Rockland - The murder trial of Arnold Diana, 37, began in Rockland, Monday. Diana is accused of strangling his ex-girlfriend, Katrina Windred, 47, in November 2010. Her body was found on the side of a road in Rockland three days after she was reported missing.

Monday's proceedings began with opening statements, during which the prosecution and defense outlined the evidence jurors will get to see and hear throughout the trial, but both painted very different pictures of what it should suggest.

Assistant Attorney General, Lisa Marchese, first talked about what one of her key witnesses, Windred's then 11-year old son, saw the night his mother was murdered.

Marchese said the boy was waiting in the car while Windred went into Diana's apartment in Rockland to drop off groceries. But instead of seeing his mother emerge from the home, Marchese said it was Diana who came out to the car.

According to Marchese, Diana told the boy Windred was inside sleeping, and then took him to a nearby ATM where he used Windred's debit card to withdraw money.

Marchese said Diana then brought Windred's son back to his apartment to spend the night, but when the boy walked into Diana's bedroom, he found his mother laying on the bed, covered with a sheet. Marchese told the court that when Windred's son woke up the next morning, his mother was gone.

Marchese then honed in on the evidence recovered from Diana's apartment. She said police found pillow cases with blood stains and saliva that matched Windred, as well some of her belongings hidden in a trash can.

"The police did a further search throughout the building and found that near the back exit of that building, at the bottom of the stairs, was a bloodstain. That bloodstain, they took a swab of, and that came back to Katrina Windred," said Marchese.

However, during the defense's opening statement, attorney Chris MacLean suggested the evidence could be connected Diana's new girlfriend, who he said was jealous of Windred and had even threatened to kill her in the past.

MacLean said the truck Diana allegedly used to transport Windred's body, the blanket he allegedly wrapped her in and the towels he allegedly tied her up with all belonged to this girlfriend.

"No DNA evidence from Arnold Diana was ever found on Katrina or her clothing, and boy, did they look for it. No DNA evidence from Arnold was ever found in that truck that he allegedly crammed the body into, in a public parking area, and took it dispose of it," said MacLean.

Tuesday, the jury will begin their day outside Diana's apartment, where the prosecution said the killing took place. They'll then head to the road where Windred's body was found before returning to court to hear from the state's first witnesses, which Marchese said will include Windred's son.

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