Tuesday marked the third day in a row police stood guard outside the empty home of a woman alleged to have murdered her daughter-in-law earlier this month in Penticton.
Roxanne Louie, 26, was reported missing Jan. 6, but the search was called off Monday when Mounties confirmed the arrests of a brother and sister in connection with her disappearance.
Grace Elinor Robotti, 65, has been charged with the second-degree murder of Louie at or near Penticton sometime between Jan. 3 and Jan. 5, according to court documents.
Pier Louis Robotti, 61, has been charged with interfering with human remains and being an accessory after the fact to his sister, Grace.
Relatives previously told the Western News that Louie was staying with Robotti prior to her presumed disappearance early on Jan. 4, when she ostensibly left to meet up with unknown friends.
Neighbours said Grace lived alone in a well-kept trailer on a quiet cul-de-sac at the Caravilla Estates mobile-home park and was often seen minding a young boy, believed to be Louie’s three-year-old son.
Elsie Rudiger, who lives across the street from the Robotti residence, said police descended on the trailer Sunday and a car was towed from the driveway later that day.
“We’ve seen police coming and going, and all the neighbours have been curious as to what’s going on,” said Rudiger.
She said Grace mostly kept to herself, but is a member of the Caravilla Estates strata council.
Mounties maintained a presence Tuesday outside Grace’s home, which was still behind police tape as a forensics team worked inside.
Penticton RCMP spokesman Sgt. Rick Dellebuur said it’s not unusual for officers to remain at a crime scene for days on end.
“It takes us time to get people if we need forensic analysts and things like that,” he said
Dellebuur confirmed Louie’s body was recovered Monday somewhere other than the trailer, but he would not disclose the exact location because the investigation is ongoing with members of the Penticton General Investigation Section and the Southeast District Major Crimes Unit preparing for the Robottis’ next scheduled court appearance Thursday.
The two were transported separately to the Penticton courthouse Monday without handcuffs by plainclothes and uniformed RCMP officers. Grace wore orange prisoner clothing, while Pier was in jeans and a green parka. Neither of them appeared in the courtroom when charges were confirmed, and both remain in police custody.
Louie’s disappearance was reported to the RCMP two days after she failed to show up for a scheduled flight from Penticton to Vancouver following a holiday visit with family in the South Okanagan. She moved to Vancouver last year for school.
Louie’s relatives declined comment when told of the arrests.