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Cape Town – Ashton Kutcher has testified against an alleged serial killer at a Los Angeles court charged with murdering three women.
Michael Gargiulo – who has been dubbed as the "Hollywood Ripper" – is accused of stabbing fashion student Ashley Ellerin, who was said to be dating Kutcher at the time of her death, 47 times.
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KUTCHER'S TESTIMONY
During his testimony on Wednesday, Kutcher revealed that he met Ellerin about two months before the killing and that she previously dated his friend, E! News reports.
Recalling a timeline of events on the night she was murdered, Kutcher noted he and Ellerin had made plans to go out for drinks and dinner.
The 41-year-old went on to share that he called Ellerin in the evening to let her know he had been running late because he was attending a Grammy Awards viewing party. He called again about an hour later to let her know he was still running late but there was no answer, so he left a voicemail.
Kutcher then called her again when he was on his way to pick her up, but there was no answer. He then went to his home, a few blocks away, and tried calling again but there was still no answer. Kutcher eventually made his way to her house and figured she was home because the lights were on.
"I knocked on the door and there was no answer," he told the packed downtown Los Angeles courtroom, Sky News reports.
"I knocked again, and once again, no answer. At this point I pretty well assumed she had left for the night, and that I was late, and she was upset."
Ashton added that he looked through the window and saw what he thought were red wine stains on the carpet, thought nothing of it, and left.
(Photo: Ashton Kutcher testifies during the trial of alleged serial killer Michael Gargiulo. Getty Images)
According to People, Kutcher learned of Ellerin's death the next day and went straight to the police to tell them he had been to her house the night before.
"I remember the next day after I heard about what happened, I went to the detectives and said, 'My fingerprints are on the door'. I was freaking out."
Ashton's testimony lasted about 35 to 40 minutes, CNN reports.
Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Dan Akemon said in his opening statement that Kutcher's testimony is part of the "chronology of this case" that shows "there was a narrow, very narrow window of opportunity for someone to get into the house and murder Ashley".
SEEKING THE DEATH PENALTY
Gargiulo has pleaded not guilty to two charges of murder and one of attempted murder in attacks between 2001 and 2008.
He also faces a murder charge in Illinois in the death of a 18-year-old woman who was found stabbed to death outside her Glenview home in 1993.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
