Edward Downey double-murder preliminary hearing expected to take 10 days

Both sides say they are ready to move forward in the case of a man charged in the deaths of a Calgary woman and her five-year-old daughter.

Edward Downey faces two counts of first-degree murder in the slayings of Sara Baillie and her daughter Taliyah Marsman.

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The Crown and defence have agreed to a preliminary hearing that is expected to take 10 days.

Baillie, who was 34, was discovered dead in her northwest Calgary home on July 11.

Her daughter's body was found a few days later in a rural area east of the city.

A date for the preliminary hearing is to be set on Sept. 15.

Downey is in custody, but was excused from having to appear in court Wednesday. He is not expected to appear next week either.

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