Well, at least that was the story our local White Right was pushing.
OPELOUSAS, La. — The first fire engulfed St. Mary Baptist Church in late March, incinerating nearly everything that stood within the historically black church. Pews turned to ash, and the brick walls burned so hot that they collapsed into piles of smoldering rubble in Port Barre.
Then another black church in St. Landry Parish burned, and then another — three in a span of 10 days, sending black communities into a panic and authorities racing to stop an arsonist from destroying another house of worship.
Law enforcement in southern Louisiana found their suspect close to home: Holden Matthews, the son of a parish sheriff’s deputy.
Matthews, 21, was arrested Wednesday and charged with three arson counts amid fears the arson was motivated by hate.
Holden Matthews. (Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal via AP)
“It has been especially painful because it reminds us of a very dark past of intimidation and fear,” Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) said at a news conference.
Matthews is the son of St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Roy Matthews, who was “shocked and hurt” at the news of the arrest, St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...es-southern-louisiana/?utm_term=.a7815fc5dfc4
OPELOUSAS, La. — The first fire engulfed St. Mary Baptist Church in late March, incinerating nearly everything that stood within the historically black church. Pews turned to ash, and the brick walls burned so hot that they collapsed into piles of smoldering rubble in Port Barre.
Then another black church in St. Landry Parish burned, and then another — three in a span of 10 days, sending black communities into a panic and authorities racing to stop an arsonist from destroying another house of worship.
Law enforcement in southern Louisiana found their suspect close to home: Holden Matthews, the son of a parish sheriff’s deputy.
Matthews, 21, was arrested Wednesday and charged with three arson counts amid fears the arson was motivated by hate.
Holden Matthews. (Louisiana Office of State Fire Marshal via AP)
“It has been especially painful because it reminds us of a very dark past of intimidation and fear,” Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) said at a news conference.
Matthews is the son of St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Roy Matthews, who was “shocked and hurt” at the news of the arrest, St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...es-southern-louisiana/?utm_term=.a7815fc5dfc4