Lynn Connors lost more than her home Sunday when it was destroyed by a suspicious fire.
The Stellarton resident said she lost a special connection with her late husband, John Kingsbury, on Feb. 4 when the Dean Settlement Road home they built together in 2002 was destroyed by a blaze that RCMP are deeming as suspicious.
“My late husband loved it there so much,” she said. “It was his happy place. Every time I would go there, I would feel his spirit and now I have nothing.”
In addition to the loss of $250,000 home, Connors said it contained antiques they collected together, awards he was given and the things he treasured in life.
Connors said she was in the home on Saturday, Feb. 3, and when she left, she was confident she would return another day.
“I was out there Saturday and everything was fine and then Sunday at church someone at church told me I didn't have a home anymore,” she said. “It was my retirement home. These scumbags went in, purposely burnt it on me and I don’t understand.”
Connors said security footage on her property shows two people entering the home on Sunday at 3:50 a.m. and removing items from it. At 4:07 a.m., the home is on fire.
RCMP and fire departments received a call around 7:30 a.m. Sunday that the home was on fire.
Cpl. Jennifer Clarke, media relations officer with the RCMP, said suspects broke into the residence and police suspect they set the home on fire upon leaving. The home was completely destroyed, but trail cameras set up around the property captured photos of the suspects. The investigation is ongoing.
“Someone has to know something,” Connors said. “What I want to know, has somebody seen anything?”
Connors said there were break-ins in the area in late December and some items were taken out of her baby barn on Dec. 24. At that time, neighbours spotted an unknown black vehicle in the area.
“I was broken into then, but someone spooked them,” she said. “They left the generator behind, but took a few things.”
Connors said she is so upset about the loss of the home and connection with her late husband, she can’t look at photos of the destroyed residence.
“I will have to start all over again,” she said. “It was all materials, but it was his legacy. I will never get that stuff back. We are antique collectors and had medals. That is all gone. Everything I own is now laying in the basement. It’s just ashes.”
The RCMP is asking anyone with information about this incident to contact it directly or through Crime Stoppers.
