The man accused of killing Amber Kirwan has been committed to stand trail.

Christopher Alexander Falconer's preliminary inquiry into charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping ended on Tuesday.

He was ordered to appear in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Pictou on March 21 to set a date for trial. Falconer has elected to be tried by judge and jury.

The 30-year-old's lawyer, Mike Taylor, said Falconer will plead not guilty.

"I know what the evidence is and I have to develop a full strategy going forward," he said in a phone interview.

More than 20 people testified during the preliminary. A ban prohibits the publication of their names and the details of what they said.

Taylor said the number of witnesses reflected the number of people interviewed as a result of the police investigation.

"There was quite a long chronological line that had to be drawn," he said.

Kirwan, 19, was last seen leaving Dooly's pool hall in New Glasgow early on the morning of Oct. 9, 2011.

After an exhaustive search, her body was discovered on Nov. 6, 2011, about a 30-minute car ride away in rural Pictou County.