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Blair Donnelly daughter, Stephanie Joy Donnelly, became the focal point of a heart-wrenching tragedy in 2006, sparking legal complexities and raising unsettling questions about mental health and justice.
Blair Donnelly, aged 64, is facing three counts of aggravated assault following allegations that he stabbed and injured three individuals at a Vancouver Chinatown festival on a recent Sunday.
It is noteworthy that Donnelly was on day release from a forensic psychiatric hospital located in Metro Vancouver at the time of the incident.
This release was granted to him due to a previous finding of being not criminally responsible for the 2006 murder of Blair Donnelly daughter.
This case highlights the legal system’s complexities and the consequences of such psychiatric findings.
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Blair Donnelly Daughter: Who Was Stephanie Joy Donnelly?
Stephanie Joy Donnelly was tragically killed in November 2006 at 16 by her father, Blair Evan Donnelly.
Blair was initially charged with second-degree murder for this heinous act.
However, in January 2008, he was found not guilty because of a mental disorder due to a diagnosed mental illness.
Following this verdict, Blair was placed in Coquitlam’s Forensic Psychiatric Hospital, a facility known for housing individuals who have committed high-profile crimes.
In a disturbing turn of events, Blair Donnelly’s mental health status led to his gradual reintegration into the community.
By March 2008, he gained qualified access to escorted community outings, and by February 2009, he was granted unsupervised community visits of up to 28 days.
Tragically, during one of these visits in October 2009, Blair, while in a psychotic state, committed another act of violence by stabbing a friend. Unlike his prior crime, he was held criminally responsible for his actions.
Stephanie’s untimely death and the subsequent legal proceedings surrounding her father’s mental health have raised questions about the effectiveness of the mental health system in managing individuals with violent tendencies and ensuring public safety.
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Blair Donnelly Murder Case Details
Blair Evan Donnelly, aged 64, is facing charges of three counts of aggravated assault following a triple stabbing incident at Vancouver’s Chinatown festival.
Despite a history of knife attacks and a murder conviction in 2006, Donnelly had been released on a day pass from a psychiatric hospital, prompting strong criticism from B.C. Premier David Eby expressed being “white-hot angry” about the decision.
Donnelly’s prior conviction was for the murder of Blair Donnelly daughter, Stephanie, due to a mental disorder.
He was incarcerated at the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Coquitlam, B.C. After an unescorted release in 2009, he stabbed a friend.

Donnelly’s recent release, approved by the British Columbia Review Board in April 2023, allowed for escorted and unescorted leave for reintegration into society.
Still, it did not mention his previous stabbing incident. Eby vowed to investigate the circumstances surrounding Donnelly’s release and ensure such events do not occur again.
The Forensic Psychiatric Hospital, where Donnelly was treated, typically handles cases involving individuals found not criminally responsible for crimes due to mental disorders.
Blair Donnelly Mental Health 2023
Blair Evan Donnelly’s recent arrest and charges of three counts of aggravated assault have brought attention to his troubling mental health history.
In 2008, Donnelly was deemed not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder for the fatal stabbing of his teenage daughter in 2006, leading to his placement at the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Coquitlam.
Despite this violent history, Donnelly was granted unsupervised community access in 2009, during which he committed another stabbing while in a psychotic state. B.C. Premier David Eby expressed profound frustration at how such a dangerous individual could have been released without supervision, prompting calls for an independent review of the decision-making process.
The Forensic Psychiatric Hospital specializes in treating individuals found not criminally responsible for crimes due to mental disorders. Patients undergo annual reviews by the B.C.
The Review Board considers their progress and mental status to determine treatment and privileges, including community outings.
This incident has raised questions about the effectiveness of the mental health system in ensuring public safety.
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