Boyfriend saw Ross moments before she disappeared

The trial in the Alicia Ross slaying continued Tuesday with testimony from the young Markham woman's boyfriend.

Sean Hine, who now lives in Florida, testified via video link that he last saw Ross moments before Daniel Sylvester, Ross' next-door neighbour, allegedly beat her to death.

Hine said the couple had spent the night together drinking wine and making love at her house on the night of Aug. 17, 2005. He told the court he was going to spend the night, but decided to leave at about midnight because he had to work early the next morning.

Ross walked Hine down the driveway to his car, and they embraced. Hine said the last time he saw her was in his rearview mirror as he drove off.

The eight-week trial began Monday with the Crown telling the jury Sylvester brutally attacked Ross after the two "exchanged words" moments later on the pathway between their houses.

Jurors were told Sylvester admitted to police slamming Ross' head off the ground and repeatedly kneeing her in the body.

He said he dragged her body into his garage, cleaned up the blood, placed Ross into his car, took a shower and then dumped the body near Manilla, about 50 kilometres northeast of Markham.

Three weeks later, Sylvester moved the remains to the Coboconk area, the Crown said.

Hine told the court he loved Ross, who he had begun dating about eight weeks earlier.

He said he called Ross' cellphone after he got home, but she never called back.

"He told jury he had a really bad feeling about that," CTV's John Musselman reported from the Newmarket courthouse.

Hine had been considered a "person of interest" in the five weeks between Ross' disappearance and Sylvester's surrender.

Hours after Sylvester turned himself in, officers found Ross' remains.

York Region Police Det. Kevin Bryan testified Tuesday that Sylvester's wallet was recovered in a pair of bloodstained shorts he dumped along with the body.

Ross' family members wept in the courtroom Monday as a video was played showing Sylvester calmly leading police through the wooded areas after he surrendered.

Sylvester, 33, is heard telling officers that he couldn't find some of her decomposing remains.

Despite finding more than 30 fractures on Ross' skeletal remains, a pathologist wasn't able to determine the exact cause of death.

Ross' mother Sharon Fortis wept on Tuesday as Bryan opened a package containing a pair of plaid pyjama bottoms she is believed to have worn the night she disappeared.

The Crown is trying prove that Sylvester "intended" to kill Ross. The jury was told Sylvester tried to plead guilty to manslaughter last week.

It is not known if Sylvester, who is charged with second-degree murder, will testify.

Fortis was the first witness, who testified she only talked to Sylvester on four occasions during the seven years they were neighbours.

Jurors are expected to hear Sylvester's lengthy taped confession later this week.

With a report from CTV's John Musselman and files from The Canadian Press