The trial of Ugo Fredette, accused of murdering his ex-wife and killing another man for a getaway vehicle, continued today in St. Jerome.

The Crown called its first witness today, neighbour Christine Gouin, who said she witnessed Fredette murder his wife Veronique Barbe two years ago.

She said in court Monday that she heard a loud argument between the couple Sept. 10 in their driveway and a slap though she couldn't say who hit whom. Gouin also said she heard Fredette say, "don't call police" and "lower your voice" multiple times, and a few hours later saw Barbe sitting on her balcony crying.

Later she heard Barbe saying loudly, "let me go" and "leave me alone."

Two days later, Gouin said, Barbe knocked on her door and apologized for making a scene. Gouin said she didn't know if she should have called the police, and Barbe told her that she wished someone had made that call.

She then said she heard a "scream of death" two days later, a yell the likes of which she'd never heard before. She said she saw Fredette holding Barbe from the underarms trying to pull her into the house. Gouin said Barbe was limp with her head leaning forward.

Gouin then told her boyfriend to call 911, and tried to yell, but the words wouldn't come out, only able to say, "Hey! Hey! Hey!"

Fredette sat expresionless in the prisoner's box taking notes as his former-neighbour testified.

Crown prosecutor Steve Baribeau told the jury in his opening statements Friday that Fredette couldn't accept the end of his relationship with Barbe, and allegedly stabbed the 41-year-old 17 times, in front of a child.

Baribeau also alleged the 43-year-old Fredette then fled with the child and while on the lam, beat up 71-year-old Yvon Lacasse, took his car, and dumped him in a field in Harrington where the man died.

Barbe was found dead on Sept. 14, 2017, at her home in St-Eustache.

Fredette was arrested the next day in Ontario.

The Crown intends to call 25 witnesses, including a child via video conference.

Tomorrow, the court will hear testimony from an 11-year-old boy who was in the home when Barbe was killed.