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Jury trial in Calgary set for suspect in Bowden woman's death

Man accused of first-degree murder in the March 2021 death of a young mother in Southern Alberta will have a jury trial next spring.
MVT Ross Arran McInnes
Ross Arran McInnes, of Bowden, who on March 22, 2021 was charged with first-degree murder in the death of 25-year-old Kirsten (Gardner) O'Donoghue in Bowden, is slated to stand trial in 2023 from March 6-17 before a jury in Calgary.

BOWDEN, Alta. — The man accused of first-degree murder in the death of a young Bowden mother will face trial in Calgary early next year, according to information supplied by Alberta Courts officials. 

Ross Arran McInnes, 28, of Bowden, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of 25-year-old Kirsten (Gardner) O’Donoghue in Bowden on March 22, last year.  

She was the mother of two-year-old twin boys. 

The trial, which will take place before a judge and jury, is set to run Feb. 27 to March 17, 2023 in Calgary.

Meanwhile, McInnes remains in custody.

At about 6:30 p.m. on March 22, 2021, Olds RCMP officers had responded to a Bowden apartment to assist ambulance personnel. A 25-year-old woman from Bowden was found dead at the scene. 

The RCMP Forensic Identification Section was called to help out along with the RCMP Major Crimes Unit, which then took over the investigation. 

An autopsy was completed and the death was deemed a homicide. 

McInnes was arrested at the scene that night and charged with first-degree murder. 

O’Donoghue’s passing spurred a wave of publicity.  

A family member set up a GoFundMe page with a goal of raising up to $60,000 to help cover the cost of raising the boys. 

As of June 22 this year, a total of $63,693 had been raised. 

Plans called for all money raised to be put in trust on behalf of their children’s father, Justin O'Donoghue. 

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