Kitimat father pleads not guilty in death of daughter

A B.C. man pleaded not guilty Monday to a second-degree murder charge in the death of his teenage daughter in Kitimat in November 2006, with the accused's lawyer arguing the father was not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder.

In a statement of fact agreed to by the defence and the prosecution, the Terrace court heard that Blair Donnelly was under a lot of stress at the time, and believed God wished him to kill both his wife and daughter.

His 16-year-old daughter, Stephanie Joy Donnelly, was found stabbed to death in the family home by her mother on Nov. 23, 2006.

The father was found praying outside a local church with blood on his hands, the court was told.

Until now, few details of the case — which shocked the small B.C. North Coast town — had been released to the public.

Stephanie Donnelly, an accomplished figure skater who coached many younger children, was killed the day before a local figure skating competition.

The trial is scheduled to last three days.