Elen Negasi speaks to reporters outside the Edmonton courthouse Tuesday. Her father, Tesfai Negasi, is charged with second-degree murder in the slaying of her mother, Selamawit Negasi. (CBC)

The daughter of a slain Edmonton woman who police believe was killed by her husband let out a blood-curdling scream in a courtroom Tuesday as her father made a brief appearance before a judge.

"You killed my mom," Elen Negasi, 27, shouted at Tesfai Negasi, 52, who is facing charges of second-degree murder and offering an indignity to a dead body in the death of his wife, Selamawit Negasi, 46.

Two sheriffs escorted Elen Negasi, who also swore at her father, out of the courtroom while another official took the accused back into the cells area. He did not enter a plea. He will be back in court next month.

About three dozen friends and family members packed into the courtroom for Negasi's appearance. Many wore T-shirts with Selamawit Negasi's photo on the front and the words, "In loving memory of our beloved mother, sister, angel."

"Our mother was everything to us," Elen Negasi said outside the courthouse. "She had four daughters that support her very much, and we miss her so much."

Police allege Tesfai Negasi contacted them on July 5 and said he had killed his wife.

According to the information to obtain a search warrant filed by police, Negasi's three daughters called police before he turned himself in, fearing that something suspicious had taken place. Their parents were missing, and the bedding was gone from an upstairs bedroom, they said.

Police were sent to the house to investigate. Just over a half hour later, Negasi called police from a cellphone while standing outside police headquarters downtown. He said he had killed his wife and that her body was in the car. He turned the keys over to officers, police allege.

An officer found the woman's dismembered body in the trunk of the car. Body parts were covered in plastic wrap, the document alleges.

With files from Janice Johnston