Greater Napanee residents mourn 'gentle giant' killed in alleged arson

Mourners in a small eastern Ontario town are remembering the "gentle giant" who died in a recent fire police believewas an act of arson.

On Aug. 3, the two-storey house in Greater Napanee that Walter Lasher called home caught fire. The 67-year-oldwas pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital.

Police soon declared the fire suspicious and charged a 31-year-old man from nearby Pictonwith first-degree murder and charges related to arson.

"It's just so sad to have such an innocent, friendly, simple guy that wouldn't harm a fly be victim to such a horrendous crime," said Lasher's neighbour Karen Donaldson.

Donaldson was one of several people CBC spoke toon Monday after Lasher's funeral.

They described a jovial man who they say would often doa jig on the street orenjoy atea at Tim Hortons.

Lasher lived on the second floor of a transitional home, Donaldsonand others said. They said multiple people lived in the building. Donaldson said she saw others flee the fire but not Lasher.

She added that he had lived on John Street for about 40 years, but says he was renovicted from his first address within the past decade, and moved into 159 John St., where the fire occurred.

"He didn't feel safe, but it was the only place he could afford," Donaldson said.

An icon, a legend

Irene Prout, a friend of Lasher,first met him at the localTimmiesabout eightyears ago and said he was a "gentle giant."

"When he would talk to me about something, he kind of would say coarse words but he would check himself on it," she said. "He'd say, 'I'm bad, aren't I, Irene?' I'd say, 'No, you're not bad, Walter.'"

Prout said he was an icon in the community, and said she got goosebumps just talking about him.

"He alwayshad a way about him that gave everybody a smile, and for those that didn't know him, they would scowl. But I thought, oh well, it's their loss [and it] is our gain," she added with a warm laugh.

As she walked downtown, she carriedtwo Tim Hortonstravel mugs in her walker basket, which she saidremindher of Lasher. She hopes for more answers out of the investigation.

"To have somebody die from something like that, itis so sad, you know, you hear of it from other places, but not from around where you live," Prout said.

Jason Van Hoosersaid he and Lasher were longtime friends.

He was there the night paramedics tried to revive Lasheroutside the burning building before takinghim to the hospital. Van Hoosersaid when he heard there was a fire, he ran across town to try to save his friend.

"If I could of, I would have ran in, kick the door in and got him safely," he said.

Van Hooser said the pairwould hang out aroundtown whether it was at theTimmies or just on a bench chatting.

"I'll walk down the street and [still] look for him," he said.