Ashton Kutcher took the stand on Wednesday in the trial of an alleged serial killer who is accused of killing his friend, Ashley Ellerin.
The Ranch star testified in the trial of Michael Gargiulo, who is facing to counts of murders in the deaths of two women. He recounted Wednesday morning his plans to go out with Ellerin on the night that she was stabbed to death in 2001.
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Kutcher, who wore blue suit and red tie, told the court he made plans for a date with Ellerin on Feb. 21, 2001. According to Entertainment Tonight, he said he last spoke with her at 8:24 p.m. that night, and called her after to let her know he was on his way home and then headed to a party, but she didn’t answer.
He testified he arrived at her home at 10:45 p.m.
The outlet reports some people in the courtroom let out some laughs after Kutcher said he didn’t call Ellerin too much because he was trying to take her on a date and didn’t want to seem overeager. He then claimed that when he eventually got to her house, he “knocked on the door and there was no answer.”
He said he looked through a window, tired the front door, and then looked through another window for signs of his date.
“I thought it was odd that lights were on and she wasn’t there,” he told the court. “I saw what I thought was red wine spilled on the carpet.”
Kutcher said he then left the home thinking she wasn’t there and had left because he was late. He also said he did not recall seeing Gargiulo at any parties.
Prosecutors told jurors during opening statements that they believe Gargiulo attacked Ellerin from behind after she got out of the shower on the night in question. They also believe that the spilled wine Kutcher saw was actually blood from the killing.
The DailyMail previously reported Gargiulo was an air conditioning repairman who allegedly became obsessed with Ellering after fixing her heater. He is believed to have broken into her apartment and stabbed her to death.
As previously reported, Ellerin’s body was found with 50 stab wounds to her head, neck and torso. She was 22 years old at the time of her death.
Gargiulo is also charged with the 2005 killing of Maria Bruno, and the attempted murder of Michelle Murphy, who was stabbed in her home in 2008. He also faces a murder charge in Illinois for the 1993 killing of Tricia Pacaccio, who was found stabbed to death outside her home.
Along with Kutcher, many of the model’s friends and family members are expected to testify on the case.
