Preliminary court hearing for Calgary man in mother daughter murder

An Alberta court hearing has begun to determine whether there’s enough evidence to send a Calgary man to trial for the murder of a woman and her five-year-old daughter last summer. (Photo: Eric Wilson/ Flickr)

CALGARY –An Alberta court hearing has begun to determine whether there’s enough evidence to send a Calgary man to trial for the murder of a woman and her five-year-old daughter last summer.

Edward Downey, 47, was charged last July with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Sara Baillie and her daughter Taliyah Marsman.

Baillie, who was 34, was found dead in her northwest Calgary home on July 11, but Taliyah was missing and an Amber Alert was issued.

The girl’s body was found days later in a rural area east of the city.

Downey has been in custody since his arrest.

Several witnesses will testify but a publication ban prohibits identifying them or reporting any evidence that is given.

The hearing continues all week except Friday due to the statutory holiday, and resume for the final day on May 16.