AUGUSTA — Raymond Bellavance Jr. said he was attracted to Krista MacIntyre, a waitress at the Grand View Topless Coffee Shop, because of the good sex he had with her.

 

That’s according to the arson investigator who interviewed Bellavance 10 months after a fire destroyed the Vassalboro coffee shop.

 

Kenneth MacMaster, an investigator with the Office of the State Fire Marshal, testified in court today that Bellavance told him the couple’s relationship was on-and-off and that he had broken up with her around the time of the fire because she lied.

 

Bellavance described her to MacMaster as “the world’s biggest liar,” the investigator said.

 

MacMaster said Bellavance also made allegations about prostitution, “an underground bar scene” and some drug activity taking place at the coffee shop on Route 3 in Vassalboro.

 

MacMaster said Bellavance said he wanted MacIntyre to quit the topless waitress job and had gone out there March 9, 2009, to try to get her fired.

 

The March 2010 statements by Bellavance to MacMaster came out in front of a jury today, the fifth day of Bellavance’s trial on two arson charges in Kennebec County Superior Court.

 

Prior to describing the intervidew with Bellavance, MacMaster testified that the fire that destroyed the Grand View Topless Coffee Shop June 3, 2009, started outside the rear of the former motel and was concentrated in the center of the building, which housed the restaurant itself.

 

He determined early that the fire was arson and that it started on the exterior of the building where the damage was heaviest.

 

Seven people, including building owner Donald Crabtree, escaped the fire without injury.

 

The power in the courtroom went out very briefly this morning, and Justice Michaela Murphy told jurors she was shortening their lunch hour and was having food brought in for them.