Eyewitness testifies at murder trial in 2017 death of David Hole

Jury in murder trial hears from eyewitness A man who was there the night David Hole was allegedly beaten and choked to death took the stand. CTV London’s Nick Paparella reports.

LONDON, Ont. -- Disturbing evidence was heard Tuesday at the second-degree murder trial of 54-year-old Alexander Lambert.

Eyewitness James McGillivray had been doing crack cocaine with both the victim, David Hole, and the accused in Lambert's basement apartment at 10 St. George Street in Nov. 2017.

Hole had brought the drugs that night, and when he went to leave later in the evening things turned deadly.

McGillivray testified Lambert confronted Hole, "There was a tussle and David came down the stairs...Alex was swinging a mallet at him - on his head - David was saying, 'No, no.'"

Later McGillivray said, "Alex got him in a choke hold - David was struggling and eventually David wasn't moving, I was overwhelmed."

McGillivray testified, "I didn't know what to do...I thought about calling police...I was scared."

Lambert has pleaded not guilty to second degree murder in the case.

After Hole's death both McGillivray and Lambert continued doing drugs.

McGillivray said, "Alex is saying don't worry about it...Alex...got the dope and we got high."

The jury heard how Hole's lifeless body was carried out of the apartment and was eventually found in the back seat of his SUV in a parking lot at Wellington and Commissioners roads.

McGillivray said they discarded Hole's cell phones in the Thames River and back at the apartment they got rid of blood stains, "We cleaned it up...just wiped it up."

The court heard that in the summer McGillivray pleaded guilty to causing an indignity to a human body in the case.

Lambert has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder.