Louisiana sheriff's deputy 'shocked and hurt' after son's arrest over black church fires

Louisiana Baptist Church fires.
(Image credit: CNN)

Louisiana authorities have arrested a sheriff's deputy's son in connection with a series of fires at three historically black churches, authorities confirmed at a press conference Thursday. The suspect is Holden Matthews, a 21-year-old white male.

Louisiana State Fire Marshal Butch Browning said investigators "are extremely, unequivocally confident that we have the person who is responsible" for the fires. Matthews has been charged with three counts of simple arson of a religious building, with each charge carrying a maximum 15-year penalty.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.