Photo: File photo

The jury in Grace Robotti's murder trial heard graphic descriptions Tuesday of the blows that killed Roxanne Louie.

Grace Robotti, the 67-year-old great-grandmother of Louie's son, has admitted to killing Louie by striking her with a crowbar during a fight on Jan. 4, 2015. She has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, claiming she acted in self defence.

Dr. James Stephen performed an autopsy on Louie after her body was found by police, under a layer of deep snow on Arawana Forestry Road on Jan. 12, 2015.

Using a series of close-up photos, Stephen explained in Kelowna court the wounds Louie suffered to her head and face, as well as the multiple bruises on the rest of her body.

Louie's family and friends, who have filled the courtroom throughout the trial, sat through the graphic proceedings.

Stephen identified at least 26 wounds, many clustered close together. He testified that clustered blows indicate the head wasn't moving as the attack took place.

“There's one here, there's one there, there's one there, there's one there, there's another one there, and maybe even another one there,” Stephen said. “I could keep going, but the point being, this shows perhaps a dozen injuries in the same location that intersect.”

In addition to the head blows that led to Louie's death, Stephen found bruises all over her body.

“When someone is being struck, they may assume a posture to protect their face or head, and this exposes certain parts of their body to the blows that they're protecting themselves from,” he said. “This type of posture to protect one's self often results in blows to that area.”