Imagine losing 32 years of your life for a crime you didn’t commit. That’s exactly what happened to Victor Rosario, who spent over three decades in prison for arson and murder charges that were entirely false. Now, after being freed and exonerated, Rosario has been awarded $13 million—the largest settlement in New England’s history.
Rosario’s nightmare began in 1982 when he was just 24 years old. A fire in a Massachusetts building claimed the lives of eight people, including five children. Rosario, who was trying to rescue victims from the blaze, was instead accused of starting it. Despite the lack of physical evidence proving arson, police declared it a deliberate fire within hours. Rosario became their prime suspect.
According to his attorney, Mark Loevy-Reyes, the confession that sealed Rosario’s fate wasn’t voluntary. “They kept him awake all night, traumatized from hearing the screams of children he tried to save,” Loevy-Reyes explained. “They promised him he could go home if he signed a paper. Exhausted and confused, he signed.”
Rosario later recounted his own perspective: “I didn’t fully understand what I was signing. I thought I was going home. Instead, I ended up in handcuffs.”
For 32 long years, Rosario sat in prison, grieving the loss of time, freedom, and his mother, who passed away seven years before his release. It wasn’t until 2014 that justice finally prevailed. A court ruled that his confession had been coerced and invalid. Prosecutors dropped the case, and Rosario walked free.
Justice never sleeps but it sure dozes off for a long time. But in the end, a measure of justice for Victor Rosario and 32 years in prison … Always and forever an innocent man. pic.twitter.com/YRNYJViUB5
— John Nardizzi (@AuthorPI) May 3, 2023
But his battle wasn’t over. Rosario and his legal team sued the City of Lowell, accusing authorities of fabricating evidence to “solve” the case quickly. “Back then, investigators often used junk science to label fires as arson,” said Loevy-Reyes. He added that Lowell’s arson squad was partially funded by the insurance industry, which benefited from arson findings since it limited payouts.
As the trial loomed, the city settled for $13 million, a historic amount. While no sum can return those lost years, Rosario has found purpose in helping others. He works with wrongfully convicted individuals and supports inmates reentering society.
“What drives me now is helping those who need it,” Rosario said. “It’s what I tried to do back then—and it’s what I’ll keep doing.”
Would you forgive the system if you were in his shoes? Share your thoughts—and this story—so others can learn about the fight for justice.
