A Hammonds Plains man has been committed to stand trial in Nova Scotia Supreme Court on a charge of second-degree murder in the killing of his girlfriend last April.
A preliminary inquiry was held Tuesday in Halifax provincial court for Stephen Alexander Beckett, 46.
RCMP responded to a call about a suspicious death at a house at 495 Glen Arbour Way in Hammonds Plains on the afternoon of April 2 and discovered the body of Tracy MacKenzie, 35, inside the residence.
Beckett was arrested at the scene and was charged the next day.
After hearing testimony at the preliminary inquiry from five police officers and one civilian, Beckett consented to be sent on for trial.
Judge Ann Marie Simmons ordered him to appear in Supreme Court on March 18 to begin the process of setting dates for a jury trial.
There's a publication ban on the evidence from the inquiry to preserve Beckett's right to a fair trial.
Beckett’s lawyers are Mark Bailey and Jade Pictou, while the Crown attorneys are Melanie Perry and Mike Berrigan.
Beckett is in custody at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth and has not applied for bail.