NORTH CAROLINA -- It's the day Mark Carver and his family have been waiting for since 2008.

• Carver is on the stand, testifying in his own defense. He's been serving a life sentence after he was convicted of murdering UNC Charlotte student Ira Yarmolenko
• Carver never testified in his original trial, because his attorneys thought it would do more harm than good
• There is no telling how long Carver's testimony could last, because the prosecution is going into every detail of his statements to police

Carver was convicted of killing UNC Charlotte student Ira Yarmolenko in 2011, but Carver, his family, and supporters have always maintained his innocence. The 20-year-old student's body was found along the banks of the Catawba River. It was originally stated in 2008 that Yarmolenko had been found strangled near her car

On Thursday morning the defense only asked six questions beginning with "Did you see Ira Yarmolenko dead or alive on the Catawba River?"

Carver answered "no" to that and a few other questions, including, "Did you touch Ira or her car?" He says the first time he saw her was on TV.

For her final question, Carver's attorney asked him if his original defense attorney tried to convince him he touched Ira's car. Carver replied, "Yes ma'am."

However, when it came to cross-examination, Carver seemed to have trouble recalling details.

The prosecution began grilling him on his conversations with police, saying at one point he changed stories three different times on how long he was at the river with Neal Cassada.

There is no telling how long Carver's testimony could last, because the prosecution is going into every detail of his statements to police.