A Sudbury man testified March 28 that Liam Stinson, currently on trial for arson and first-degree murder, had a “toxic” and “aggressive” relationship with one of the victims.
Stinson is on trial for his alleged role in the firebombing of a townhouse at 744 Bruce Avenue on April 11, 2021. Three people, Jasmine Somers, Jamie Lynn Rose, and Guy ‘Popcorn’ Henri died as a result of the fire, and another man, David Cheff, suffered severe injuries jumping from a second-story window.
Darren McNamara, 63, testified in Sudbury Superior court March 28 he knew both Stinson and Rose for about a year, and was as close to her as he was to Stinson.
He described Rose and Stinson’s relationship as toxic. “They had a lot of difficulties and it wasn’t a good relationship,” he told a Sudbury courtroom this past week.
He said Stinson would often “curse her out and cut her down.”
McNamara testified Rose indicated on several occasions that she wanted to leave. “She talked to me about coming to stay at my place, I told her she was welcome,” he said.
When Rose finally came to his apartment, McNamara testified she wanted to “get away from him, from Liam.”
He told the jury that Stinson, “the Roy kid,” and “Jeremy” arrived at his apartment soon after Rose. McNamara kept referring to the man as “Jeremy,” though he stated repeatedly he knew that was not the man’s name, just the closest he could remember.
McNamara testified Stinson was “aggressive,” threw a glass into a mirror and then pushed McNamara up against the wall and accused him of trying to get into a relationship with Rose.
McNamara testified he told Stinson that wasn’t true, but that in order to “keep the peace”, Rose left with Stinson, “the Roy kid” and “Jeremy.”
He testified this was a pattern: Rose would leave and Stinson would go find her and bring her back to his place.
McNamara testified that on the night of the fire, April 11, 2021, Stinson invited McNamara to his home for a party. McNamara said there were several others already there.
Rose, however, was not at Stinson residence, said McNamara. He told the court when he asked where she was, Stinson replied, “I don’t give a fuck.”
McNamara testified that while at the party, he witnessed two men come upstairs from the basement and leave soon after. He said he recognized one of the men as “Jeremy.”
McNamara testified that after those two men left, Stinson and another party-goer, Junior, were pacing at a patio door, mumbling to each other while looking outside.
About 20 minutes later the sirens and emergency lights could be heard, said McNamara, and testified Stinson looked at him and said ‘let’s get the f**k out of here.”
Crown attorney Kaely Whillans asked McNamara to look at several surveillance videos and identify the people in them. The first video shows Stinson, McNamara and Junior arriving at the Circle K, having just walked past the fire scene, said McNamara. Stinson and Junior purchased a few items while McNamara waited outside.
Their next stop was a downtown hotel, where they met with another woman, who let Stinson, Junior and McNamara into the hotel.
McNamara testified there were three others there already; then two men arrived, one of whom was “Jeremy,” and they went to talk to Stinson.
“I heard the taller one say ‘where’s my stuff?’ His drugs,” said McNamara, and testified Stinson’s response was: ‘don’t worry, I will pay you.”
McNamara will face cross-examination when court resumes on Tuesday, April 2, at 10 a..m
The jury has heard from just a portion of the expected list of witnesses since the trial began March 18, with the trial expected to last seven weeks.
Among details of the fatal fire from emergency services, and the cause of death and toxicology of the victims of the fire, emotional testimony from witnesses including David Cheff, who testified to his harrowing experience trying to escape from the fire that claimed the lives of his friends.
In addition to a police officer who testified Rose was scared of Stinson, Christine Wright, Rose’s mother, testified that her daughter tried on several occasions to leave Stinson, and once, Rose told her mother Stinson threatened to kill her children if she left.
On March 27, the court heard from a witness whose name and identifying details are covered under a publication ban. The witness detailed the night of the fire, which they spent with Stinson, testified they saw a large Gatorade filled with gas, and heard Stinson order the home to be firebombed.
Jenny Lamothe is a reporter with Sudbury.com
