A federal appeals court has upheld the conviction and death sentence of a Washington man who confessed to raping and killing his 14-year-old stepdaughter in 1995. The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals confirmed that the Washington Supreme Court did not act unreasonably when it rejected Clark Elmore’s claim his constitutional rights were violated at trial. Elmore, who was convicted of killing Kristy Ohnstad in Bellingham after he said she threatened to reveal he had molested her as a child, received the federal court's ruling on Wednesday. Clark Elmore’s conviction for killing and raping his 14-year-old stepdaughter in Washington in 1995 was upheld . The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals confirmed the Washington Supreme Court's (above) decision was correct . Ohnstad, a middle school student, was the daughter of Elmore’s live-in girlfriend, the Seattle Times reported. After she went missing, Elmore pretended he was grieving and helped organize a search party to find her. Elmore is the second-longest serving inmate on the state's death row after being sent there in 1996 . He eventually admitted killing her in a graphic taped confession. Elmore claimed his rights were violated during the trial because his attorney gave him bad advice and the jury saw him in shackles. The three-member panel's ruling against the 63-year-old convict was unanimous. The panel wrote: 'We hold that the Washington Supreme Court’s resolution of Elmore’s constitutional claims was not unreasonable. 'The district court did not err in denying Clark Elmore’s challenges to his conviction and death sentence, and we therefore affirm the district court's decision. 'Clark Elmore committed a truly monstrous crime. 'A state that has chosen to impose the death penalty can surely reserve it for such an offense.' The ruling does not mean Elmore will now be executed as Governor Jay Inslee has declared a moratorium on the death penalty. Elmore is the second-longest serving inmate on the state’s death row - he arrived there in 1996 - although he is now effectively serving a life sentence due to the moratorium on executions. He may still ask the US Supreme Court to review the 9th Circuit court’s opinion .
9th US Circuit Court of Appeals confirmed Elmore's conviction Wednesday.
Appeals court rejected claim that constitutional rights were violated at trial.
Convicted in 1995 of killing and raping Christy Ohnstad in Bellingham.
Said girl threatened to tell on him for molesting her when she was younger.
Elmore has been on death row since 1996 but executions are suspended.