A man accused of murdering five people in an arson fire in Vancouver says he was out committing other crimes the night of the blaze.
Nathan Fry took the witness stand in his own defence Monday at his B.C. Supreme Court trial on five counts of first-degree murder for a 2006 fire that ripped through the home of Adela Etibako.
The blaze killed Etibako, three of her children and the girlfriend of her son, Bolingo, who survived by jumping out a window.
Fry says he was out stealing from marijuana grow-ops the night of the fire, although he admits he was in the Etibako neighbourhood.
Last week, the court watched a videotape made by undercover police in which Fry said he used gasoline and a torch to set fire to the home.
Fry also told the court Bolingo Etibako was his best friend until he ratted Fry out to the police about an assault.
