George Huguely
George Huguely was found guilty of second-degree murder and grand larceny in the 2010 murder of Yeardley Love. Reuters

The former University of Virginia lacrosse player accused of killing his ex-girlfriend allegedly had a serious drinking problem, according to the testimony of former teammates.

George Huguely V, 24, is on trial for allegedly killing Yeardley Love. At the trial, his former teammates described he was drinking heavily four times a week and with such intensity, that they were planning to hold an intervention.

The day Huguely allegedly killed Love, he had been drinking all day during a father-son golf outing. Love was found dead in her bed by her roommate. Huguely was arrested on May 3, 2010, just days before final exams and charged with first-degree murder and five other offenses. He pleaded not guilty to all charges, reported the Washington Post. Both were seniors, just weeks away from graduation at the time of the incident.

During the trial, Michael Burns, a student of University of North Carolina who was attending a party in Charlottesville in February 2010 at an apartment complex where Huguely lived, testified that he heard a woman screaming for help.

When he opened the door, Burns allegedly saw Huguely strangling Love. When Burns was spotted, Huguely released her.

She just said, 'Thank you so much,' said Burns, reported the Washington Post. She also said she couldn't breathe. She was hysterically crying.

The pair had a tumultuous relationship for two years. Prosecutors claimed that they accused each other infidelity during the months preceding the alleged murder. Three days before Love was killed, Huguely also allegedly sent emails to his ex-girlfriend in which he said:

When I found out about Mike Burns, I should have killed you, reported the Daily Mail. Prosecutors released that email to prove he intended to cause Love harm.

Burns testified that the two were not romantically linked, but had gotten together for a few hookups, reported the Washington Post.

On the night of May 2, 2010, an inebriated Huguely arrived at Love's apartment. After a tense argument, he allegedly beat her and hit her head against the wall.

No way anything I did last night could have killed her, Huguely told police in a videotaped interview, according to the Washington Post.