Pier Robotti is now facing a second degree murder charge in relation to the death of Roxanne Louie in January.
Robotti was arrested on Aug. 21 when the charges were upgraded, and was released on bail after appearing briefly in Supreme Court chambers in Penticton with “essentially the same terms” as his previous recognizance in March, Robotti’s defence counsel Robert Maxwell said.
Robotti was previously charged with being an accessory after the fact and interfering with human remains after a week-long missing persons investigation that turned up the body of 26-year-old Louie in Jan. 12 in the woods near Chute Lake.
Pier’s sister, Grace Robotti, is also charged with second-degree murder and the two were released on a $25,000 bail each on March 3. Pier’s new bail terms include a no-contact order with Grace except for court proceedings.
The case also has a new Crown prosecutor, Iain Currie from Kamloops. The upgraded charge will now take Pier’s case to Supreme Court, and to another bail hearing.
Members of local First Nations continued to show support in numbers at the Penticton Courthouse Monday.
Laurie Wilson, the Louie family spokesperson, still disagrees with the initial decision to grant bail in March.
“I can’t imagine anything more heinous,” Wilson said.
The matter will return to court Aug. 31 to set a date for a preliminary inquiry.
Currie estimates the preliminary inquiry will take place in February.