Timothy Verrill's double murder trial has begun. Here's what we learned in Week 1.

DOVER — The retrial for Timothy Verrill, accused of a double murder, began on Tuesday and continued through Friday.

The trial, being heard by Judge Mark Howard, is expected to continue through most of April. Verrill is charged with killing Christine Sullivan, who was 48, and Jenna Pellegrini, 32, on Jan. 27, 2017, at a 969 Meaderboro Road home in Farmington owned by Dean Smoronk. Prosecutors previously said Verrill believed the women had been informing authorities about drug trafficking by Verrill, Sullivan and Smoronk, who was Sullivan’s boyfriend.

The first Verrill trial was declared a mistrial after it was determined state police did not provide certain discovery material to the defense. The trial has captured the attention of the Court TV, which is live streaming daily.

Throughout the week, Verrill sat quietly listening to testimony. He has been incarcerated since his arrest in 2017.

Opening statements shows defense intends to imply someone else was killer

Opening statements were delivered Tuesday.

Prosecutors argued Timothy Verrill was the only person who could have killed Sullivan and Pellegrini in Farmington seven years ago, making their case so far by relying heavily on extensive security cameras Smoronk had inside and outside of his home. They also used a series of text messages sent between all parties involved, including known drug associates, such as Joshua Colwell, who was on the witness stand for much of Thursday and Friday.

The defense, in contrast, attempted to cast doubt on the investigations done at the time, portraying Verrill as the convenient person for the prosecution to blame for the killings, suggesting there were other people who could have, and probably did, commit the heinous crimes.

The defense seems to be moving toward making the case Smoronk, who was a known drug dealer and who was in Florida at the time of the murders, has an extensive drug network and could have had other people involved. They also talked with Colwell about his understanding Smoronk had a volatile relationship with Sullivan, talked negatively about her to others and wanted her out of his life and home.

Drug dealing was central to people around murders

Assistant Attorney General Brian Greklek-McKeon, who delivered the opening statement for the prosecution, called Verrill a “paranoid drug dealer.” He said on Jan. 27, 2017, Verrill stabbed Sullivan eight times, and used blunt force trauma that was so severe, it fractured her skull and caused bleeding in her brain. He said she was alive for at least part of the attack and fought back, sustaining many defensive wounds. He said Verrill stabbed Pellegrini 43 times in the neck, chest and back and also used blunt force trauma and she was likely sleeping when the attack began so she did not fight back.

In making that case, the state showed footage from the many cameras Smoronk had at his property, inside and out, stating Sullivan, Pellegrini and Verrill were the only people at the Meaderboro Road residence on the night of the murders.

Public defender Matthew McNicoll, representing Verrill, talked about a period of time when the cameras had been shut off, opening the door for doubt about the prosecution's contention no one else had been there that night.

A number of the witnesses involved in this trial — including some who have yet to testify — were involved in using drugs and with dealing drugs at the time the two women were killed. This includes Smoronk, who has served time in jail for drug offenses.

Joshua Colwell was an associate of both Verrill and Smoronk. Colwell testifed Smoronk returned from Florida after the murders, went to his home with Colwell, and asked him to remove drugs from a safe in his home before Smoronk called police. The bodies of the two women had not yet been found under Smoronk's porch but there was a bloody mattress.

Colwell said he later returned the drugs.

Elephant in the room is evidence police failed to provide

In opening statements, the defense said the first trial was mishandled. So far there has been no more discussion of that trial, but Verrill's defense may bring it up as part of its strategy when it presents its case.

The first case was declared a mistrial because of evidence police failed to provide, including five witness interview recordings and various emails and text messages investigators exchanged with witnesses. As a result, the discovery evidence was not provided to the defense until late in the first trial.

Joshua Colwell had a lot to say

Joshua Colwell spent two days on the witness stand. He was a friend of Verrill and an admitted drug user and dealer who worked with Smoronk, Sullivan and Verrill.

Colwell, who said he has been drug free for five years, testified after being granted immunity from prosecution. He was candid about the drug deals but struggled with the emotion of reliving the first trial. At one point on Thursday, he asked to take a break after hours on the witness stand.

The first questions put to Colwell clearly distressed him.

"Did you kill these women? Did you commit murder? Did you have any role?

"No!" was the resounding response from Colwell to each question.

Colwell testified he was a drug dealer and an associate and friends with Sullivan and Smoronk, as well as Verrill. He said he did not know Pellegrini. His testimony included his observation at the time that Verrill was using a lot of drugs and seemed to be struggling mentally and that he (Colwell) was concerned about him and tried to convince him to seek professional help for his paranoia. He also said he talked about his concerns with Smoronk.

That testimony supported the state's contention the two women were killed because Verrill suspected them, particularly Pellegrini, of being informants.

Colwell also talked about the relationship between Smoronk and Sullivan.

"He was a jerk," said Colwell. "He said very negative things about her, and wanted her out of his life.

"Tim asked me if I thought Jenna (Pellegrini) was an informant," said Colwell. "I said he should call Dean, and he did. He asked Dean if he should do something about it."

After the call, Colwell said Verrill was going to go set up AlfredCamera, a security camera mobile app.

"He was acting aggressive while talking about his plan," said Colwell.

The state contends that after that conversation with Colwell, Verrill went to 979 Meaderboro Road, the home where Smoronk lived with Sullivan and murdered her and Pellegrini, who was staying there.

Colwell said Verrill returned the next day, about noon. He said he was wearing a T-shirt when it was very cold outside and he asked him for a pair of pants, and that his behavior was making him uncomfortable.

Colwell said he used Confide, an encrypted app to tell Smoronk he needed to return to New Hampshire because he thought Verrill had done something bad at his house.

After picking up Smoronk at Logan, Colwell said they went to Meaderboro Road, but not before he went to his house for a gun.

"We went into the house and Dean was looking at a panel," said Colwell. "I saw the windows in the garage been spray painted (green). We were looking around the house. In a bedroom and saw blood on a bare mattress. I told Dean to call the cops and I was getting out of there."

Surveillance video beyond site of murders to play a role

Dover Officer Brian Gore was the last person on the stand Friday. A former Farmington officer, he testified about surveillance videos from Walmart, Lowe's, Red's Shoe Barn, Target and Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, on Friday, Jan. 27 in the afternoon and on Saturday, Jan. 28. Prosecutors have said Verrill used supplies from the stores to clean up after the murders. Questioning ended for the week Friday before Gore was asked about the content of the videos.

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Timothy Verrill double murder trial Week 1 recap