Penticton, British Columbia – The family and community of Roxanne Louie, an Indigenous woman who was murdered by Grace Robotti, expressed outrage over the recent decision to grant Robotti day parole. The Parole Board of Canada’s lack of awareness of any victims and failure to notify the family and bands about the decision has sparked frustration and anger. Louie was beaten to death with a crowbar and dumped on a Naramata forestry road, with Robotti attempting to cover up the crime.
The decision to grant day parole to Robotti, who was sentenced to life in 2017, has been condemned by Chief Greg Gabriel of the Penticton Indian Band, Chief Clarence Louie of the Osoyoos Indian Band, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, and MLA Joan Phillip, among others. The lack of notification to the Nation, community, and family has been described as a systemic problem that needs to be addressed.
The parole board’s decision has been regarded as a series of injustices, with the Indigenous community incurring yet another indignity. Calls for a review of the decision to grant day parole to Robotti have prompted the family to prepare a petition for submission to the Parole Board of Canada and change.org.
The gathering of chiefs promised formal action to address the handling of the situation by the justice system, and Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield pledged the city’s support to the family. The decision to grant day parole to Robotti is seen as a blow to an already wounded heart, and the community continues to fight for justice for Louie.
In conclusion, the parole board’s decision to grant day parole to Robotti after she received a life sentence in 2017 has sparked outrage and frustration among the Indigenous community and its allies. The lack of notification to the family and bands, along with the perceived systemic problem, has prompted calls for a review of the decision. The family is preparing a petition to challenge the parole board’s decision, as the community continues to fight for justice for Roxanne Louie.