'You were busy dumping Taliyah Marsman in the bushes': Crown questions accused murderer at trial

Accused double murderer Edward Downey continuedto deny killing a Calgary mother and her youngdaughter, despite accusations Thursday from the prosecutor that his story doesn't make sense because he is lying.

"Mr. Downey, you killed Sara because you hated her and you killed Taliyah because she knew you and she could tell," said prosecutor Carla MacPhailin her final suggestion put to the accused.

Downey, 48, was cross-examined Thursday by MacPhail, whoworkedto unravel the story he told Wednesday when he denied killing Sara Baillie, 34, and Taliyah Marsman, 5, in 2016.

Downey is on trial on two counts of first-degree murder and began testifying Wednesday as hislawyer Gavin Wolch led him though the events of July 11, 2016.

Downey admitted he was in Baillie'sapartment that morning but said it was drug dealing acquaintance Terrance a man whose phone numberwas not in Downey's phone despite an extensive contact listwho had been in a shoutingfight with the single mother.

"The reason Terrance is not in your contacts is because Terrance does not exist, isn't that right, Mr. Downey?" said MacPhail.

Baillie's body was found stuffed into a laundry hamper in her Panorama Hills apartment on July 11, 2016. The daughter's body was discovered dumped in a stand of bushes in a rural area east of the city.

Both Crown and defence have now rested their cases. Jurors will return Monday for final arguments and will begin deliberating Wednesday afer receiving final instructions on the law from Justice Beth Hughes.

• Read the latest news from the courtroom on Thursday in the tweets below from reporter Meghan Grant:

Downey's testimony

Downey told jurors he had agreed to meet Terrance at Baillie's home the morning of July 11. A friend of Terrance's was allegedly there as well but Downey couldn't remember his name.

Downey said Baillieput Taliyahin her bedroom and closed the door.

The unnamed friend and Downey chatted while Terrance got into an argument with Baillie in another room, according to the accused's story. At one point, Terrance yelled out asking for tape, and Downey said he ripped off some and gave it to his friend.

That's how Downey explained how his fingerprints made it onto the sticky side of the duct tape found wrapped around Baillie'sface, neck and wrists.

Downey testified thatBaillie said nothingas he handed Terrance the tape.He said he then drove to his house to get money for the drug deal, hada snack, sentsome emails and playeda video game before returning to Baillie's, where Terrance and the unnamed man were waiting outside.

'You were busy dumpingTaliyah'

Earlier in the trial, jurors heard that Downey's cellphone connected to cell towers near Baillie's home on the morning of her death, and then in the area where the girl's body was discovered.

On Wednesday, Downey explained that was because after returning to Baillie'sto find Terrance and the other manwaiting outside, the trio planned to meet up at 52nd Streetand 16thAvenue N.E. to continue their drug deal.

Downey said he lost track of the other two, and, despite a planned time and location for the meet, he continued driving east, texting with a woman with whom he had just begun a flirtatious relationship.

But their conversation ceased for several minutes, which Downey explained was when he stopped for gas in Conrich.

MacPhail suggested to Downey this was a "lie" designed to cover up a much more sinister activity.

"The real reason you did not text for those five minutes is because you were busy; you were busy dumping Taliyah Marsman in the bushes,weren't you?" saidMacPhail.

'You knew what was in the closet'

Downey's girlfriend at the time, a woman who can only be identified as AB, was best friends with Baillie and became concerned when she didn't show up for work. She had Downey drive her and her son to Baillie's home after work on July 11.

They spotted a police presence outside Baillie's home. Downey says he got out with AB's son at a small green space in order to protect the boy. MacPhail suggested a different motivation.

"You didn't want to go there because you knew what was in the closet of Taliyah's bedroom, isn't that right?" said MacPhail.

"Sara Baillie was in there dead and stuffed in a laundry hamper in Taliyah's closet ... you did know that because you're the one that put her there,aren't you."

Downey responded: "I wouldn't know that and I didn't put her there."

Theory on motive

The Crown has suggested Downey may have blamed Baillie for encouraging AB to leave him and for discouraging AB from working for him as an escort.

MacPhail presented Downey with a series of texts she said displayed his hatred for AB's best friend, including one in which he called Baillie"a disrespectful pot and horndog."

The prosecution believes the girl was murdered because she witnessed her mother's death, or at least recognized the killer, who was inside their home.

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