“He had sent some people to do something, and his girl might have got hurt in the process,” recalled Kayla Walsh, ex-partner of Liam Stinson, on trial for his role in a fatal April 21, 2021, fire on Bruce Avenue.
Stinson is charged with arson and three counts of first degree murder in connection with the April 11, 2021 fire that claimed the lives of Guy “Popcorn” Henri, Jasmine Somers and Stinson’s estranged partner, Jamie-Lynn Rose.
In Sudbury Superior court April 17, the jury heard from GSPS Det.-Cst. Marc Belanger, an investigating officer on the case, and Walsh, who is also mother to his children.
Walsh spoke of the conversation in which Stinson said he sent “some people to do something.”
The two were at their daughter’s birthday party, one day after the fire. Walsh testified Stinson said “his girl may have got hurt in the process.”
“He seemed edgy perhaps, a little unaware, just off,” Walsh testified. “Like his mind was focused on anything but his surroundings. I don’t think he was even aware I was there.”
She said Stinson asked her if she had heard about the fatal fire on Bruce Avenue. She said she had learned of it on the news.
Asked in court who Stinson’s “girl” was, Walsh replied, Jamie (Jamie-Lynn Rose).
Asked what she was thinking of the conversation at the time, Walsh testified “I was in a state of shock … being approached by him,” she said. “Even the conversation in general just blew my mind. I was anxious and wanted to leave.”
She said Stinson did not get into specifics about who the “idiots” were, but she knew the “girl” he referred to was Jamie-Lynn Rose.
Rose and Walsh had met in school in Sudbury, and Walsh had introduced Rose to Stinson. Walsh said she began to suspect Rose and Stinson were having an affair.
Walsh said she and Rose had been close friends before the fire but had not spoken in some time.
“Liam and her were kind of hanging out a lot, so I backed off,” she said. “They were using drugs together.”
She also told the court that Stinson said he snapped his cellphone and threw it into a “bush or trees” after the fire.
Walsh said there was no question in her mind Stinson was involved in the fatal fire.
During her cross-examination by defence attorney Joseph Wilkinson, Walsh was asked about a statement she made to police, and whether or not she felt Stinson had ever expressed remorse.
“I was drunk and I was high and I just told the kids to go and do it and, apparently, they went and did it,” Wilkinson said, reading from the transcript of Walsh’s video statement, detailing what she said Stinson told her.
“You agree you said Mr. Stinson told you he was drunk and high when he talked to the two guys?”
Walsh said yes.
“It was clear to you Mr. Stinson was upset because Miss Rose might have been hurt in the fire?” Walsh answered yes.
In re-examination by the Crown, Walsh was asked if “at any point did Mr. Stinson tell you he told these people to light the fire?”
She replied yes.
The court also heard from Det.-Cst. Belanger, who testified to the details of texts sent by Stinson.
Just before the fire, there were text messages between Stinson and Henri regarding drugs Henri purchased from Stinson.
The jury heard that Rose had been at Stinson’s home that day and was set to go to Cheff’s residence with about one gram of drugs, as well as some fentanyl or “down” for Cheff. Cheff’s residence was set on fire that night with Molotov Cocktails and he was the only person to escape.
But according to the texts, Henri did not receive any drugs from Rose.
“She said nothing was sent for me,” Henri told Stinson. “I’ll get back to ya in a few.”
Stinson responded by calling Rose an “idiot” and a “liar.”
About five minutes later, Henri messaged Stinson back, saying, “Dave got nothing either. I’ll go talk to her.”
At the time of the fire, Rose had just moved into Cheff’s Bruce Avenue townhouse after living with Stinson. Witnesses have testified Stinson was upset about Rose moving out and wanted her to return.
Court continues today (April 18).
Jenny Lamothe is a reporter with Sudbury.com.
