A man accused of murdering a young Toronto woman who vanished five years ago got into a testy exchange in court today with the woman’s former boyfriend.
Dellen Millard, who is representing himself in the first-degree murder trial, cross-examined Shawn Lerner, frequently questioning his recollection of events that followed Laura Babcock’s disappearance.
READ MORE: Laura Babcock killed for role in love triangle, Crown prosecutors say
The Crown alleges Millard, 32, of Toronto, and Mark Smich, 30, of Oakville, Ont., murdered the 23-year-old woman in the summer of 2012 and burned her remains in an incinerator.
Both have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. Lerner has testified that he confronted Millard after Babcock went missing to ask about the woman’s final phone calls – all to Millard, according to phone records.
Lerner has repeatedly said that although it’s been five years since he met Millard at a coffee shop in Mississauga, Ont., his memory of what he called “probably the most important meeting” of his life is clear.
“Shawn, you don’t like me very much, do you?” Millard asked during his cross-examination. “No,” Lerner responded. “Do you find me sketchy?” Millard asked. “Yes,” Lerner said.
Court has heard that Lerner spearheaded the search for the missing woman in the summer of 2012. He said he also filed a complaint about Toronto police “fumbling” the missing person’s case early on.
He said he last heard from Babcock in a text on July 1, 2012, and says he filed a missing persons report with police two weeks after that text. The two broke up about six months before, but maintained a friendship.
The Crown contends Babcock was killed at Millard’s home for being the odd woman out in a love triangle and her remains were burned a few weeks later in an incinerator at his farm near Waterloo, Ont.
Millard spent much of his time testing Lerner’s memory, which focused on that meeting at a Starbucks in Mississauga, Ont.
“I’m trying to get at your memory, your recollection, sir, you told us you have an average memory,” Millard said. “I’ve been very explicit about my memory, this was a long time ago, but this was probably the most important meeting of my life and there are things I can remember clearly – and I remember that clearly,” Lerner said.
At that meeting, Millard denied having anything to do with Babcock’s disappearance and also denied he had a sexual relationship with Babcock.
“I mentioned that she got into harder drugs, correct?” Millard asked. “You mentioned cocaine specifically,” Lerner said.
“Did I tell you she was looking for a place to stay?” Millard asked.
“Yes,” Lerner said. “Did I tell you that I refused arranging a place to stay for her,” Millard asked. “Yes,” Lerner responded.
Lerner also told court that Babcock had been trying hard to find out what was wrong with her mental health, settling on a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. He also said she told him she had begun working as an escort in the last month before her disappearance, which he said he didn’t approve.
He also told court he paid for a hotel for two nights in late June 2012 as she had become transient and living with friends for short intervals.
Babcock’s body has never been found.