“Liam directed me to start the fire,” said a witness in the Sudbury Superior trial of Liam Stinson, accused of first-degree murder and arson in a fatal April 11, 2021, fire that killed three people.
The prosecution witness, whose name and identifying details are covered by a publication ban, finished testimony April 9. For the purposes of this story, he will be referred to as Witness 2, to align with Sudbury.com’s previous coverage of his testimony.
As Crown Attorney Alayna Jay had finished questioning the Crown witness, defense counsel Joseph Wilkinson cross-examined the person.
In addition to testifying that Stinson told them to start the fire, Witness 2 told the jury of their deep regret upon learning people had died. The Crown entered in evidence text messages between Witness 1, who testified last week, and Witness 2. Sent after the fire, Witness 2 states “that was the dumbest sh*t I have ever done.”
Witness 2 said that after he learned three people had died in the fire, “I was upset, definitely remorseful, angry.”
When Crown questioned why he felt that way, Witness 2 said, “Because it wasn’t intentional. I never wanted anyone to get hurt.”
Witness 2 testified April 3 that they (Witness 2) filled two large Gatorade bottles with gasoline and took them back to Stinson’s residence, where another person at the home helped turn them into Molotov cocktails.
Witness 1, who testified April 2, stated they showed Witness 2 where the fire was to be set; Witness 2 testified they threw one of the Molotov cocktails into the home through the door that led to the kitchen, and said they intentionally threw the first bottle under the fire alarm.
Witness 2 testified that they believed that Witness 1 threw the second bottle, unlit. Witness 1 testified they believed that Witness 2 placed it inside the door.
The Crown then showed surveillance footage of the unit that was firebombed, which showed two people running from the scene. Witness 2 confirmed they and Witness 1 were the people shown in the video.
Witness 2 testified they ran to their partner’s home, but did not know where Witness 1 went.
When asked what he expected to get from Stinson for setting the fire, Witness 2 testified, “I expected to be compensated, but there was no agreement on how much. I owed money, plus I wanted more drugs. He offered to hook me up if I started the fire.”
Witness 2 said they never received the drugs that were promised.
“Once I found that people had died, I cut off contact (with Stinson),” Witness 2 said. “I did not contact him again.”
During cross-examination Tuesday, Witness 2 said he still owed Stinson $100 for a fentanyl purchase a few days prior to the fatal fire, and that their fentanyl addiction had them using 0.2 and 0.5 milligrams of fentanyl daily in 2021. Witness 2 was thinking of future cravings for the drug, and took Stinson up on his offer to burn the home in exchange for drugs.
Defence counsel Joseph Wilkinson then cross-examined Witness 2, asking why the witness threw the gasoline bottle toward where he thought the smoke alarm was situated in the home, and Witness two stated it was just in case someone was in the residence and to “hopefully minimize damage.”
Wilkinson then questioned the details of the drugs-for-fire agreement. Witness 2 said there was “no concrete agreement.”
“He didn’t promise you something?” asked Wilkinson.
“He did promise me,” said Witness 2. “He just didn’t give me an exact amount.”
“He didn’t promise anything, but you went out and lit the fire for an unknown amount?” asked the lawyer, to which the man replied yes.
“You knew that (fentanyl) offer was still open and you would capitalize on Mr. Stinson’s displeasure of that house?” added Wilkinson. “You would capitalize on it because you were an opportunist?”
Witness 2 said no.
Another witness, Fern Bolduc, began testimony on April 9, and will continue April 10.
Jenny Lamothe is a reporter at Sudbury.com.
