Louisiana deputy sheriff's son reportedly arrested in connection with fires that destroyed 3 black churches


A Landry Parish sheriff deputy's son has been arrested in connection with fires that gutted three black churches in the Louisiana parish over a span of 10 days, CBS News reports. The first fire destroyed St. Mary's Baptist Church in Port Barre on March 26, followed by a April 2 conflagration at Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas and an April 4 fire at Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church in Opelousas. All three historically black churches are a few miles apart, and each has been active in the community for more than 100 years, The Acadiana Advocate reports.
KATC-TV identified the person in custody as 21-year-old Holden Matthews.
Last week, officials said they had not determined what caused the fires, though Louisiana State Fire Marshal H. "Butch" Browning called them "suspicious." More details are expected to be unveiled Thursday morning at a news conference with Browning, Gov. John Bel Edwards (D), Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz, and representatives of the FBI and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Home Depots are the new epicenters of ICE raids
In the Spotlight The chain has not provided many comments on the ongoing raids
-
Why does Trump keep interfering in the NYC mayoral race?
Today's Big Question The president has seemingly taken an outsized interest in his hometown elections, but are his efforts to block Zohran Mamdani about political expediency or something deeper?
-
The pros and cons of banning cellphones in classrooms
Pros and cons The devices could be major distractions
-
At least 800 dead in Afghanistan earthquake
speed read A magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit a mountainous region of eastern Afghanistan
-
Massive earthquake sends tsunami across Pacific
Speed Read Hundreds of thousands of people in Japan and Hawaii were told to evacuate to higher ground
-
FEMA Urban Search and Rescue chief resigns
Speed Read Ken Pagurek has left the organization, citing 'chaos'
-
Wildfires destroy historic Grand Canyon lodge
Speed Read Dozens of structures on the North Rim have succumbed to the Dragon Bravo Fire
-
Search for survivors continues after Texas floods
Speed Read A total of 82 people are confirmed dead, including 28 children
-
EPA is reportedly killing Energy Star program
speed read The program for energy-efficient home appliances has saved consumers billions in energy costs since its 1992 launch
-
US proposes eroding species protections
Speed Read The Trump administration wants to change the definition of 'harm' in the Environmental Protection Act to allow habitat damage
-
Severe storms kill dozens across central US
Speed Read At least 40 people were killed over the weekend by tornadoes, wildfires and dust storms