Jun 18, 2009 - 04:05 PM

By Jeff Mitchell

WHITBY -- Months before he was arrested for first-degree murder, a Montreal man told Durham police he admired the work ethic of slain trucker Donald Woods and had planned to hire him.

Paul Cyr invited Durham homicide detectives into his home and spoke to them for more than an hour about Mr. Woods during the July, 2006 interview, a jury heard Thursday.

In a tape played in the Whitby courtroom, a jovial and comfortable-sounding Mr. Cyr praised Mr. Woods and denied outright he played any role in the man's shooting death.

"He was a hard-working guy," Mr. Cyr's deep voice pronounced from a speaker in the courtroom. "He tried to be on time, all the time. That's all I know about him."

Mr. Woods, 35, from the Brockville area, was found dead in the sleeper cab of his rig in Pickering June 23, 2006. His cargo, a load of air-chilled chicken, had been stolen. He last contacted his wife from a truck stop in Belleville two days before his body was discovered.

Mr. Woods's wife Nicole testified earlier that the trucker was to meet a representative of Montreal-based JC Trucking to discuss an employment opportunity. JC Trucking is owned by Paul Cyr's brother, Jacques Cyr.

During the interview at his home, Paul Cyr confirmed he had offered Mr. Woods a job, but said he hadn't met Mr. Woods at the Belleville truck stop the night he disappeared.

Jurors heard Durham homicide Detective Mitch Martin on the tape tell Mr. Cyr that video cameras at the truck stop caught images of both his and Mr. Woods's rigs on the night of June 21.

"From what I can see, you guys were there at the same time," Det. Martin said.

"He never talked to me," Mr. Cyr responded. "He never called my cellphone once. I never called him."

"I'll ask you point blank: Are you involved in this in any manner?" Det. Martin asked.

"No," said Mr. Cyr.

Durham police charged Mr. Cyr in October of 2006 with the first-degree murder of Mr. Woods.

The trial, before Justice Bryan Shaughnessy and a jury, continues.