Third day of trial in Holly Hamilton case hears how police officer found the woman's body

WARNING: This story contains graphic details some may find disturbing.

Const. Tara Avila appeared to fight tears in Hamilton Superior Court on Thursday as she described discovering Holly Hamilton's body "covered in blood" and stuffed in the trunk of her car, left in the cold of an underground parking garage.

Avila spent much of her shift on Jan. 17, 2018, searching for Hamilton and the white Ford Escort, both of which had already been missing for two days at that point.

Avila was driving through a lot beside an apartment building in the city's east end when suddenly, she spotted it. The car was backed against a cement wall at the far end of the lower level, Avila testified.

"I had no idea if there was anybody inside that vehicle," she told the court.

The trial of Justin Dumpfrey, who assistant Crown Attorney Amber Lepchuk has described as Hamilton's "on-again off-again boyfriend" is taking place before a jury and began on Tuesday.

Dumpfrey is charged with second-degree murder in Hamilton's death. He has pleaded not guilty.

In court Thursday, Avila said when she came upon Hamilton's vehicle, she noticed part of the trunk wasn't fully closed. Rust-coloured splatter, that looked to her like blood, could be seen on the back bumper.

With the help of a flashlight, Avila said she noticed the back passenger seat was pushed forward and through a gap, she could see dark-coloured jeans.

Police pried open the trunk and found Hamilton, a 29-year-old single mother, inside, court heard.

"Holly Hamilton's frozen body was discovered by police in the trunk of her work vehicle in an underground parking lot on January 17, 2018. Her body stabbed 17 times," Lepcuk said earlier this week in her opening statement.

"This is a case of domestic violence," she added.

In 2018, Hamilton's murder drew attention from those fighting gender-based violence. It became the focus of a women's march at city hall, and a would-be search party on Jan. 16 became a vigil outside Dumpfrey's Barton Street apartment.

Thursday, Avila testified that police pried open the trunk of the car to find Hamilton inside.