JOLIET, Ill. (CBS) – The manager of a suburban strip club testified Thursday that Christopher Vaughn spent nearly $5,000 at the club during two visits in the days before his family was killed in 2007.

Vaughn is on trial on charges he shot and killed his wife, Kimberly, and his three children — Abigayle, 12, Cassandra, 11, and Blake, 8 — on June 14, 2007. Prosecutors have said he planned the murders as part of a bid to escape his troubled marriage, and start a new life in the Canadian wilderness. Vaughn has claimed his wife pulled the trigger, shooting him and killing their kids before committing suicide.

A manager of Scores Gentleman’s Club in Stone Park testified Vaughn visited the club twice in June 2007 — on the night of June 5 and early morning of June 6, then again on the night of June 11 and early morning of June 12. In all, he spent $4,788 at the club during those two visits, the manager said.

Earlier Thursday, a former exotic dancer at Scores testified she spent an hour-and-a-half in a private room with Vaughn when he visited the club, but he did not make her dance. Chrystal Miller testified, while the two talked, Vaughn told her he was single and had no children.

She described Vaughn as “very timid, very shy, [and] uncomfortable-seeming.”

He also claimed he did not have a family, according to Miller. She said Vaughn told her he had no children, and had been single for five years. He also claimed to be a private investigator.

“I remember him specifically stating that he did not have a family life,” Miller said. “I do remember him handing me his card and asking me to get a hold of him.”

She also said Vaughn made a strange comment about knowing the future.

“I remember him using the word future and it was very strange,” Miller said.

Jurors also heard about emails Kimberly Vaughn wrote, describing her husband as a hero to fellow students at the University of Phoenix, where she was taking online classes.

The owner of a Plainfield gun shop and shooting range also took the stand, and told jurors Christopher Vaughn used the range twice, including the night before his family was killed. Prosecutors have said he was practicing with the eventual murder weapon.