and kill her, but the defence notes that those friends believed that he was joking.

The defence also noted that Howlett had texted Ball days later on June 14, saying, “Remember you are the one who shut me out. You said you didn’t want to see me anymore.”

“Erin I told you I wanted to go back to being friends again,” Ball replied.

Howlett's body was discovered in the Grand River on July 5, 2013.

The defence told the jury that there is no forensic evidence that shows that Howlett was killed by Ball at his apartment, also noting that it’s the Crown’s responsibility to prove Ball is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Crown will present its closing arguments on Tuesday.