Victim’s best friend testifies at Nicholas Butcher murder trial

Kristin Johnston’s best friend took the stand Thursday at the second-degree murder trial for the man accused of killing her.

Nicholas Jordan Butcher, 35, has pleaded not guilty to killing Johnston, his former partner. The 32-year-old was found dead at her home in the Purcells Cove area of Halifax on March 26, 2016.

Jennifer Hazard, 32, told the eight-woman, six-man jury that she last saw Johnston alive less than a week before her death.

Johnston had travelled to Costa Rica to visit Hazard after leaving a family vacation in Florida. Hazard said the pair spent ten days together before Johnston left to return to Halifax on March 21, 2016.

READ MORE: Court hears Kristin Johnston talked about leaving Nicholas Butcher before her death

While in Costa Rica, Hazard said Johnston talked to her about her business, Bikram Yoga, which had recently closed.

Hazard said Johnston had told her that Butcher was watching her dog Charley while she was away and that they were a couple.

She testified that she could tell Johnston wasn’t passionate about the relationship and asked about it.

Hazard said Johnston informed her that the couple had planned to go to British Columbia to be near Johnston’s sister but that she now wanted to go alone. She and Johnston also talked about packing up her stuff in Halifax and driving across the country together.

A series of messages between Hazard and Johnston were read in court. In them, Johnston said she needed to “end things with Nick.”

Craig Conoley also took the stand on Thursday. He testified that he dated Johnston for about four years before they broke up around 2009 or 2010.

Conoley said he and Johnston kept in touch off and on over the years. He had met Butcher once while he was visiting his family in Halifax in July 2015 when he, Johnston and Butcher went swimming with her dog.

Conoley said in March 2016 he was back in Halifax for his father’s birthday when Johnston messaged him out of the blue. He says she explained her studio had closed and said that Johnston told him that she wanted to move on and didn’t know how to tell Butcher.

WATCH: Nicholas Butcher murder trial opens in Halifax

1:09 Nicholas Butcher murder trial opens in Halifax

The third witness to take the stand on Thursday was Matthew Whiston, 32, who told the court he met Johnston after she moved to Halifax and that they became good friends.

Whiston said on the evening of March 25, 2016 he met with Johnston at a restaurant in Halifax after she had just come back from her trip to Costa Rica. He says the pair talked about her trip, her yoga studio closing down and her relationship with Butcher.

Whiston testified that Johnston told him she wasn’t happy in her relationship, telling the court that “she said she didn’t love him the way he loved her and was ready for a new chapter in her life.” He also said Johnston seemed emotionally checked-out of the relationship and asked for advice on breaking up with Butcher.

Whiston says he, Johnston and others hung out at the restaurant for about three hours. He last seen her alive when he left with his girlfriend to head home around 11 p.m. He says he messaged Johnston on their walk home to say it was nice to chat with her and that he would see her next week, as the pair made plans to meet up.

A log of messages that between Whiston and Johnston was entered as evidence in the case. Whiston read some of them to the jury, including the last message he received from Johnston, in which she said she missed and loved him and would see him next week.

The defence has yet to say if they plan to call any evidence in the case. The Crown has previously said they intend to call about 40 witnesses, so far the court has heard evidence from four people.

Testimony in the second-degree murder trial will resume Friday at 9:30 a.m. at Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Halifax.