Suspected Texas church arsons now 11 (this year alone - in East Texas)

[sonias]

Looks like we have a serial arsonist or more targeting East Texas Churches. :grr:

Baptist Press 2/10/10
Suspected Texas church arsons now 11

SMITH COUNTY, Texas (BP)--Two more Baptist churches, less than two miles apart, burned Monday night, making a total of 11 East Texas churches damaged or destroyed by fire since the New Year and seven confirmed as arsons, authorities say.

The latest buildings consumed were declared a total loss despite the response from four volunteer fire departments.

Investigators from the Smith County Fire Marshal's office and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were at Dover Baptist Church and Clear Springs Missionary Baptist Church in Smith County Feb. 9 trying to determine the cause of the fires. Because arson has been confirmed in seven other church burnings in the region, ATF special agent Tom Crowley said it is the suspected cause of the latest fire, but confirmation will take a few days.

Federal investigators have, once again, upped the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect to $25,000 from an earlier figure of $10,000. Ironically, the increased reward was due to be announced Tuesday before the additional fires, Crowley said. Anyone with information about the fires is asked to call the ATF at 903-590-1475.

(snip)
Crowley, based in the ATF's Dallas office, said the latest fires are possibly associated with a string of church blazes set since Jan. 1. There have been seven confirmed arsons -- three in Athens, two in Tyler, one in Lindale, and one in Wills Point. Each of the fires was started from inside the churches and representatives from some of the churches reported items were stolen prior to the buildings being set on fire.

CNN 2/11/10
Two latest Texas church fires ruled arson
The two latest fires in a string of church blazes in east Texas have been ruled arson, bringing the total of deliberately-set fires to 10, authorities said Thursday.

Fires destroyed Dover Baptist Church and Clear Spring Missionary Baptist Church on Monday night. The churches are located about three miles apart near Tyler, Texas.

There have been a total of 11 church fires so far this year, said Tom Crowley, special agent from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' Dallas, Texas, office. One has not been ruled arson.

Included in that total is a January church arson in Temple, Texas. Authorities are not sure whether the Temple fire is related to the other nine, which have been concentrated in an area east of Dallas, more than 150 miles from Temple.

Houston Chronicle 2/11/10
East Texas sheriff talks safety amid church fires

HENDERSON, Texas — An eastern Texas sheriff wants to discuss safety issues with religious leaders in his area amid a rash of church fires that authorities believe were intentionally set.

Rusk County Sheriff Danny Pirtle planned a meeting for Thursday morning in Henderson, a day after the number of church arsons in Texas since Jan. 1 reached 10 with two more confirmed cases.

Nine of the fires were in counties just west of Rusk. The other was in central Texas.

Dallas Morning News 2/5/10
East Texas on edge over church fires

Church members watched in horror as Grace Community Church in Athens went up in flames a few weeks ago.

Firefighters battled a blaze Thursday that destroyed the sanctuary of Russell Memorial United Methodist Church in Wills Point. Officials said it was too early to say whether the fire was arson.

Their horror turned to dismay when some firefighters hurriedly left the late-night blaze before it was extinguished.

"Our people were like, 'What's going on here?' " said Brian Brandt, a pastor at the church. "It was because they got another call – another church was burning three to five miles away."

The other church was Lake Athens Baptist Church. The two were set ablaze within hours of each other. The fires are among at least six that may be connected.

Longview News Journal 1/20/10
Feds probing rash of church fires in East Texas

TYLER — Federal authorities are investigating a rash of church fires in East Texas, where seven such blazes have been reported since Jan. 1.

Police said the latest Tyler-area fire at Bethesda House of Prayer in Lindale was quickly contained Wednesday morning.
(snip)
Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives moved in last week after three church fires were reported during a 12 day period in nearby Athens.

The Athens blazes caused officials to re-examine a church fire in Canton.

Sonia

[efhmc]

1. This is horrid. Hope they stop the "person(s)" soon.

[sonias]

2. It is horrible

I can't believe this person or group has been so brazen in starting these fires. Sometimes 2 in one night. They are begging to be caught.

Sonia

[sonias]

3. Investigators name 3 persons of interest in East Texas church fires

Dallas Morning News 2/12/10
Investigators name 3 persons of interest in East Texas church fires
TYLER, Texas – Investigators have released sketches of three persons of interest in a string of Texas church fires.

Images of the three men were provided Friday at a Tyler news conference by Special Agent Robert Champion with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

(snip)

The images released Friday show one man with short hair and a flame-like tattoo on his neck, another short-haired man with a cross on his left forearm, and a third man with longer hair.

Well they didn't exactly name them as describe them.

[onestepforward]

4. I hope they catch the responsible folks soon.

It sounds like they are getting closer.

[white cloud]

5. Maybe a repeat post. but sketch are here

http://www.kltv.com/global/story.asp?s=11976780

Sketches released of the "person's of interest" in the east Texas church fires.

[onestepforward]

6. I'm sure that folks in the area

will keep their eyes open for those three. With tattoos, it will be easier to find them.

[onestepforward]

7. "Two arrested in East Texas church fires"

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6878226.html

TYLER — Two arrests were made early Sunday in a series of East Texas church fires that authorities believe were intentionally set, a fire official said.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives spokesman Tom Crowley says 19-year-old Jason Robert Bourque and 21-year-old Daniel George McAllister have been charged with five counts of felony arson in connection with fires at churches in Smith County.

Both men were being held in the Smith County jail on $10 million bail.

snip-

Good news!

[sonias]

8. Good!

I hope these are the right men who were committing these crimes and this arson spree will stop.


Sonia

[sonias]

9. East Texas church fires suspects arraigned in Tyler court

Dallas Morning News 2/22/10
East Texas church fires suspects arraigned in Tyler court

Authorities puzzled over a possible motive for a string of East Texas church fires one day after announcing that the serial arsons had been solved with arrests of two East Texas men.

"You would think that we'd be able to figure out why someone would want to do this," said Texas Ranger Brent Davis. "We have nothing, no motive whatsoever."

Childhood friends Daniel George McCallister, 21, of Ben Wheeler, and Jason Robert Borque, 19, were led into a Smith County district courtroom at noon Monday for an initial arraignment hearing.

Each has been charged with a single count of arson involving a place of worship. State district Judge Christi Kennedy ordered each of the men to remain jailed in lieu of a $10 million bond.

(snip)
The two men, described by authorities as childhood friends with no prior criminal records, were led into a second-floor courtroom in red jail jumpsuits, bound with waist-chains, handcuffs and leg shackles. They sat several feet apart and stared glumly ahead as the courtroom filled with courthouse employees, police and reporters.

No motive whatsoever! Although a motive would probably have been a bad one too. Idiots! :grr:

Sonia

[BrightKnight]

10. Why would anyone want to burn small Methodist

churches? In Smith County most of the congregations in these churches are living very close to the edge. I would be surprised if all of the buildings were properly insured.

East Texas Baptists can be a bit overbearing but nothing justifies Church burning. I am sure that a local jury in will give them exactly what they deserve.

[sonias]

11. The equivalent of a "joy ride"

For pyromaniacs that is. I love a good fire, but would never deliberately set fire to someone's personal property. If they wanted to burn something - why not something they owned?

The story of the arraignment had a line from one of them saying their family hated them. Can't imagine why?


Sonia