Windsor man found guilty of attempted murder and arson

Kenneth Kormendy was not a credible witness during his trial, judge tells court

Image | Arson injures girl

Caption: Police arrested a Windsor man at the scene of an arson house fire last year. (Joana Draghici/CBC)

Kenneth Kormendy was found guilty of attempted murder and arson for setting fire to an east-end Windsor home with a mother and her two daughters inside, a judge ruled in Windsor court Monday.
The seven-year-old girl suffered serious burns to her face, torso, hands and feet. The mother, Sheri Rueda, burned one of her hands. Her other daughter, who was 11 months old at the time, was not injured.
Police say Kormendy smelled of gasoline and had a lighter in his pants pocket when they arrested him.
Kormendy testified that Rueda was so upset, she tried to kill herself and her children. Justice Christopher Bondy did not find Kormendy to be a credible witness.
"The timelines simply don't fit," Bondy said about Kormendy's explanation.
The Crown is seeking a life sentence for Kormendy, who is scheduled to be back in court for sentencing March 16.