A man accused of participating in a fatal attack on Eddie Meenan told a former girlfriend 'I killed somebody, I stabbed him', a jury has heard.
The former partner of Ryan Walters - one of three men accused of murdering Mr Meenan - was called to give evidence during the second week of a trial at Derry Crown Court, sitting in Belfast.
Mr Meenan was beaten and stabbed at the rear of a house at Creggan Street in Derry after arriving at the back of the property with his friend William McConnell in the early hours of November 25, 2018.
Walters (22) of Station Park in Crossgar is standing trial alongside Derek William Creswell (29) of Kings Lane in Ballykelly and 34-year old Sean Ciaran Joseph Rodgers, of no fixed abode.
All three men have denied murdering Mr Meenan and of wounding Mr McConnell during the same incident.
Walters former girlfriend confirmed that she was pregnant with his twins in November 2018 but said at that stage they were no longer in a relationship.
The former couple exchanged a series of text messages and spoke several times on the evening of Saturday November 24 and into the hours of the following morning.
She said that during this conversation Walters said he had 'killed somebody' and had 'stabbed him.'
The witness said Walters seemed upset during that chat, and when they spoke later that morning, Walters then told her 'I didn't do it but I know who did.'
She claimed that during this telephone conversation, Walters said that whilst he had 'hit the fella a couple of punches', he said 'I didn't stab him.'
It's the Crown's case that arriving at the back of the house, Mr Meenan and his friend William McConnell were attacked by three male occupants.
Whilst Mr McConnell sustained a serious head wound and managed to escape, Mr Meenan was subjected to "brutal and savage" assault during which he was punched, kicked, beaten with weapons and stabbed more than 50 times.
All three accused have admitted being present at Creggan Street but have each denied involvement in the fatal attack.
Prior to Walters former girlfriend giving evidence, a forensic scientist who carried out analysis on items removed from the murder scene, as well as clothes worn by all three accused, spent her fourth day in the witness box.
She was again presented with the version of events given by Ryan Walters - who said he was present in the property when Mr Meenan and Mr McConnell arrived at the back door wearing home-made balaclavas.
He has since made the case that co-accused Rodgers had an initial confrontation with Mr Meenan, and that Creswell also joined in the attack.
Mr Meenan's DNA was located in blood stains located on Walters Adidas trainers and on a black and green North Face tracksuit.
Walters barrister John Kearney QC said it was his client's case that when he walked back into the house Mr Meenan had been stripped and was lying on his back out the back, and "that the clothing of Mr Meenan was removed before the stabbing started" which must have occurred when he was in the kitchen.
The forensic expert agreed that anyone who kicked, punched and stabbed Mr Meenan and who then dragged his semi-naked body into a back alleyway would have been covered in blood.
She also agreed with a suggestion by Mr Kearney that there were not large amounts of blood located on the clothing and shoes worn by Walters.
She did, however, re-enforce her belief that an attempt had been made to clean one of Walters trainers before it was seized by police.