Mother of 2021 victim in Sudbury triple fatal arson fire breaks down speaking of final phone call

The mother of one of the victims in the triple fatal arson fire in Sudbury from 2021 took the stand Tuesday morning in the trial for the fifth and final suspect, Liam Stinson.

Stinson is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and intentionally causing a fire to a dwelling causing bodily harm.

Three people died in the April 11, 2021, arson: Jasmine Marie-Claire Somers, left, Jamie-Lynn Lori-Lee Rose and Guy Armand Henri. (File Photo)

Jamie-Lynn Rose, Jasmine Somers and Guy Henri were killed in the Bruce Avenue fire on April 11, 2021. One other person suffered injuries.

Victim's mother testifies

Day 5 of the trial began with Christine Wright answering questions about her daughter Jamie-Lynn Rose and her relationship with Stinson. The jury has already heard the two had a tumultuous romantic relationship prior to the fire.

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Wright spoke of Rose and her two children Alex and Aubrey. She said her daughter moved to Sudbury in 2019 to go to college but never completed that pursuit.

Jamie-Lynn Lori-Lee Rose, one of the victims of the fire at a housing complex in Greater Sudbury on April 11, 2021. (File photo/Supplied)

Wright said her daughter had made a new friend with a classmate named Kayla and her boyfriend Liam Stinson.

Wright then recalled over the next two years her daughter was back and forth between Timmins and Sudbury, including returning to Timmins in December 2020. Wright said she had custody of Rose’s son Alex, and as per Children’s Aid Society restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic anyone wanting to join a family home had to self-isolate for two weeks. Rose had returned to Timmins and Wright recalled she was anxious to spend Christmas with their children.

“She seemed happy she was home and that she could see her kids in two weeks,” Wright told court -- adding they had even had a video call on Christmas Day.

But Wright testified that by Dec 27 “she was gone,” in reference to her daughter leaving Timmins to return to Sudbury.

Wright said it was also around this time she discovered her daughter was dating Stinson.

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It was while testifying about her final phone call with Rose that Wright became emotional, recalling the last conversation she had with her daughter, which Wright estimated to be two to three weeks before the fatal fire. Rose had told her mother she was staying at the home of her long-time friend David Cheff.

“She told me she was safe there,” Wright told court.

Wright testified about Rose telling her about a threat Stinson allegedly made against her mother, and children if Rose left Sudbury.

“Jamie, just come home. This is stupid,” Wright recalled telling her daughter.

“I didn’t think that was going to happen.”

Wright testified she was next called by a police detective that her daughter had been in a fire. Once it was confirmed her daughter was in Sunnybrooke Hospital in Toronto, Wright said she flew to Toronto to be with her daughter after the fire.

Rose was in the hospital for four to five days, but on April 16th Wright and the rest of the family “collectively decided” to take Rose off life support.

“She was on 100 percent life support and had no brain activity,” Wright said, breaking down on the stand.

During cross-examination by defence counsel Joseph Wilkinson, Wright said she hoped that her daughter would return to Timmins and her apartment in Shillington to get away from Sudbury, where she would have access to drugs.

“I didn’t think it was the best thing for her,” Wright said, although admitting there are drugs everywhere.

Wright also said it was rare for her to say no to her daughter when Rose would ask for money or help from her mother and every call Wright “would ask her to come home.”

Wright completed her testimony Tuesday afternoon.

Police expert takes the stand

Following her, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Detective Sgt. Chris Miller took the stand.

Miller is a 26-year veteran of the force who has extensive training and knowledge in drugs and drug trafficking. He told the court he is an expert witness coordinator for the OPP Northeast Region and participates with other coordinators in the province to update a glossary of drug terms.

Miller testified to various drug slang names and coded language for cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamines, and Fentanyl.

Prior to the trial, Miller was given text communications connected to the case and asked to interpret that correspondence. Miller prepared a report that was entered into the exhibits for the trial.

In their opening statements, the Crown said it planned to prove that Stinson used drugs and money to convince others to firebomb the Bruce Avenue home where his girlfriend Rose was living.

Sudbury fire crews at housing complex on Bruce Avenue formerly known as Ryan Heights following a deadly blaze. April 11, 2021. (File photo/Alana Everson/CTV News Northern Ontario)

Stinson has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

At the start of the trial, the Crown had said it more than 80 potential witnesses – the prosecutor said they expect to wrap up its side of the case by April 8, before the defence presents its side.