Day parole granted to B.C. senior who used crowbar to murder extended family member

A B.C. senior who violently killed an extended family member with a crowbar eight years ago has been granted day parole.

In 2017, Grace Elinor Robotti, 67 years old at the time, was sentenced to life imprisonment in the 2015 death of Roxanne Louie, 26.

Louie was visiting the Okanagan from Vancouver and was the mother of a three-year-old boy, with Robotti being the toddler’s great-grandmother.

2:42 Penticton seniors sentenced in death of 26-year-old woman

The two got into an argument in Robotti’s Penticton home on Jan. 4, over Louie’s parenting skills, and how the boy should be cared for.

Robotti claimed Louie threatened her with a crowbar, but that she grabbed it and used it in self-defence. Louie was struck at least 26 times with the crowbar.

The jury didn’t believe Robotti’s version and found the senior guilty of second-degree murder on April 6, 2017.

Notably, Robotti got her brother to dispose of Louie’s body along a forestry service road near Naramata, then claimed that Louie was missing.

About a week later, Robotti — who dumped Louie’s belongings in various garbage bins around the city — confessed to police.

During sentencing on April 18, 2017, the court also issued no chance of full parole for 10 years.

3:18 Watch Grace Robotti’s video-taped killing confession to Penticton RCMP

However, last December, Robotti was granted temporary escorted absences for community service.

And this December, an eight-page document from the Parole Board of Canada revealed that Robotti, now 73, was granted day parole for six months.

“In coming to a decision, the board reviewed your written submissions from July and October 2023. Two of these are letters of reference, and the other is from you personally,” reads the decision dated Dec. 14, 2023. “You acknowledge the harm your offence caused, you express concern for the victims, and discuss your interest in restorative justice. You continue to express remorse for the offence.”

The parole board went on, saying while the specifics of the offence are disturbing, Robotti had no previous criminal record and she did not flee while on bail for two years, awaiting her trial.

1:45 Accused killer, Grace Robotti, takes the stand

It also said her behaviour in jail is good, maintained institutional employment and she participated in recommended counselling and programming with good reports of performance.

She was also placed into minimum-security placement, though the parole board also noted that because of her horrific crime, she cannot contact the victims unless she has authorization from a parole officer.

“As noted earlier, the index offence caused serious harm and the victim’s family members deserve to feel safe from you, and free from unwanted contact and communication. This special condition provides for their well-being.”

According to the federal government, day parole allows an offender to participate in community-based activities in preparation for full parole or statutory release.

“Offenders on day parole must return nightly to a community-based residential facility or halfway house unless otherwise authorized by the Parole Board of Canada. In addition to standard conditions of day parole, the Parole Board may also impose special conditions that an offender must abide by during release.”

More information about conditional releases from prison is available online.