Overview

• Machinski pleaded guilty to arson with disregard for human life after investigators linked him to the April 20, 2022 blaze at the Caledonia Avenue home next to St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church.
• Victoria police arrested the former pastor on April 5, 2023, following a forensic analysis and public tips that traced gasoline poured through the mail slot.
• The fire forced the family of five, including three young daughters, to escape through second-story windows, leaving one 11-year-old with nerve damage requiring surgery.
• Police concluded the offence was a targeted act by someone known to the family and determined there was no evidence of hatred toward an identifiable group.
• The home remains uninhabitable because of extensive fire and water damage sustained during the attack.