First Nation members gathered outside the Penticton courthouse, Friday, Feb. 19, 2016, while inside the preliminary inquiry into the murder of Roxanne Louie continued. Photographer: Steve Arstad

Preliminary inquiry into murder of Roxanne Louie adjourned

PENTICTON – The preliminary inquiry into the murder of Roxanne Louie will continue, but at a later date.

The hearing was expected to wrap up today, Feb. 19, but defence lawyer Don Skogstad requested additional time to respond to comments made by Crown prosecutor Iain Currie.

After calling a recess to consider Skogstad’s request this afternoon, Judge Meg Shaw reconvened to say it was not her first choice to have an adjournment in the matter, but agreed to one as long as court could reconvene “in a reasonable time frame.” Difficulties in scheduling courtroom time in Penticton resulted in the hearing being adjourned until March 10.

Shaw said she did not want to see the case moved to another jurisdiction because she was aware many members of the community wished to be present for the proceedings.

Members of the Okanagan First Nation were out in large numbers throughout the day, filling the courtroom and rallying outside the courthouse drawing attention to the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women.

Court security was tightened as sheriffs screened gallery members through a metal detector prior to being allowed in the courtroom.

Grace Robotti, 67, and her brother Pier Robotti, 63, are co-accused in the murder of Roxanne Louie, whose body was found on a logging road east of Naramata in January 2015.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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