Ashton Kutcher was in court Wednesday May 29 to testify in the trial of suspected serial killer Michael Gargiulo, who is being accused of the murder of two women, one of whom was the Hollywood actor’s late friend, Ashley Ellerin.
Watch below to see Ashton testify in ‘Hollywood ripper’ murder trial:
On the evening of February 21 2001, Ashton had planned to go out for drinks with Ashley. However prosecutors are alleging that Gargiulo snuck into the 22-year-old woman’s Hollywood home and stabbed her 47 times while she was getting ready to go out with the That 70’s Show star.
Ashton, who admitted that the night was supposed to be a first date for the pair after they both discovered they were single, said they had spoken earlier on that day, but later that evening Ashley didn’t pick up the phone despite him calling her several times.
Ashton explained how he went around to her home between 10:30 and 10:45 p.m and knocked on the door, but when no one answered he “just assumed she had gone out with her friend and bailed.”
“I assumed she had left for the night and I was late and she was upset,” he explained.
After learning of her murder the next day and undergoing an interview with police, the actor revealed he was worried that his fingerprints would be on the doorknob as he’d tried to open the front door.
“My fingerprints are on this door and I was freaking out,” he said. “I told [an officer], ‘Let me tell you what happened.’”
Prosecutors have said they believe Ashley was killed shortly after her call with Ashton.
“We believe she had just exited the shower and was getting ready to go out with Mr. Kutcher when she was attacked from behind,” Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Dan Akemon said during opening statements.
Ashton also revealed that when he peered through a window he saw what he believed to be red wine stains on the floor, however police believe the stains were Ashley’s blood.
“I saw what I thought was red wine spilled on the carpet. But that wasn’t alarming because I went to her house party [days before] and it was like a college party. I didn’t think much about it,” he admitted.
Friends say Gargiulo became infatuated with Ashley after meeting her outside her home in 2000 and asking if she needed help fixing her car. He would often show up uninvited or park outside her bungalow surveilling her home.
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