Sudbury sentencing hearing hears letter from mother of man who murdered three people

The mother of triple murderer Liam Stinson said her son has tried to be a good father to his children despite being in jail in Sudbury.

The letter from Stinson's mother was part of his sentencing hearing Friday. The 29-year-old was found guilty earlier this year of three counts of first-degree murder and one count of arson causing bodily harm in connection with fire on Bruce Avenue in April 2021.

Jasmine Somers, Jamie-Lynn Rose and Guy Henri all died in the early morning fire. One other person was badly injured.

The six-week trial was held this spring, when witnesses testified how Stinson, a drug dealer, used drugs and money to convince two other men to firebomb a townhouse where, Rose, his estranged girlfriend was staying.

The two men, both drug addicts, believed the townhouse was empty.

In August, the Crown presented its sentencing submissions including impact statements from the victims’ families.

As he began his submissions Friday, defence lawyer Liam Thompson asked the judge if Stinson's handcuffs could be removed for comfort. After conferring with court security, the handcuffs were removed.

Thompson submitted a letter from Stinson’s mother that spoke of her son’s struggles with addictions.

She mentioned that despite his incarceration, her son has tried to be a good father to his young children and that he is working to better himself while in prison, including gaining his high school diploma.

Argued for a concurrent sentence

Thompson also argued the sentence for the arson causing bodily harm conviction should be eight years and that it should run concurrently with Stinson’s life sentence for first-degree murder.

Thompson also disputed details from several previous court cases the Crown had submitted during its sentencing submissions in August. He was particularly adamant that Stinson was not found guilty of attempted murder.

Thompson said the attempted murder charge was dropped prior to the six-week trial.

"Mr. Stinson is already being punished for murders," he told the judge.

"He’s not being sentenced for attempted murder."

Following defence submissions, Crown counsel Kaely Whillans made a few comments to the judge.

"He endangered the lives of everyone in that complex," she said in reference to the arson.

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"What Mr. Stinson did was target people," Whillans said disputing Thompson's suggestion the arson targeted property.

"The victims' families all had to testify and sit through a seven-week trial."

There was also an opportunity for Stinson to address the court, which he declined.

The automatic sentence for first-degree murder is life in prison, with parole ineligibility for 25 years.

Justice Dan Cornell is expected to deliver his sentence on Dec 11.