George Burch came to Green Bay in February 2016.
That's according to Ed Jackson, Burch's longtime friend.
"He said him and his wife were on the outs, and he had no place to go," Jackson said.
Jackson testified Monday that he gave Burch a place to live, a phone to use, and a car to drive.
"Offered him to come out here and get a fresh start," Jackson said.
The two went on a fishing trip to Racine on the day Nicole VanderHeyden was found dead. Jackson says Burch mainly napped on the drive and didn't say anything out of the ordinary or show any injuries. He sent pictures of the trip to his wife, who saw something unusual shortly before the trial.
"On his hand it looks like there's dark areas," Linda Jackson said.
Weeks after the fishing trip and VanderHeyden's death, the police came to the Jackson home. They wanted to know about Burch's involvement in a possible hit and run. Police collected and downloaded his phone.
Earlier in the trial, attorneys said Burch made several internet searches from his phone about Nicole VanderHeyden's death. Later, in June 2016, the Jackson's told Burch he had to leave. He stayed with friends in the area until his arrest in September.
The defense will begin making its case tomorrow.
