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'slawyer arguing the father was not criminallyresponsibledue 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 Godwished 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 alocal 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.