Accused killer Robert William Pickton was popular with women who lived in the low-rent hotels of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, court heard Wednesday.

"He was friendly," testified Helen Major, who worked at the front desk at the Roosevelt Hotel, a popular place for sex-trade workers to live.

"He used to talk to everybody. I sometimes saw other girls running out after him because they knew he'd give them money.

"They're short of money down there. It's kind of sad."

The trial, in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster, began in late January. Pickton has been charged in the deaths of Sereena Abotsway, Mona Wilson, Andrea Joesbury, Brenda Wolfe, Marnie Frey and Georgina Papin, all women who went missing from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

In all, Pickton is accused in the deaths of 26 women. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Another trial on 20 other counts will be held later.

Major testified Pickton often came to meet his friend, Dinah Taylor, who has been mentioned often in the trial.

Taylor was arrested in connection with the murders, but never charged.

During what was at times a very heated cross-examination from defence lawyer Richard Brooks, Major said she tried to become friends with Taylor but found she was untrustworthy.

Major told the court Taylor would "steal you blind," was dishonest, and would get angry if Pickton paid attention to any other woman.

"She was jealous," Major said.

Brooks also pressed Major on the relationship between Taylor and one of the women, Joesbury, often referring to a statement Major made to police in 2002.

Her 2002 statement said they were friends but on Wednesday she didn't recall saying that.

She agreed with Brooks, after reading her statement, that a male tenant at the Roosevelt Hotel was arrested one day and that Taylor and Joesbury broke into his room to steal things.

When he returned to the hotel after his release, "you never saw Andrea Joesbury again, did you?" said Brooks.

"I don't think I did," said Major. "Only Dinah after that, not Andrea no more. You wonder where they went. They can't all go back home."

With files from the Canadian Press