A convicted killer suspected of being involved in the fire that claimed seven lives in Old Montreal in March 2023 has acknowledged his presence at the scene of the arson but maintains that another person ignited the blaze, according to documents from Correctional Service Canada.
Denis Bégin, who spent 51 months on the run after escaping from a minimum-security federal prison in February 2019, was eventually arrested in May in connection with the fatal fire investigation. However, the Montreal police have never publicly named Bégin as a suspect, and no charges have been brought against him in the case.
Documents from the federal correctional service, part of an application filed by Bégin opposing a transfer to a maximum-security prison, reveal that he was captured on surveillance cameras in the vicinity of the building that caught fire both before and after the incident. Bégin reportedly denies being the arsonist and claims to possess a photograph of the actual culprit, which is stored on a secure cloud account.
Bégin, 63, had escaped custody and remained on the run until his arrest. Corrections officials were informed by a Montreal police investigator that a vehicle linked to Bégin was recorded on surveillance cameras near the heritage building that ultimately caught fire on March 16, 2023. The footage showed an individual driving to the building, entering for a brief period, and departing shortly before the fire erupted.
When questioned by the police as a witness to the fire, Bégin initially used a different name. However, his true identity was revealed through fingerprint analysis. He asserted that he was merely a bystander at the scene and had gone to the building to retrieve some tools, claiming to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
According to the corrections documents, Bégin informed the police that he had witnessed the individual responsible for setting the fire and possessed a photograph as evidence. He proposed revealing the image in exchange for immunity from prosecution in the arson case. The authorities declined this offer.
Subsequently, Bégin altered his request, offering to cooperate with the police to prove his innocence and enhance his chances of parole. The documents do not provide further details but indicate that authorities were concerned about his behavior.
Bégin is currently serving a life sentence for the 1993 murder of Ricardo Gizzi on Halloween night, earning him the moniker “Halloween Killer.” The documents also shed light on his four-year period as one of Quebec’s most wanted criminals, during which he managed to acquire fake documents, establish a new identity, and even maintain a relationship with a woman who was unaware of his fugitive status.