Appeal dismissed for Edmonton man who killed 7-year-old girl

Aaron Sousa · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jul 07, 2025 10:10 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

WARNING: This communicative contains graphic details of violence.

An Edmonton antheral has failed to overturn a execution condemnation helium received 2 years agone for stabbing a miss to decease with scissors.

David Moss was convicted of killing seven-year-old Bella Rose Desrosiers successful beforehand of her parent and small sister connected May 18, 2020.

Moss, successful a authorities of psychosis, stabbed the young miss and dragged her from her chamber portion her mother, Melissa Francis, was tucking her into bed.

Moss was recovered blameworthy of second-degree murder.

Moss had urged the Alberta Court of Appeal to trim his condemnation from execution to the less-severe manslaughter successful the decease of Desrosiers.

Moss argued the proceedings justice should not person convicted him of murder because helium was mentally unwell and not successful a authorities of caput to signifier the intent to perpetrate specified a crime.

But entreaty judges said erstwhile each of the grounds is taken into account, determination is not capable to amusement the justice was incorrect to gully a decision that Moss knew his actions could origin harm.

Second-degree execution comes with an automatic beingness condemnation and a parole ineligibility play of 10 to 25 years. 

Court heard Moss was a person of the girl's parent and 1 night, conscionable arsenic the parent was astir to buss the miss bully night, helium entered her chamber with a brace of scissors, pushed the ma aside, and slashed and chopped the girl's cervix repeatedly.

Moss testified that helium thought helium was successful a crippled arsenic helium stabbed the miss and said the dependable of a demon told him to harm her.

If you're affected by this quality story, you tin look for intelligence wellness enactment done resources successful your state oregon territory.