EDMONTON/630 CHED - Evidence has wrapped up in a bizarre and gruesome murder case.

The crown’s theory is that in August 2004, a reputed drug-dealer, 23-year-old Tim Salsman, was punched out at a bar in Provost then tortured and killed in the basement of a house in nearby Hayter.

In November that year, Mounties laid murder charges against 2 men who had been living in the house.

One of them 26-year-old William Taylor is now on trial for murder, aggravated assault and unlawful confinement.

Evidence in the trial ended today with Taylor on the stand, exchanging barbs with crown prosecutor Ashley Finlayson.

Mounties cut away a new hardwood floor Taylor had put down, scraped away some paint and found traces of Salsman’s blood.

A witness told the trial that Salsman had been tortured with a skill-saw.

Neither Salsman nor the skill saw have been found.