Rowbotham's sisters 'shocked' by verdict

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Betty Rowbotham, with her sister Barb Kilpatrick beside her, holds up family photos of Beverly Rowbotham. (WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ) Photo Store

The sisters of Beverly Rowbotham said they will concentrate on preserving her memory and bonding with her two sons despite their shock and disappointment over Mark Stobbe's acquittal.

Betty Rowbotham and Barb Kilpatrick met with reporters Friday morning and said they cannot believe the jury's verdict.

"I was absolutely shocked. I was stunned, flabbergasted," Betty Rowbotham said of the jury's not-guilty verdict. "I didn't see it coming at all. I was expecting a guilty verdict."

"I think we're shocked that 12 intelligent people came to this conclusion," Kilpatrick said. "We'll never understand. We're not quitters. I am sure someday and in some way there will be justice."

The sisters' news conference came 24 hours after jurors acquitted Stobbe, 54, of second-degree murder on the third day of deliberations following a two-month trial. While there was no physical evidence to link Stobbe to his wife's slaying in October 2000, the prosecution argued there was a strong circumstantial case that only Stobbe could be the killer.

In a small conference room inside a hotel near the airport, the two women reminisced about their little sister and said they could only dream of the woman she could have become.

On the table from where the two sisters spoke had been placed the portrait of Beverly Rowbotham, made familiar by its repeated use by news media outlets, and several family snapshots -- the three sisters as young children, at Beverly's university graduation, as a bridesmaid at her best friend's wedding and in Japan with their mother.

"At the centre of this is our little sister; a beautiful, strong woman with so much to offer, so much more to give," Rowbotham said. "She would have taught (her sons) to polka, to do a wild polka."

"She was fun. She was witty. She was worldly," Kilpatrick said.

The two sisters said they found no fault with the RCMP investigation and praised Crown attorneys Wendy Dawson and Autumn Netting, describing them as "strong warrior women" for their prosecution of the case.

Stobbe cannot be tried again for his wife's murder, unless the Crown is successful in a bid for an appeal. The Crown has 30 days to decide whether to recommend to Manitoba Justice a review of the transcript of the trial to determine if there are grounds to file an appeal.

If there is no appeal, the sisters said, they would spend their efforts ensuring their sister's sons know as much as possible about their mother.

Rowbotham and Kilpatrick said they don't have direct contact with Stobbe but remain close to his two sons, adding they expect to share their memories of Beverly with them.

"We want them to know that she liked to dance, that she loved cats, she was a good auntie."

Rowbotham said she began to suspect Stobbe when no progress was being made to catch her sister's killer.

"I started thinking this is a man who makes things happen, in his profession and in his life, and nothing was happening in terms of finding the killer, of moving the case forward," Rowbotham said.

No evidence was presented during the trial to show any serious rift between Stobbe and his wife and no motive was offered other than the Crown attorney's speculations -- theories that were never supported by evidence or testimony from witnesses.

But the sisters said the circumstances -- Beverly's slaying in her backyard and the efforts made by the killer to clean the site and transport the body to another location -- all pointed to Stobbe.

Much was made in media reports of Stobbe's repeated denials while under a stern cross-examination that lasted for several days. But Kilpatrick dismissed Stobbe's denials as mere trickery, adding his words and actions in the witness box were not those of a grieving husband -- he was too talkative, used Shakespearean references and he laughed.

"I think in the court of public opinion -- there is a conviction," Kilpatrick said.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca

Statement to the public

THE written statement released by Betty Rowbotham and Barb Kilpatrick in reaction to the acquittal of Mark Stobbe for their sister's murder:

Thank you for coming out to this conference.

We are shocked, devastated and very disappointed in the outcome.

This has been a very long and arduous quest for justice for Bev.

Our family remains strong, united and resilient. We will continue to seek justice.

We are focusing on celebrating Bev's life and in keeping her memory alive. As aunties we will do everything in our power to ensure her sons know what a wonderful, strong, caring woman she was. We feel honoured to have had two strong "warrior" women, Wendy Dawson and Autumn Netting pursuing justice for Bev. We thank you.

We will always be grateful and have tremendous respect for the dedication and persistence of the R.C.M. Police.

We wish to thank the community, family and friends for the support they have shown the family. We are deeply grateful.

Betty Rowbotham, Barb Kilpatrick

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 31, 2012 A8