The lawyer for accused killer Travis Vader appeared to unveil his alternative suspect theory Thursday while questioning a witness about alleged crimes committed by a man who is dead.

In his opening address at the start of Vader’s first-degree murder trial for the deaths of Lyle and Marie McCann — an elderly St. Albert couple who disappeared in July 2010 — defence lawyer Brian Beresh accused police of "failing to pursue other suspects" and said their names would be "revealed" during the trial.

And on Thursday, Beresh seemed to launch into that defence strategy when he repeatedly asked witness William Nikolyuk about his involvement with Terry McColman, a man who was interviewed by the RCMP regarding his friendship with Vader as part of the investigation into the disappearance of the McCanns.

McColman died in May 2011 from what is believed to be either a heart attack or a drug overdose.

Nikolyuk, a 37-year-old Wildwood man, confirmed that McColman had always lived in the Edson-Nojack area, he had known him his whole life and he knew the area west of Edmonton well.

The admitted crystal methamphetamine addict also agreed McColman was a heavy drug user who was involved in theft.

Nikolyuk testified McColman was good at breaking into vehicles and stealing them.

McColman liked to break into abandoned farm homes and ransack them for things to steal and he would often stash stolen goods, including vehicles, at various locations, court heard

"He would steal anything to survive," said Nikolyuk, adding that he had also witnessed McColman douse vehicles with diesel fuel and torching them.

He also agreed that McColman "wouldn’t bat an eye" at stealing vehicles, ransacking them, then setting them on fire.

Nikolyuk also testified that McColman used to buy cheap beer and he had seen him purchase Boxer beer many times.