Poor, wordless Erin Howlett.

She died three years ago, her body stuffed into a duffel bag and dumped in the Grand River like garbage.

The trial of her former boyfriend, Michael Ball, has just concluded. He had pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and causing an indignity to a body. The jury was unable to come to a verdict on the murder charge, but convicted him of causing an indignity to her body.

But he wasn't the only one causing an indignity to Howlett, was he? The whole trial process has also done a great job of it.

Howlett was never able to respond to the testimony that added up to a picture of a flighty, flirty pleasure-seeker with a troublesome drug habit.

Howlett isn't able to respond to the testimony of former boyfriend James Baechler, who said she frequently used cocaine on weekends, and didn't have a job.

How did she pay for it? he was asked.

"I thought she was possibly trading sex for drugs," he said.

Baechler went on to describe Howlett as "kind of friends with benefits."

He also told the court that she was someone who often used cocaine. One night she snorted twice as much as he did. She would use cocaine for hours at a time on weekends and went to a drug party that lasted for two days. She carried "speed" in her pocket and used it just days before she died.

Another defence witness, Adam Redmond, testified he, Baechler, another man and Howlett took off their clothes one summer night for what he called "naked fire jumps."

He testified the foursome were drinking and using cocaine at Redmond's house when someone suggested jumping naked over the fire in the outdoor pit.

But he doesn't remember if anyone jumped over the fire or not.

It's relevant to the trial, I suppose, because the defence was trying to convince the jury that Howlett died of a drug overdose. The prosecution had contended that Ball killed her.

But does Howlett get a chance to respond to these descriptions of her? No.

The result is a kind of slut-shaming on a grand scale. We who follow the coverage are fed a picture of a "bad girl" with so many salacious details. Where is the picture of Howlett's humanity?

About Ball, there is far less information. But some of it is revealed in the ugly way he talked about Howlett.

Before Howlett died, Ball talked about harming her and buying a big black duffel bag.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Howlett's body was found in a black duffel bag on July 5, 2013, in the Grand River near the Walter Bean Trail in Kitchener.

Three weeks before Howlett went missing on June 27, Ball responded to a friend's text asking about his relationship with her.

"She's a cheating bitch," Ball replied.

The friend asks if Ball confronted her about sexual texts he had found from other men on her phone.

"Naw man, wasn't worth it," Ball replied. "I was gonna end up beating the s--- out of her if I confronted her."

"Seriously I contemplated tying her up and getting a duffel bag lol. Disrespectful bitch."

And in another text, Ball wrote: "I bought duct tape and a bag big enough. I was seriously gonna do it."

It is astonishing.

Howlett's short life ended violently — twice. First, by her premature death and being disposed of so callously. Second, by being portrayed to the world as an irresponsible "party girl" in sworn testimony. Was that all she was? We'll never know.

- Howlett remembered as 'sweet, lovable little girl'

- Murder retrial: Crown plans to charge Ball again with Howlett's death