A man who set a deadly fire in Napanee has been sentenced to seven years in prison for manslaughter and arson.
Andrew Thompson, 32, pleaded guilty in May to starting the blaze that killed 67-year-old Walter Lasher on August 3, 2024. Lasher, a well-known figure in downtown Napanee, died of smoke inhalation after being pulled from the burning transitional housing building on John Street.
Court heard that Thompson set the fire after finding out his girlfriend, who lived in the building, had been unfaithful. He lit her mattress on fire and disabled two fire extinguishers. Surveillance video showed him trying to start fires four separate times over an hour.
Judge Geoffrey Griffin called the fire “horrifying and appalling” and said Thompson’s actions were clearly planned.
Thompson, who was originally charged with first-degree murder, received a sentence of nine-and-a-half years but received credit for time served in poor jail conditions.
Lasher’s family said the sentence brings some closure, but nothing can replace the man they loved and the community cherished.
Story by Emily Chatwood
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