I'm Kristen Ceevy. This is Murder She Told.

This episode contains topics of racism and descriptions of domestic violence. Please

listen with care. If you or someone you know are feeling unsafe at home, help is available

24-7. Reach out to your local crisis center or in the U.S. call the National

Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233. It's never too late to get help.

It was the middle of the night in potato country in rural Maine, two miles south

of Fort Fairfield, the nearest town, and a fire was building. Smoke was pouring

out of every crevice of the modest mobile home. A large family was in peril, and they had

no idea. Earlier that Friday night, on October 19, 1990, at about 10 p.m., Virginia

Picto Noise, a young mother of five, kicked out her husband after an alcohol-fueled spat.

The five children, ranging in age from just months old to eight years old, at all retired

for the evening, and so would she. Sometime in the wee hours of the morning, the oldest

boy, Randy, awakened to the smell of smoke. He ran to his mother. But by the time she

realized what was happening, the fire was unstoppable. She worked quickly to get the children

to safety. Her youngest baby girl was sleeping with her. Randy was old enough to manage

on his own, and so was the next oldest boy who was six.

Once the four of them made it to safety, Virginia tried to rescue her two remaining children,

who were one and two years old. The one-year-old boy was colloquy and was separated in his own

bedroom. Virginia started down the corridor to his room, but soon retreated because of

the heavy smoke and the heat of the flames. She emerged from the trailer, her lungs burning

and coughing violently. She tried to reach his bedroom from the exterior of the trailer

room. Virginia ripped off the clear plastic sheeding that was placed over the windows and

...