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Shiloh Norton, 24, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and arson charges after serving as the getaway driver in an incident where O’Brien Todd died while setting fire to a Scarborough restaurant on June 22, 2024. Surveillance footage showed Todd and another youth entering the Molon Lave Taverna and pouring gasoline inside, leading to an explosion; Todd tripped inside and died from smoke inhalation, while the other youth escaped. Norton violated his driving prohibition and curfew by transporting the conspirators in a stolen vehicle. The case is part of a series of restaurant arsons in Scarborough at that time.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-27,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On June 22, 2024, Shiloh Norton pleaded guilty to manslaughter and arson charges in a Toronto courtroom. The incident involved setting fire to the Molon Lave Taverna restaurant in Scarborough around 1:30 AM. Along with O'Brien Todd and a 16-year-old boy, Norton had driven there in a stolen Acura RDX. Todd and the youth used gasoline from the car’s trunk to start the fire inside the restaurant, which caused an explosion upon entry. Todd tripped on his way out and died due to smoke inhalation during the blaze. Surveillance footage showed Todd breaking into the restaurant by smashing its door panel. Norton was under a driving prohibition and curfew order at the time of the incident. The teen accomplice faces sentencing in October 2024, with his identity protected by youth justice laws. This arson is part of a series of such incidents targeting restaurants in Scarborough’s Kennedy Road and Lawrence Avenue East area.
Written for “Arson Manslaughter Plea” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
In the middle of the night, O’Brien Todd and two co-conspirators set out to break into a Scarborough restaurant and burn it down.
asserted
Todd → set → it
But after pouring gasoline on a stove, causing an explosion, the 26-year-old Todd tripped on his way to the front door, and ultimately died of smoke inhalation.
asserted
Todd → pour → inhalation
On Friday, the getaway driver, 24-year-old Shiloh Norton, pleaded guilty in a virtually empty courtroom to manslaughter and arson charges, as Crown attorney Melissa Mandel read an agreed statement of facts into the record.
asserted
Mandel → plead → record
Norton, Todd and a 16-year-old boy who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act arrived at the Molon Lave Taverna just after 1:30 a.m. on June 22, 2024, in a stolen car.
asserted
who → identify → car
Parking lot surveillance footage played in court shows Todd and the youth entering the restaurant, after which a loud explosion can be heard, and smoke fills the screen.
asserted
smoke → play → screen
According to the agreed statement of facts, the youth removed three jerrycans of gasoline from the car’s trunk, while Todd smashed the glass panel of the restaurant’s door so they could gain entry.
uncertain
they → accord → entry
That triggered an alert notifying the security company.
asserted
That → trigger → company
Once inside, the pair poured gasoline all over the restaurant, which is also captured on surveillance footage, but was not played in court.
asserted
which → pour → court
After setting the fire in the kitchen, “Todd attempts to run to the front door but falls inside,” says the agreed statement of facts.
asserted
statement → set → facts
The youth is also “temporarily trapped,” but is eventually able to crawl through the broken glass panel as the establishment burns
asserted
establishment → trap → panel
“Todd does not make it out of the restaurant,” says the statement.
asserted
statement → make → restaurant
The youth gets back into the stolen car, and Norton drives off.
asserted
Norton → get → car
At the time, Norton was subject to a driving prohibition and was bound by a release order that he abide by an 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew, as well as a probation order that he not possess car keys unless he had the owner’s permission.
asserted
he → bind → permission
The charges that led to those orders were not specified in court.
asserted
that → lead → court
No indication of a motive for the arson was provided.
asserted
indication → provide → arson
The case returns in November to confirm a sentencing hearing date.
asserted
case → return → date
The youth was found guilty of similar charges following a trial and faces a sentencing hearing next month.
asserted
youth → find → hearing
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