Holly Hamilton was stabbed 17 times, her body covered in bruises and cuts. The Crown calls it ‘domestic violence’ as murder trial begins

Holly Hamilton's frozen body was found in the trunk of her work vehicle, abandoned in a Hamilton parking garage. The 29-year-old single mother had been stabbed 17 times, including a fatal wound to the neck. She was covered in bruises and cuts.

The tragic discovery on Jan. 17, 2018, came two days after worried friends and family had reported Holly missing.

After not returning home on the night of Jan. 14, Holly's then-four-year-old daughter showed up on her grandma Angela's doorstep the following day with a new coat and toys. Angela saw Holly's on-again-off-again boyfriend, Justin Dumpfrey, walking away, said assistant Crown attorney Amber Lepchuk at the opening of Dumpfrey's murder trial Tuesday.

Where's Holly?" Angela called out, according to Lepchuk.

I don't know," he allegedly replied.

Holly's daughter, whose identity is shielded by a publication ban, told her family she saw mommy sleeping" in the shower at her daddy's apartment, court heard. She told her mommy she loved her, but mommy didn't answer.

Dumpfrey is charged with second-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty.

This is a case of domestic violence," Lepchuk told the jury.

Holly and Dumpfrey's relationship was volatile. She told family and friends he was obsessive, she said. But she also wanted her daughter to have a relationship with her dad.

According to an agreed statement of facts, read by Lepchuk, Dumpfrey was twice convicted of assaulting Holly. Once when she was three months pregnant and another time in front of their young daughter.

The November before her death, she reported a break-in at her townhome that she suspected was Dumpfrey. But the case was never solved, court heard.

About a month before she died, one of Holly's sister's, Stacie Hamilton, moved in with Holly and her daughter at Holly's Upper Wentworth Street townhouse. Stacie - the first witness called at the trial - told the court Holly described Dumpfrey as manipulative, crazy, possessive and hard to reason with."

She feared the abuse she faced would be taken out on her daughter and would never leave Dumpfrey alone with her, Stacie said. But Holly also wanted to keep the peace with the father of her daughter.

On Jan. 14, a Sunday, she awoke to Holly upset about the calls and text messages she said she was receiving from Dumpfrey. She showed one to Stacie and it was incomprehensible. He said he was sick and wanted to see Holly and his daughter, court heard. Stacie believed Holly did not want to see him.

Later that day, Holly told Stacie she was going out to see a friend and that she and her daughter would be back by 8:30 p.m. But they never returned.

The next morning Stacie began calling and messaging Holly. She tracked down Holly's friend - Holly never went to see her Sunday. And she called Holly's mom (Holly and Stacie share the same dad, but different moms). Holly never showed at work and her daughter never arrived at school.

On the evening of Jan. 15, Stacie gathered with other family at Angela and her dad's place. Angela had called the police and Stacie was talking to an officer on the phone when Holly's daughter suddenly arrived on the doorstep.

With the police officer still on the phone, Stacie said she ran outside and tried to chase after Dumpfrey. She caught a partial licence plate, reading it out to police, as a car drove off.

Police found Holly's body two days later.

Dumpfrey's lawyer, John Erickson, questioned how well Stacie really knew her sister - they didn't see each other often before Stacie moved in mid-December 2017. He suggested Holly and Dumpfrey had resumed their relationship in 2017 and early 2018 against the wishes of family.

Erickson also questioned whether Holly was strong - she worked for a cleaning company and was young and healthy.

Inside Dumpfrey's apartment, police found blood and evidence of blood cleanup, Lepchuk said.

In a garbage bag outside his apartment building, police found the keys to Holly's work vehicle with Holly's blood on them. Their daughter's bleach-stained jacket was also found in the garbage, along with other evidence.

Surveillance video will show Dumpfrey with his daughter shopping on the Jan. 15. Among the things he bought were bleach, a new shower curtain and the new pink coat for his daughter, Lepchuk said.

The trial continues Wednesday.

Nicole O'Reilly is a Hamilton-based reporter covering crime and justice for The Spectator. Reach her via email: noreilly@thespec.com