A former guardian and her common-law husband will be tried for first-degree murder in the death of seven-year-old Katelynn Sampson more than two years ago.

Justice William Wolski ordered the trial Monday as the preliminary hearing for Donna Irving and Warren Johnson wrapped up.

On August 3, 2008, Irving had called police saying Katelynn had choked on food and stopped breathing.

But when officers arrived, they discovered signs of long-term and brutal trauma on the girl’s body. A veteran detective described the injuries as the worst he had ever seen.

Irving had had custody of Katelynn while the girl’s mother, Bernice Sampson, cleaned up her life after being charged with drug trafficking.