Daily Advertiser – by Ashley White
The 21-year-old son of a St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s deputy is the only suspect thought to be responsible for the burning of three predominantly black churches, and his interests in black metal music and pagan gods is of interest in the case, authorities said Thursday.
Holden Matthews, son of Deputy Roy Matthews, was arrested Wednesday and charged with three counts of simple arson of a religious building in connection with the church burnings that took place over 10 days. Once probable cause, including surveillance video, connected the younger Matthews to the crime, he was arrested within about 12 hours, State Fire Marshall Butch Browning said.
“This community is safe again,” Browning said. “We are extremely and unequivocally confident we have the person who is responsible for these tragic crimes.”
The arrest affidavit for Matthews, who is white, shows investigators tied him to the crimes at the black churches through surveillance video that showed a truck registered to his father at the fires, the purchase of a gas can and cell phone tower data.
Matthews’ connection to an extreme genre of heavy metal music whose followers have expressed violent views is being vetted by authorities.
“These were evil acts,” Gov. John Bel Edwards said at a news conference announcing the arrest. “(This) has been especially painful because it reminds us of a very dark past of intimidation and fear.”
Edwards said it’s not clear what the motive is in the case, but authorities are continuing their investigation of Matthews and the fires.
“I don’t know what was in his heart,” Edwards said. “But I can tell you it can’t be justified or rationalized.”
Browning said authorities are investigating Matthews’ involvement in the music genre of black metal, whose followers have been tied to church fires and extreme acts in other parts of the country.
Matthews, who has no prior arrests, notes on his Facebook page that he’s a songwriter and lead singer for a band called Vodka Vultures. A photo of him holding a guitar shows a sign behind him with “Black Metal” spray-painted on it.
He also has posted photos on social media of an altar he built for pagan gods and has described himself a follower of ancient Norse mythology and culture.
Roy Matthews declined to comment Thursday when approached by The Advertiser at his home. He has been with the sheriff’s office for more than 10 years and serves court papers, a sheriff’s office spokesman said.
“He’s a fine man,” St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said. “But it tells you, and it should tell the country, that no matter who you are there are consequences for the things you do.”
Guidroz informed Roy Matthews this week that his son was the suspect in the fires. He said Roy Matthews “knew nothing” of his son’s activity related to the crimes.
“He was shocked and hurt, as any father would be,” Guidroz said.
Authorities have released few other details in the case, including where Matthews was arrested. But Edwards said the fires were not representative of Louisiana.
“Hate is not a Louisiana value and violence has no place in our communities,” he said. “We are better than this and this is the reflection of a depraved individual. It is not a reflection on the state of Louisiana.”
While investigating the fire sites, authorities with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives found a charred Scepter brand red gas can near the origin of the fire, according to court records. Investigators said they found that someone, later identified as Matthews, had purchased the gas can at about midnight from WalMart in Opelousas, less than three hours before the first fire on March 25.
Matthews used his debit card and showed his identification to buy the 2-gallon gas can, a pack of 10 automotive rags and a lighter, according to an affidavit filed after his arrest.
In surveillance footage from WalMart, Matthews is seen getting into a gold pick-up truck with a bed cover, according to the affidavit. A beige Ford is registered to Matthews’ father, Roy Matthews, who works as a deputy in the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s office.
Surveillance footage collected from homes and businesses near each church shows a light-colored, extended cab pick-up truck around the area at the time of the fire, according to court records. The truck also was seen by a firefighter pulling out from Jennings Road toward the Greater Union Church fire on April 2. The firefighter was later shown surveillance footage and confirmed it was the same truck.
Taylor Thibodeaux, 23, said she met Matthews online within the last year, because they had mutual friends on Facebook. He messaged her and started commenting on her pictures, she said.
“We were supposed to go on a date, but, for me, he didn’t seem right,” she said. “The infatuation he had toward me and my religion just threw me off.”
Thibodeaux said during their time together Matthews also used racial slurs, made “black jokes” and “dead baby jokes.”
Dana Nichols, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives-New Orleans field division special agent in charge, said the federal investigation isn’t over.
“We are not done,” she said at the news conference. “We are continuing our investigative activities because we want to make sure that any and all individuals if there are other individuals who have engaged or who are involved in this, that they will be brought to justice.”
She added she wants to add a clear message to anyone who wants to partake “in these heinous crimes.”
“You cannot destroy our faith. We can have church anywhere,” Nichols said. “You have destroyed a building, but you have not destroyed our faith.”
Neighbors said Thursday that authorities were seen at Matthews’ home this week, confiscating items, including cell phones and computers.
Matthews was denied bond and a hearing is scheduled for May 2.
St. Mary Baptist Church, which is in Port Barre, was the first church that burned in a fire early in the morning on March 26. The Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas burned down a week later. On April 4, a fire destroyed Mount Pleasant Baptist Church on Highway 182 south of Opelousas.
Rev. Frank Ford, acting president of the NAACP-St. Landry Parish branch, said he is thankful for law enforcement’s quick response to the fires. He added the NAACP supports the churches and will help them as they rebuild.
The churches and their congregations are relieved that police have a suspect in custody, said Greater Union pastor Rev. Harry Richard. Now, the church is looking to move forward.
“I’ve forgiven him already,” he said. “I’m ready to heal right now. I’m ready to go back to normal if that’s possible. We’re gonna need all the help that we can get.”
Anyone with information about the crimes can anonymously submit a tip by calling 1-800-256-5452 or online at lasfm.org.
Contact Ashley White at adwhite@theadvertiser.com or on Twitter @AshleyyDi.
“This community is safe again,” Browning said.”
No it isn’t.
His pig dad & buddies are still on the loose, aren’t they?