Trial gets underway for fifth, final suspect in fatal 2021 Bruce Avenue arson
The trial began Tuesday for the fifth and final suspect connected to a fatal arson from April 2021.
Three people died in the April 11, 2021, arson: Jasmine Marie-Claire Somers, left, Jamie-Lynn Lori-Lee Rose and Guy Armand Henri. (File)
Liam Stinson is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and intentionally causing fire to a dwelling causing bodily harm.
Two charges -- aggravated assault and causing a fire knowing that or being reckless to whether it was inhabited -- were withdrawn by the Crown at the beginning of the trial Tuesday afternoon.
Stinson pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The charges stem from an early morning fire at the housing complex formerly known as Ryan Heights on Bruce Avenue in the Flour Mill that killed three people and injured another.
Justice Dan Cornell will preside over the case, which will be tried by a jury of 12 with two alternates, including nine women and five men, which was selected Monday.
Details of the case have been under a publication ban until the trial got underway.
Tuesday morning, the judge spent time directing and providing explanations of trial proceedings, legal principles and other court matters to the members of the jury.
The judge told the jury, the Crown will try to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
He also provided a statement of facts, which stated that one of the female victims had been in a tumultuous relationship with Stinson and had been living at the Bruce Avenue residence with another man.
Sudbury fire crews at housing complex on Bruce Avenue formerly known as Ryan Heights following a deadly blaze. April 11, 2021. (Alana Everson/CTV Northern Ontario)
The Crown said it will try to prove that Stinson gave drugs and money to other men to firebomb the home in an alleged contract killing that was planned and deliberate.
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Four other men have already had their time in court in connection to the fire.
Two men pleaded guilty to manslaughter and arson causing bodily harm, a third man pleaded guilty to attempting to obstruct police and a fourth had his charges stayed.
The Crown, represented by Alayna Jay and Kaely Whillans, is expected to begin its opening statement Tuesday afternoon.
Joseph Wilkinson and Liam Thompson are counsel for the defence.
The trial is expected to last seven weeks, with potentially 87 witnesses to testify.
CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca will continue to follow the case from the courtroom and provide updates as new information becomes available.
Correction
Crown attorney Kaely Whillans' name was misspelled in the first version of this article it has been corrected above.
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