The 23-year-old who set fire to three predominately Black churches in St. Landry Parish is sentenced to 25 years in federal prison.
Legal Analyst Tim Meche says Holden Matthews was hit with a substantial sentence.
“I think most legal observers expected him to get under 20 years but then again it was a noteworthy crime that got national attention,” said Meche.
Matthews’ spree took place from late March to early April in 2019 and targeted the Greater Union, Mt. Pleasant, and St. Mary Baptist Churches.
Matthews, the son of a St. Landry Parish deputy, initially pled not guilty but changed his plea back in February. Meche says pleading out was his best bet to avoid an even longer sentence.
“I think if he would have taken it to trial he probably would have gotten a sentence closer to life so he made the best of a bad situation that he, of course, brought on himself,” said Meche.
Matthews reportedly told authorities that he set the fires in an attempt to raise his profile as a “Black Metal” artist, committing crimes similar to those done by musicians in Scandinavia in the 1990s.
“It is just the wrong time in American history to go and burn down African American churches. The courts are not going to tolerate that and are going to make an example of people who chose to do that,” said Meche.
The court has also ordered Matthews to pay over two-point-six million dollars in restitution to the three churches.
Comments