New details about the killings of an Alberta woman and her five-year-old daughter are beginning to emerge as the man accused in their deaths made another appearance in court this week.
Edward Delton Downey, who has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 34-year-old Sara Baillie and her daughter Taliyah Marsman, was before the courts on Wednesday, where the Crown and lawyers agreed to put the matter over while the defence reviews evidence.
As the Crown and defence await an Aug. 24 court date, new revelations about a possible relationship between Baillie and the accused are beginning to emerge.
Multiple police sources say they believe the motive behind the killings was a debt, but they wouldn’t elaborate further.
Just two months before her death, Baillie had moved into a basement suite of a house in northwest Calgary. The single mother was scraping by, earning just $19,270 a year while working at an airport restaurant.
Court documents revealed that Taliyah’s father, Colin Marsman, was falling behind in child support payments, and that Baillie was owed more than $8,000 in March.
Just days before her death, Baillie and Colin Marsman were back in court re-negotiating their arrangement. Colin Marsman told CTV News he paid $5,000 of what he owed.
Calgary police have said they believe Downey was an acquaintance of Baillie, Taliyah and Colin Marsman, however Colin Marsman has denied knowing him.
Police sources recently confirmed to CTV News that in order to make ends meet, Baillie had been working as an escort.
One local sex worker who says she knew Baillie told CTV News the mother wanted out of her relationship with Downey, who has previously done time for drugs, weapons and prostitution offences. According to parole documents Downey was a known “pimp.”
Multiple sources also confirmed that Downey has ties to the East Coast gang North Preston’s Finest, a group often associated with the sex industry.
Downey’s lawyer, Hersh Wolch, says he is still waiting on evidence and has no knowledge of the claims.
Colin Marsman declined to comment on the new revelations, saying he needs “time to process the new information.”
Baillie’s family has asked for privacy as the case moves through the court process.
Baillie’s body was discovered inside her Calgary home on July 11. An Amber Alert was issued for her daughter Taliyah, whose body was found in a rural area near Calgary a few days later.
Downey was arrested and charged in the connection with their deaths.
With a report by CTV Calgary’s Jamie Mauracher
