Ont. man pleads guilty in summer stabbing in Orillia

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An Orillia, Ont., man has pleaded guilty to stabbing and sending a man to the hospital in life-threatening condition.

Madison Quinn, 27, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and carrying a weapon in the stabbing of Ryan Lawes on July 20, 2025, along Highway 12.

Defence lawyer Will Caven requested a pre-sentence report be prepared for the court to consider Quinn’s history prior to sentencing. The guilty plea was entered in court Tuesday morning without the facts of the case being put on the record.

Loved ones said Lawes, 44, who is now a father of four, was stabbed by Quinn four times in the chest and abdomen, puncturing his liver and tearing his intestines, kidney, and bowels.

Lawes had to be airlifted to a hospital in Toronto with life-threatening injuries he is still recovering from, including nightmares, as he relives the stabbing. He was placed on life support, and doctors feared he wouldn’t make it.

Quinn had also been charged with two counts of uttering death threats. Lawes’ wife, who was 36 weeks pregnant at the time, was steps away when her husband was stabbed by Quinn.

Quinn has been behind bars for seven months after he could not find a surety to bail him out of jail. He is scheduled to make his next appearance in four weeks to update the court on the status of his pre-sentence report and sentencing hearing date.

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