The two people charged in relation to the murder of Roxanne Louie were released on bail Tuesday. Grace Elinor Robotti, 65, and brother Pier Louis Robotti, 61, were both released on a $25,000 bail each on Tuesday.
Grace Robotti is charged with second-degree murder and Pier Robotti is charged with being an accessory after the fact and interfering with human remains. It was following a six-day missing person investigation, the body of 26-year-old Louie, a member of the Osoyoos Indian Band, was discovered on Jan. 12 in the woods near Chute Lake according to a family spokesperson.
The bail conditions of the two accused include a 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew and a no contact order between the Robotti’s, the two civilians with knowledge of the case and between Grace Robotti and her great grandson, Louie’s three-year-old son, who is currently in shared custody with both of his grandmothers.
There were tears from Louie’s family in the courtroom and drumming and singing could once again be heard from a rally held outside the courthouse as the decision was made. A shout of “Justice my ass,” could be heard outside the courtroom afterwards as those in attendance gathered outside.
Laurie Wilson, Louie’s family spokesperson, spoke to media alongside supporters who were wearing buttons with Louie’s face on them and held signs that said “murdered and dumped,” among other things.
“We can’t get our point across, we can’t expect justice, we can’t sit down and talk to somebody about this stuff. It’s impossible. These things are not that kind of protests, we’re trying to guarantee our presence means something, and it doesn’t unless we do stuff like this, it doesn’t,” said Wilson.
“I’d like to say I wasn’t expecting it, but it’s not surprising, it’s not a surprising outcome to me,” Wilson said. “You talk to, what, 2,000 murdered and missing aboriginal women with no answers. I didn’t expect any answers and I don’t know what to expect from now on. This is a prime example of Canada’s shame."
During the bail hearing on Monday and Tuesday, the family listened to details of the investigation they had not yet heard. Due to a publication ban, the information outlining the Crown’s case presented at the Penticton Court House cannot be published.
“We’re not dumb about the process, we’ve been in criminal trials, we know that stuff. We can’t expect the same for our people. We can’t and it’s a shame, it’s a damn shame. I don’t know what else we can do, we can sit here and throw rocks at the window maybe,” Wilson said.
Louie’s uncle, Dan Wilson, expressed his disappointment with the results outside the court house Tuesday.
“Roxanne is not here to defend herself and he set a $25,000 surety. To me that’s an insult. I guess our lives are worth $25,000 in this country,” Wilson said.