A man accused of killing a Hamilton father was financially desperate, a lawyer for his co-accused told court Wednesday, suggesting a promise of a luxury car was the motivation that led to Tim Bosma's death.

Mark Smich has testified that his co-accused Dellen Millard gave him $200 and some marijuana after the theft of Bosma's truck three years ago.

Smich has also said that Millard had promised him one of his cars -- a restored Cadillac -- for work he'd done on Millard's various properties.

But Millard's lawyer -- Nadir Sachak -- suggested the Cadillac would be payment for the theft of a truck.

"I'm going to say it was you who got very anxious and this theft of the truck wasn't happening and you were the one who was getting very frustrated and in that frustration, you say 'I'll make sure I get my payday and get the Cadillac,"' Sachak said.

"That is not true sir," Smich replied.

Smich, 28, of Oakville, Ont., and Millard, 30, of Toronto, have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Bosma, who disappeared after taking two strangers for a test drive in a truck that he was trying to sell online.

Millard has elected not to testify in the trial, and Sachak painted a picture for court of his client as a rich heir to an aviation empire who owned numerous properties, vehicles, airplanes and helicopters.

Smich has told court he was broke, Millard paid him "pennies" for the work he did and said his former friend was "cheap." But he denied initiating the robbery and again said it was Millard who fatally shot Bosma and burned his body in an animal incinerator.

Millard's lawyer later asked Smich why his client would shoot someone inside a truck he wanted steal and later use.

"It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to steal a truck and put a bullet hole in the window, you'd agree with me, wouldn't you? Why would he do it?" Sachak said.

"I don't know why. I can't answer that question," Smich said. "When he got out of the vehicle, he looked like a crazy person, like a madman, I don't know what came over him."

Earlier Wednesday, as Sachak probed his character, Smich admitted he physically abused his then girlfriend once, but could not recall the details of the incident.

"It wasn't like I beat her, just one time I got physical with her," Smich told court.

Sachak pressed Smich further, asking why he called a woman he loved so much his "bitch."

"I was foolish, like I said, my vocabulary was terrible and I didn't use good words at that time," Smich responded.

At the end of the day, Sachak began leading Smich through the details of the test drive and is to finish the cross-examination on Thursday.