HAMILTON — The former girlfriend of one of two men facing murder charges in the death of Tim Bosma says the accused were happy after a successful "mission" the morning after the Hamilton man disappeared.
Marlena Meneses says her boyfriend, Mark Smich, had told her he was planning to steal a truck in the days leading up to May 6, 2013, when Bosma disappeared after taking two strangers for a test drive in his truck.
His body was found more than a week later burned beyond recognition.
Smich, 28, of Oakville, Ont., and 30-year-old Dellen Millard, from Toronto, have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in Bosma's death.
The Crown alleges Bosma was shot at point-blank range inside his truck and later his body was burned in an animal incinerator.
Meneses, one of the star Crown witnesses in the case, told jurors she tried to discourage her boyfriend from stealing the truck after overhearing Smich and Millard talking about it.
"I said some things to try to change his mind," Meneses said to a packed courtroom. "But he didn't listen to me."
She described Smich and Millard as close, like brothers.
"Mark cared for Dellen more than any other person," she said. "He was in love with him."
Meneses, 22, said she was really worried about their "mission" to steal a truck, adding that she didn't hear from Smich until early in the morning on May 7.
"I was very scared," she said. "I knew that they were going to go steal a truck. I didn't know if he got hurt or what was going on."
She testified Smich and Millard picked her up around 8 a.m. the next morning.
"Can you describe the mood?" asked Crown attorney Craig Fraser.
"Very happy," Meneses said.
"They were just really happy, saying they wanted to celebrate."
She didn't say what they were celebrating, except that "the mission went well."
