Pain, anger boil over as families of Sudbury arson victims have their say

The families of three people who died in a townhouse fire in the Flour Mill community of Greater Sudbury in April 2021 read out gut-wrenching victim impact statements Monday in Sudbury court.

Deputy Fire Chief Jesse Oshell said crews arrived on-scene early that morning and later confirmed the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office had been called to investigate. April 11/21 (Alana Everson/CTV News Northern Ontario)Jared Herrick pleaded guilty late last year to three counts of manslaughter and one count of arson causing bodily harm. His sentencing hearing is scheduled to continue until Wednesday.

He is being sentenced for his role in the arson, which took place on Bruce Avenue in the city’s Flour Mill neighbourhood around 4:45 a.m. on April 11, 2021.

Three people died as a result -- Jamie-Lynn Lori-Lee Rose, Jasmine Marie-Claire Somers and Guy Armand Henri. A fourth was badly inured but managed to escape by jumping out of a window.

The family of all three had their say in court Monday. Herrick was allowed to leave the confined prisoner’s box and sit beside his attorney, Len Walker, while the statements were read.

Christine Wright. Mother of Jamie-Lynn Lori-Lee Rose, told the court the entire experience has been devastating.

Her daughter, badly burned, had no brain activity when she was found. Wright said she’s haunted by the idea of her daughter “screaming for her life” in her final moments.

“She was so scared, trying to escape until her last breath,” she said.

“There always seems to be a dark cloud following me now,” said her father, Philip Wright.

“It’s like I can’t breathe … I’m just not right anymore.”

“I believe, despite you being punished for it, that you’re laughing at us,” he said, addressing Herrick.

“You’ll always be a coward to me.”

Jamie-Lynn Lori-Lee Rose, one of the victims of the fire at a housing complex in Greater Sudbury on April 11/21. (Supplied) Lianne Somers, mother of Jasmine Marie-Claire Somers, said her daughter had already been through so much, losing an eye to cancer,

“She beat cancer,” Somers sobbed. “Why did he do this? I hate you.”

Unable to continue, she asked someone else to finish her statement.

Jasmine’s husband, Matthew Galin, said his wife lit up a room when she entered.

“Jasmine was the love of my life,” Galin said.

“I blame myself for not being there to protect her. A husband is supposed to protect his wife.”

Her death “torments” him, he said, when he thinks of Jasmine “waking in the early morning with flames all around her and no place to go.”

“I think about of how scared she must have been when she realized the severity of the danger. I can’t stop playing it out in mind … She passed away kneeling over the sink in the bathroom ... Frightened and all alone.”

Jasmine Marie-Claire Somers, one of the victims of the fire at a housing complex in Greater Sudbury on April 11/21. (Supplied)Gisele Henri, mother of Guy Armand Henri, referred to what other people said when her son was killed.

“He loved to sing and dance. He touched many lives,” Henri said.

“His energy and positive talks always lifted my spirits when I was down. He always had a smile and a kind word for everyone.”

She, too, often thinks about his final moments as he realized he was in trouble.

“Whenever I close my eyes, I can’t help but see him trying to so hard trying so hard to escape that night,” Henri said.

“He wanted so much to live.”

Guy Armand Henri, one of the victims of the fire at a housing complex in Greater Sudbury on April 11/21. (Supplied)A publication ban on details of what happened the night of the fire is in place until the trial of the final suspect in the case, Liam Stinson, who is expected to go on trial next year.

In March, Philippe Jeannotte received a 16-year sentence for his part in the deaths. Riley Roy pleaded guilty last fall to attempting to obstruct police. He was originally being charged with conspiracy to commit a break-and-enter.

Charges against Fernand Bolduc were stayed Sept. 15, 2022, and will be held for a year to give the Crown time to gather more evidence.

The sentencing hearing continues Tuesday morning.

Sudbury Fire Services fighting the fire at the 744 Bruce Avenue Townhouse Complex in Sudbury on April 11/21. (File photo)