A 12-person jury has found 67-year-old Grace Robotti guilty of second-degree murder in the killing of 26-year-old Roxanne Louie.
The decision was reached late this evening after almost 12 hours of deliberations at the Kelowna courthouse.
On January 4, 2015, Robotti and her great-grandson’s mother, Louie, got into a verbal argument that turned physical at her Penticton home. The altercation ended after Robotti hit Louie with a crowbar 26 times, killing her.
Robotti’s defence lawyer, James Pennington, had argued that Robotti was defending herself after Louie threw a crowbar towards his client. He told the jury to think about “self-defence and provocation” during closing arguments.
Crown lawyers, John Swanson and Mallory Treddenick, argued Robotti intentionally killed Louie because the blows she delivered were “excessive and unreasonable”, while her actions during the altercation proved she wasn't provoked or defending herself.
Robotti pled guilty to interference of a body but not guilty to the second-degree murder charge on the first day of the 12 day trial.
She will be sentenced later this month. Until then she remains out on bail.
Grace Robotti (Facebook)