An Opelousas man has been arrested for burning down three historical black churches in St. Landry Parish. 21-year-old Holden Matthews is facing three counts of simple arson of a religious building. Governor John Bel Edwards was on hand to congratulate law enforcement for getting Matthews behind bars.
“I don’t know what this young man’s motive was. I don’t know what was in his heart, but I can say it cannot be justified or rationalized. These were evil acts,” said Edwards.
The first church to burn down was the St. Mary Bapstist Church in Port Barre on March 26. Two more churches were torched in early April in Opelousas, State Fire Marshal Butch Browning credited boots on the ground law enforcement for making an arrest.
“Several pieces of evidence both physical from the scene and technological evidence have confirmed that Matthews is the suspect,” said Browning.
Matthews is a son of a St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s deputy and had no prior arrests or history of violence. Browning said an exact motive has not been determined, but the suspect may have been influenced by black metal.
“Matthews had offered through suggestions and connections a relationship with a type of music called ‘black metal’ and it’s association in history with church burnings,” said Browning.
