In the second day of testimony in her own defence, accused murderer Kelly Ellard said she had no role in the drowning of Reena Virk.

Ellard's second-degree murder trial in the death of 14-year-old Reena Virk is in its fourth week. Ellard's first trial was in 2000.

Virk died during a Nov. 14, 1997, attack near Victoria's Craigflower Bridge. She had been hanging out with several other teenagers when she was beaten.

Reena Virk
Reena Virk

In testimony on Tuesday, Ellard admitted striking Virk because she believed Virk was planning to hurt Ellard's friend. But Ellard said she didn't follow Virk as she stumbled across the bridge to get away.

Ellard denied assaulting Virk at the other side of the bridge. She also said no to several more questions from defence lawyer Michelle Daneliuk.

"Did you hold her under the water?" "No," said Ellard. "Did you tell anyone you killed Reena Virk?" "No." "Did you kill Reena Virk?" "No."

Ellard, who was 15 at the time of Virk's death and is now 21, said another teenager, Warren Glowatski, and two other girls continued to beat Virk on the bridge's north side, holding her under water.

Glowatski was convicted of second-degree murder in 1998 and sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for seven years.

In earlier testimony, Glowatski contradicted Ellard, saying he and Ellard followed Virk across the bridge, where they beat her and drowned her.

Ellard says she left the scene as Virk crossed the bridge, and waited at a bus stop for 10 to 15 minutes. She says Glowatski then appeared and told her Virk was in the water with two girls.

Six people were convicted in 1998 in the assault of Virk. They cannot be named under provisions of young offenders legislation.