Where There's Smoke...

It was a tragic sight in Ari Squire's garage that Saturday morning: a body burned beyond recognition, looking like a victim of a suspicious accident and fire.

On that very same day, about 20 miles away in another county, another strange, seemingly unconnected, event. A mother was upset because her 20-year-old son failed to arrive home to take her to work. He also hadn't called, which for him was highly unusual.

Donna FioRito: I said, "You make sure you're home by 3:00 and if you're not here, make sure you call me." He goes, "Okay, either way, Mom, I'll let you know."

Donna FioRito's son, Justin Newman, was a fun-loving guy who rarely worried about anything. When Justin was young, he wanted to be a professional baseball player, then a fisherman. But reality set in, and lately he'd been working at Home Depot, although his ultimate goal was to make money... lots of it.

Donna FioRito: He said he was gonna be rich and he was gonna drive a Lamborghini. I said, "Working at Home Depot? [laughing] He goes, "No, something'll come my way some day, Mom, and I'll make a lot of money. You know where they say, there's a kid that's 13 going on 20? He was going on 21, but he was only 13.

His half-brother, Frank Testa, was older and more responsible.

Frank Testa: I actually cared about things like finances and bills and he was just, "We'll take of it when we take care of it. And, you know, it'll happen."

But Justin was always on time to take his mom to her job and pick her up at a Target store.

Rob Stafford: Did he ever not show up?

Donna FioRito: No.

Rob Stafford: Even this happy-go-lucky kid?

Donna FioRito: You bet. He was always there to take me and always there to pick me up. He'd do anything for me. 

He barely trusted even Frank to pick up their mom at work. Just a couple days before, Frank volunteered but says Justin worried he'd be late.

Frank Testa: And Justin had said, “You have to be there on time.” She comes out of the store at this door - this is where you have to get her in the parking lot." He was very adamant about my being there on time.

So when Justin didn't arrive home that Saturday, his brother and mother became very concerned. They knew Justin was supposed to start a new job that morning with a construction firm. The job offered significantly more money than he was earning at home depot and an opportunity to learn the business. This could be the break Justin was dreaming of. The man offering it to him was a customer he met at Home Depot. His name: Ari Squire.

Donna FioRito: Everybody at Home Depot thought he was a good guy. He asked Justin, Justin told me, "How would you like to make some real money?" And he offered Justin $15 an hour.

Rob Stafford: Was Justin impressed by this guy?

Donna FioRito: He was impressed by the money and the job that he offered him 'cause he figured if he did construction, he could learn something and then move on. So he was excited about it.

Justin was also excited the job might include travel to a construction project in Missouri. 

Donna FioRito:  He was impressed by the money and the job that he offered him 'cause he figured if he- He says, "You know, Mom, he says, "Our company pays for your hotel and your food." Justin goes, "That'd be an awesome trip. I wouldn't have to take my car. I go with the guys. Make some money."

The job with Ari's company was to start the Saturday Justin went missing. And where was Justin supposed to report to work that morning? The home of his new boss, Ari Squire.

Donna FioRito: He was gonna be at Ari Squire's house by 7 o'clock, a little after, and he would be home by 3:00 to take me to work at 3:30.

When Justin didn't return home that afternoon or answer his cell phone, his mother called his former boss at Home Depot to get Ari's phone number.

Donna FioRito: I told him, "Justin went to work with him today." He goes, "Did he?" He goes, "Donna, Ari Squire died in a fire this morning at his house."

Right away, Donna phoned her other son, Frank.

Frank Testa: So I start asking her questions, "Do we know if his car's in Ari's driveway? Maybe he left with Ari's crew and left his car there. You know, did anyone see him around Ari's house?" And it was just very strange.

Rob Stafford: What's your biggest concern?

Frank Testa: My biggest concern is that Justin left and didn't tell anybody where he was going. Part of me was saying to myself, "Well, he's carefree. But his responsibility to his mother and to me - to the family, because we're all he has left" - and I was kind of conflicted with those two thoughts. So it seems very odd and out of place, but I was not going to share that with my mom.

Finally on Sunday night - almost 36 hours after Justin went missing - they received a text message from Justin's phone.

Donna FioRito: It says, "Gone to Missouri. Call ya next week."

But something seemed strange to Justin's family. The message included "M.O."- the correct abbreviation for Missouri.

Donna FioRito: Justin wouldn't know that.

Frank Testa: He wouldn't have abbreviated it and even if he did, it wouldn't have been correct.

Rob Stafford: So, are you more worried or less?

Donna FioRito: Oh, more.

Donna called 911, and investigators came to her home. The questions they asked about Justin upset her even more.

Donna FioRito: They were asking us about drugs. Maybe Justin got involved with this guy and he's running drugs to Missouri. Maybe he went to Mexico with kilos or bringing kilos back. I mean, they were so into the drug thing that it really started irritating me.

Even worse, they asked other questions that made her wonder if they thought Justin might have somehow caused the accident in the garage.

Donna FioRito: Maybe, you know, they're tryin' to blame him. You think the worst, you know? [laughs] Like did he have any part of this? You know, if it was an accident, Justin's probably really freakin' out, you know, thinkin', "Oh my God, I did somethin' wrong and this man's dead." It scared me.

Rob Stafford: If Justin leaned on that truck and it fell on Ari Squire, would he take off --

Donna FioRito: No.

Rob Stafford: because he was scare -- are you --

Donna FioRito: Absolutely.

Rob Stafford: sure?

Donna FioRito: --not. Asolutely not. That's not Justin. No. Uh-uh. He would've called 911. "Hey, a truck just fell on my boss. You gotta hurry and and get here." I know Justin. He had a heart. He might be carefree, but he does have a heart.

Investigators came back a few days later and collected some of Justin's things.

Donna FioRito: They took one of Justin's sweatshirts, a pair of his shoes and his shaver thing that he used for his hair.

Rob Stafford: What are they saying?

Donna FioRito: "Well, it's just for the future in case we need it." And I go, "You know what? I'm not stupid." I says, "I got a feeling." And she goes, "Oh, no, it's nothing' bad, it's nothin' bad."

Rob Stafford: What are you goin' through at that point?

Donna FioRito: I couldn't even sleep. I didn't eat. I just, "Where is he? Something's happened to him." And then I started thinking, "What if this man sent him on a trip with a bunch of guys for dope and they ended up killin' my son?" I mean, just things goin' through my mind. 

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