Justin Dumpfrey says he stabbed Holly Hamilton 17 times in self-defence

Justin Dumpfrey admitted to stabbing Holly Hamilton 17 times, dumping her body in the trunk of her car and then cleaning up the scene, but claims he did so in self-defence and to protect his young daughter from the sight of her mother's body and blood.

The 34-year-old took the stand in his own defence Monday at his second-degree murder trial. He marked the first and only witness for the defence; his version of events wildly differed from any Crown witnesses.

Speaking rapid-fire, Dumpfrey described a chaotic struggle inside his 1510 Barton St. E. apartment on the night of Jan. 14, 2018.

Holly brought their then-four-year-old daughter over to visit, but Dumpfrey said Holly went out, leaving their daughter to fall asleep on his futon. Holly returned around 10 or 10:30 p.m. with a strange man, who pulled out a knife when Dumpfrey asked him to leave, he said.

As he struggled against his attacker, Dumpfrey said he was cut on his arms and upper leg. At one point he grabbed the man's wrist to try to control the knife. That's when Dumpfrey said Holly began pulling at him. Dumpfrey said he punched and kicked her to push her away.

During the struggle, Dumpfrey said he fell and then managed to get control of the knife by biting the man's hand. He said he stabbed the man three times, but Holly jumped on his back and put him in a choke hold.

So I turned the knife on her," Dumpfrey said. At first, he went low" stabbing her stomach, but when her grip only tightened, he said he began stabbing higher, hitting her neck. When she let go, the mystery man fled and Dumpfrey said his daughter awoke to the sound of the door closing. He made sure she was OK before realizing Holly was dead.

Afraid that his daughter would wake up, he said he carried her body and put it in the trunk of her car, that he drove and left in an underground garage about 10 minutes away. He cleaned his apartment and tossed evidence - including the knife that was never found - into the garbage.

Crown Amber Lepchuk accused Dumpfrey of lying and called his testimony a story."

Some parts of his story were shaped to fit evidence, she argued. For instance, in addition to the stab wounds, Holly's body was covered in bruises, so that's why Dumpfrey spoke about punching and kicking Holly in self-defence. He also pointed to blood on the groin area of his pants when he was arrested as evidence of his cut from the knife, but Lepchuk pointed out that the tiny amount of blood was found on the outside, not inside of Dumpfrey's pants.

Parts of Dumpfrey's story didn't match evidence and defied logic, Lepchuk said. Why didn't he call for help? Why would he clean up evidence that would, if he's telling the truth, support his story?

Your daughter is sleeping in the room, this unknown man with a knife could come back and your response is to try to cover it up?" Lepchuk asked.

Court has already heard details of Holly's wounds, including long gashes across her neck.

You cut her from side to side ... ear to ear right?" Lepchuk said, adding that the way Dumpfrey was describing jabbing at Holly over his shoulder as she was choking him does not fit those injuries.

Dumpfrey testified that he grew up in Toronto and only moved to Hamilton after meeting Holly. They lived together when their daughter was born in 2013, but separated after. Among Dumpfrey's lengthy criminal record is two convictions for assaulting Holly, once while she was pregnant and the other in the presence of their young daughter.

Dumpfrey described their relationship in the months leading up to Holly's death as rocky" and hot and cold." His lawyer showed the jury a video of the family happy together at the beach and pictures of them in Niagara Falls the summer before the murder.

Dumpfrey said things got rockier in the fall, but that things were good again over the Christmas holidays. But they argued the day of the murder about Holly telling her mom that she believed Dumpfrey had broken in and trashed her townhouse in November 2017.

That night, he said he was about to pass out (from the choke hold) and feared for his life. That's why he stabbed Holly - in the kitchen area, by the front door of the apartment.

But Lepchuk said Dumpfrey actually killed Holly in the shower - that's the only room in the small apartment where their daughter wouldn't hear them. Police found evidence of blood cleanup in the shower and their daughter told police she saw her mom sleeping" in the shower.

Everything you told this jury today was a lie," Lepchuk said.

Incorrect," Dumpfrey replied.

Every word out of your mouth today was lie," Lepchuk said.

Incorrect," he said again.

The trial continues Thursday with closing arguments.

Nicole O'Reilly is a crime and justice reporter at The Spectator. noreilly@thespec.com