Four men accused of deliberately setting a fire that killed three people
Inside a Sudbury jail, the weight of one of Ontario's most serious criminal cases grew heavier still when Liam Stinson, already accused of a fire that claimed three lives in April 2021, allegedly turned on a fellow accused behind bars. The incident — an assault on co-accused Philippe Jeannotte on January 12 — has added new charges to a man already facing first-degree murder, and prompted authorities to separate the two men within the facility. It is a reminder that the consequences of a single act of violence ripple outward in ways that are difficult to contain, even within the walls meant to hold them.
- A fire deliberately set in a Sudbury social housing complex on April 11, 2021 killed three people and sent four men into custody on some of the gravest charges Canadian law allows.
- Nearly a year into their pretrial detention, the accused are not at peace — Stinson allegedly assaulted co-accused Jeannotte inside the jail on January 12, adding assault, breach of a no-contact order, and interference with a justice participant to his already formidable charge sheet.
- Stinson appeared via Zoom before a justice of the peace on January 28, his lawyer waiving the reading of charges and declining to pursue bail, deferring instead to the Superior Court already managing the original case.
- Jail authorities have since separated Stinson and Jeannotte into different ranges of the facility, a precautionary measure that signals the fragility of order among co-accused sharing the same confined space.
- All four men — Stinson, Jeannotte, Bolduc, and Herrick — remain in custody, with Stinson's next appearance set for February 3 and the broader case continuing its slow passage through the courts.
Liam Stinson appeared via Zoom before a Sudbury justice of the peace on a Friday morning, answering not for the fire that made him infamous, but for something that happened inside the jail itself. The 26-year-old, already facing three counts of first-degree murder along with attempted murder, conspiracy, and arson charges stemming from a deadly April 2021 blaze, now faced three additional charges: assaulting a fellow inmate, breaching a no-communication order, and interfering with a justice system participant.
The alleged victim was Philippe Jeannotte, 34 — one of Stinson's co-accused in the original case. On the morning of April 11, 2021, a fire tore through a townhouse in a Sudbury social housing complex on Bruce Avenue. Investigators confirmed it was deliberately set. Three people died. Stinson was arrested nine days later; Jeannotte and two others — Fernard Bolduc and Jared Herrick — were also charged. All four have remained in custody ever since.
The January 12 assault was reported to Greater Sudbury Police the day before Stinson's court appearance. His lawyer waived the reading of the new charges and declined to pursue bail, noting that the Superior Court was already managing the original proceedings. The court was told that Stinson and Jeannotte had since been moved to separate ranges within the jail.
The incident adds a troubling dimension to a case already marked by gravity and complexity. Four men accused of a fatal arson are now also navigating allegations of violence between themselves while awaiting trial. Stinson's next appearance was set for February 3, with the broader case continuing its measured progress toward resolution.
Liam Stinson sat in a holding cell at the Sudbury Jail on Friday morning, appearing via Zoom link before a justice of the peace to answer for something that happened inside those same walls ten days earlier. The 26-year-old was already facing some of the most serious charges in the criminal code—three counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and arson with disregard for human life. Now he faced three more: assault against a fellow inmate, breaching a no-communication order by assaulting that same person, and interfering with a justice system participant.
The alleged assault occurred on January 12 inside the jail. The victim was Philippe Jeannotte, 34, who shares something terrible with Stinson: they are both accused of setting a fire that killed three people. On the morning of April 11, 2021, a blaze tore through a townhouse in a social housing complex on Bruce Avenue in Sudbury's Cambrian Heights and Ryan Heights area. Investigators determined the fire was deliberately set. Three people died in the flames.
Stinson was arrested nine days later, on April 20, 2021. Jeannotte and two other men—Fernard Bolduc, 48, and Jared Herrick, 34—were also charged. All four have remained in custody since their arrests, held without bail as the case moved through the courts. They were still in jail nearly a year later when the January 12 incident occurred.
When Stinson appeared in bail court on Friday, his lawyer waived the reading of the charges. The lawyer told Justice of the Peace Andre Guitard that his client did not wish to proceed with a bail hearing at that time, since the Superior Court was already handling the original charges. The court learned that Stinson and Jeannotte had been separated—they were no longer housed in the same range of the jail, a precaution presumably taken after the assault.
The assault was reported to Greater Sudbury Police on Thursday, a day before Stinson's court appearance. It was a small but significant incident in a case that has already consumed nearly a year of the criminal justice system's attention. Stinson's next court date was set for February 3, when he would appear again via video link in bail remand court. Jeannotte, Bolduc, and Herrick all remained in custody as well, their last appearance having been on January 20.
The new charges add another layer to what is already a complex and serious case. Four men accused of deliberately setting a fire that killed three people are now also dealing with allegations of violence between themselves while awaiting trial. The separation of Stinson and Jeannotte in the jail suggests authorities are taking steps to prevent further incidents, but the underlying tensions remain. The case continues to move through the courts, slowly, with each appearance marking another small step toward resolution.
Notable Quotes
Stinson's lawyer indicated his client did not want to have a bail hearing at this point since the Superior Court is dealing with his original charges— Stinson's legal representation in court
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why would someone already facing murder charges risk assaulting a co-accused in jail?
You're asking the right question. We don't know Stinson's motive from the court record. But when you're locked up with the people you're accused of committing a crime with, the dynamics can be volatile. Maybe it was about control, maybe about blame, maybe something that happened in those cells that we'll never fully understand.
The fact that they had to separate them—does that suggest the jail saw this coming?
It suggests they saw it after it happened. Whether there were warning signs before January 12, we don't know. But once the assault occurred, the jail moved quickly to keep them apart. That's standard practice when inmates pose a risk to each other.
How does this affect the original case—the murder charges?
It complicates things. New charges mean new court dates, new legal arguments, potentially new leverage in negotiations. It also keeps the case in the public eye and adds to the weight of the allegations against Stinson specifically. But the core case—the fire, the three deaths—that's still moving through Superior Court on its own timeline.
Almost a year in custody without bail. What does that tell us?
It tells us the court believes these men are a flight risk or a danger, and that the evidence against them is substantial enough to justify holding them. Bail is hard to get in cases involving multiple deaths and deliberate fire-setting. These men are likely to stay in custody until trial.
And the other three accused—are they facing similar assault charges?
Not that we know of. Only Stinson has been charged with this assault on Jeannotte. That doesn't mean nothing happened between the others, but it's not in the court record yet.