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Three Historically Black Churches In Louisiana Burn Down In A Matter Of Days

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https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/three-historic-black-churches-in-louisiana-up-in-flames

In a matter of days, three historic, mostly black churches in one Louisiana parish have gone up in flames — and police have identified “suspicious elements” at the scenes.


According to a New York Times report from late last week, the fires all happened within the past two weeks, but the police have not yet found the common denominator among the burns nor confirmed arson.

Per NBC News, the three churches in St. Landry Parish — St. Mary’s Baptist Church, Greater Union Baptist Church and Mount Pleasant Baptist Church — are all more than 100 years old. A fourth blaze broke out at a church about 200 miles away, but authorities don’t believe it’s related to the first three.
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https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/...-thought-to-be-motivated-by-black-metal-music

Suspected LA Church Arsonist Thought To Be Motivated By ‘Black Metal Music’


Louisiana Fire Marshall Butch Browning (pictured above) said Thursday at a press conference that the suspected arsonist, Holden Matthews, behind a series of recent church fires is believed to have been motivated by “black metal music,” which has a “history of church burnings.”

“We are still vetting several motives, however we do have information investigators uncovered and that Matthews had offered, connecting him to black metal music,” Browning said. “It has an association in history with church burnings in other parts of the world.”

Browning declined to elaborate further, saying that the investigation is still “extremely active” but that federal authorities will take the lead on determining if the arson was a hate crime. “A hate motive is in the federal nexus,” he said.

Matthews, a 21-year-old white man from St. Landry Parish, the same area where the three historically black churches were burned, is also the son of a local police deputy.

St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz, clad in a black tie emblazoned with gray handguns, dismissed any rumors that Matthews’ father, Roy, had a hand in his son’s arrest.

“Holden Matthews’ father did not turn him in,” Guidroz said. “He was shocked and hurt as any father would be.”

“I love Roy Matthews — he’s one of my best friends,” Guidroz added. “He knew nothing about his son’s activities.”

Though the investigation is ongoing, Browning said that “we are extremely, unequivocally confident that we have the man responsible for these crimes,” adding that the quick arrest “averted what possibly could have been other crimes.”

Matthews has been charged with three counts of simple arson of a religious building, eliciting a maximum punishment of 15 years in jail.
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