BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - A jury found the ex-boyfriend of Jessica Cameron guilty of her attempted murder outside of a Tim Horton's in the City of Tonawanda.
Jonathon White faces up to 25 years in prison for the brutal attack against his former girlfriend with whom he had four children. White, 29, asked her to see him near a dumpster behind the now-closed restaurant at the corner of Niagara Street and Seymour Street to discuss their failed relationship.
"Are you going to hurt me?" Cameron recalled saying to White. "He said yes."
BREAKING: Jonathon White has been found GUILTY in the attempted murder of Jessica Cameron. pic.twitter.com/LBy3GZGiQ6
— Mike Baggerman (@MikeBaggerman)
October 25, 2019 Several minutes went by before a sudden flash of light was shown on a surveillance video of the incident. In the seconds that followed, White sprinted out of the enclosed area with flames shooting off his body and put out the fire using snow nearby. Cameron remained on fire for 78 seconds as co-workers of hers from the Tim Horton's came to her rescue. City of Tonawanda Police arrived at the scene within a minute of a 911 call to aid in her rescue, where she told them that White set her on fire.
Cameron, 25, survived the encounter but is permanently scarred with third degree burns on more than 30 percent of her body. She also lost parts of all of her fingers due to amputation. Cameron spent about four months in a hospital. During that time she underwent more than ten surgeries and had multiple forms of therapy to regain her ability to walk, speak, eat, and even open her eyes and mouth.
Family and friends of Cameron's were in the courtroom during each day of the trial. As the jury read their verdict, Cameron and her supporters entered the courtroom wearing purple clothes. An audible gasp was heard when the jury read the verdict.
Erie County District John Flynn said he's hoping for the maximum sentence of 25 years when White gets sentenced on January 3. Flynn said he embraced Cameron on Friday morning and told her that his office will always help her for the remainder of her life.
"This young lady took the witness stand and was courageous beyond belief," Flynn said. "She sat there, looked the defendant in the eye and testified as to what he did to her. She has physical scars. She has emotional scars. She is going to live with this for the rest of her life. But her beauty is her ability to come back from this. To dress up, walk in the court, take that witness stand, and testify the way she did...The biggest individual here who deserves kudos is that young lady."
Scenes from inside the courtroom today as Jonathon White was convicted on the attempted murder and assault of Jessica Cameron. He will be sentenced on January 3 and faces 25 years behind bars. pic.twitter.com/t85hCUsNbI
— Mike Baggerman (@MikeBaggerman)
October 25, 2019 Friday morning featured the closing arguments from both counsels. The defense said that there was no denying the severity of Cameron’s injury but maintained that White never had any intent to hurt Cameron. He, instead, wanted to hurt himself. Prosecutors said that White's testimony would have been "hilarious" if it weren't so "cruel and devastating."
“There couldn’t be a larger contrast between the two testimonies,” prosecutors said during their closing arguments. "This was not an accident. This was an ambush."
Cameron and White were in a relationship for more than seven years. It was a relationship that resulted in four children beginning when Cameron was 18 years old. However, due to White’s “needy” and “possessive” nature as described by attorneys, their relationship turned toxic. There were multiple instances of domestic violence including assaults and self harm from White. Cameron planned to leave the relationship and was seeing another man shortly before the burning.
“He didn’t want to let it go,” Defense attorney Joseph Terranova said.
Terranova said he will file an appeal. He reiterated that he believed the district attorney's charge of attempted murder was an "overcharge" but believed there was a reasonable chance at the assault charge.
Because the attempted murder and assault occurred under one instance, the prison lengths must be served concurrently.
Closing arguments done in the Jonathon White trial. Judge mentioned that intent to murder can be in the very moment the action occurs. It does not necessarily involve pre-meditation. Here’s some pool photos from today.I’ve heard that Jessica Cameron is here today. pic.twitter.com/NxcfdfmC9X
— Mike Baggerman (@MikeBaggerman)
October 25, 2019 WATCH: Erie County DA John Flynn and City of Tonawanda Police discuss guilty verdict of Jonathon White
